Water can be a great source of inspiration for your garden. Whether it’s the sea or fresh water, it has this quality of almost constant change and movement. And this is often what captures our attention and imagination. Water is hardly ever static. Any slightest movement of air is mirrored by the surface of a water body, however small. It will reflect and add to the drama of a gale or a downpour. On a very still day, however, water will further add to a sense of serenity in your garden. Changing reflections in the water, play of light on its surface and visiting wildlife will create a constant source of entertainment in every garden.
Water as a garden theme
To capture the spirit of water in the landscape, you should first consider what it is exactly that inspired you. Was it a local river? Do you live near the sea? Or is there a lake you visit regularly? Once you pinpointed the exact source of the idea, try to isolate its main qualities and character. Is it a calm, quiet lake? Or is a fast flowing river? How does it make you feel? Finally, start thinking about different ways in which you might be able to convey this same feeling on a smaller scale. However, don’t fall into a trap of trying to copy the original source of your inspiration. Instead, imitate the atmosphere created by a certain type of landscape. This can be achieved by distilling its defining features and stylizing them in such a way that they look at home in a domestic garden.
Water as a garden feature
Water features – whether off the shelf or bespoke – come in many different types, shapes and sizes. They can be formal – square, rectangular or round – or informal in their character. They can vary from a small Corten steel bowl filled with water or a bespoke pool, all they way to a large pond. Decisions concerning the shape and size, as well as the materials, should reflect the style of your house and garden, as well as the wider context of the property. Finally, the overall construction budget will ultimately dictate what is not only desirable, but also possible.
Design considerations for a water garden
- Safety considerations – as with any design feature, you need to consider possible hazards and risks posed by water features and research ways of minimizing or completely eliminating them. This will help you to make decisions concerning where to site a water feature, how large or deep it will be, and whether or not to build in any safety precautions such as covers, fencing or alarms. Consulting manufacturers and landscape contractors will help you to decide on the solutions most suitable to your project.
- Practical considerations – avoid placing a water feature in close proximity to deciduous trees (autumn leaf fall will add to the maintenance), narrow footpaths or in permanently shady parts of the garden. Also, make sure that your water feature can be viewed either from the house or from a terrace. There is not much point in spending a lot of money and time on something you won’t be able to see very often.
- Aesthetic considerations – think not only about the shape and the size of the feature you are creating, but also about the materials to be used for its construction. After all, these three main characteristics need to be in harmony with the overall character of the garden. You might also want to think about introducing other design elements to enhance and complement water features in your garden, such as suitable surfaces, planting or lighting.
Before you make a decision…
It’s always a good idea to do thorough research before you commit to incorporating some sort of water feature into your garden. To state the obvious, it might become the most expensive and time-consuming element of your garden as far as maintenance is concerned, not to mention the initial cost of its installation. So before you commit to anything, go and look at some water features which have already been installed in gardens.
RHS shows and partner gardens are great for this, so look closely, ask questions and take photos! You might also be able to talk to the manufactures, distributors or installers about specific products you are interested in. RHS provides some excellent guidance concerning the use water in a garden on their website:
- Water habitats – ideas on different ways to incorporate water in gardens of all sizes
- Choosing pond plants – lists of plants suitable for our climate and for different depths of water
- Rain gardens – all you need to know about managing rain water in your garden
There is plenty of information out there, so take advantage of it – it will save you time and money in the long run…
Would you like to incorporate a water feature into your garden but still don’t know where to start or haven’t got the time?
If so, please don’t hesitate to contact us to talk about your project!