After Bill and Vivian Lovett downsized to a new brownstone in historic Roswell, they decided to add a water feature to their bricked-in courtyard.
For help, they turned to Marietta-based Charles Hodges Gardens. The Lovetts had worked with Hodges and his company on a landscape project at their former home in East Cobb.
The Lovetts wanted a fountain as a focal point of their patio garden. But they wanted it to be something unique. At Red Baron’s Antiques in Atlanta, they found two orbs made of tabby, a building material once used in coastal communities in the Southeast.
Hodges repurposed the antique orb into a fountain. The textural ball, which adds a contemporary element to the traditional garden, sits on a bluestone base. Water trickles over the orb and base into a two-feet-deep square basin.
In addition to the fountain, Hodges dry laid Bluestone pavers into a gravel bed and planted Mondo grass in between some. Hodges, a horticulturalist, carefully chose the plants and trees to work with the design — now, in the future when they mature and from season to season. He nestled the second orb in a dry corner.
“We achieved our goal of having an intimate garden space in our courtyard where we could entertain friends, or just sit and relax,” said Bill, a former advertising and marketing director turned landscape painter.
Water features are an increasingly popular with homeowners, according to a 2013 survey by the American Society of Landscape Architects.
While Americans love their back yard pools (75.3 percent) and spas/hot tubs (81.5 percent), they also are big fans of other decorative water elements (90.9 percent), such as built-in fountains, waterfalls and ornamental pools.
No matter what type of outdoor space you have, water is a welcome element. And because of the wide range of options, it is easy to add a water feature to even the smallest space.
“First and foremost, water provides ambiance,” said Danna Cain of Atlanta-based Home & Garden Design. “People are drawn to water. Their immediate reaction to hearing it and seeing it is to relax.”
But water features also have a practical purpose: They mask the sounds of nearby traffic or neighbors.
If you want to add a well-designed, eco-friendly water feature to your patio or landscape, Cain and Hodges offer these tips on what to consider.
Location. A water feature is one component of your landscape. It should be integrated into the overall design of your garden, patio or backyard. Think about where you want to view the pond or fountain. If you place a water feature under trees, plan to cover the pond with netting to catch falling leaves and debris.
Power. Most ponds, waterfalls and fountains require electricity for pumps and a proper filtration system. Be sure you can get electricity to the location.
Water supply. For any water feature, access to water – especially a hose to top off water that evaporates – is a must.
Style. Do you want a formal or more informal, natural-looking water feature? Keep the design and materials consistent with the style and materials of your house and garden.
Features. Do you want fish and plants? Or just the sound and structural appeal of moving water but not necessarily plants? Be aware that ponds with fish attract other wildlife, including raccoons, hawks and blue heron.
Types. Depending on your landscape and preferences, there are a variety of choices, including:
- Fountains. Stones, vases, repurposed objects or other water-tight containers add an instant focal point or architectural feature to any garden. Fountains range from simple to elaborate.
- Go pondless. A pond-less water feature includes a waterfall or cascading stream but no visible pond. If you want the sound of water but not the fish, consider a pond-less waterfall.
- Ponds and water gardens: Water gardens are typically small and shallow. In a water garden, the primary focus is on plants, but it can contain fish. Koi ponds tend to be deeper and larger since koi grow. Koi also eat some plants, limiting your choices of plant life. Keep in mind that a pond with moving water is cleaner, better for plants and fish and less inviting to mosquitoes.
Materials. Natural ponds use stone or boulders on the perimeter. Brick and cut stone are used more often in formal ponds. Ponds should be lined with EPDM rubber or a heavy-gauge liner for good water retention. Fountains can be made of natural stone, cast stone, metal, resin, fiberglass, terra cotta or concrete.
Safety. For households with young children, a water feature is a concern. Shallow water features are safer than deep ones. A higher-up wall fountain, bird bath or and pond-less waterfall are popular options.
Cost: Like many home projects, the price to install and maintain an outdoor water feature can vary greatly depending on the size, complexity and materials.
Maintenance: All water features require some maintenance. Determine how much you are willing to do — or pay for. Add-on features, such as an auto-fill device, can relieve you of the hassle of adding water to refill the pond or fountain. Compared to a pond, fountains are typically less maintenance.
Dog days. If you have large, water-loving dogs, consider a large raised fountain. With a pond, a dog's claws can penetrate the liner, causing leaks.
Trends
- A move away from larger ponds and waterfalls to smaller water features
- Water features located closer to the house
- Pond-less waterfalls continue to be popular with families who want the sights and sounds of a waterfall but not a pool of water because of children, dogs or maintenance issues.
- Ponds to swim in. “We’ve been watching this development in Germany for the past 20 years,” said Cain.
- Fire rings or torch-like plumes, powered by natural gas or propane, rising from a large bowl of still water.
- Upgrades that make water features more eco-friendly and low maintenance, including energy-efficient pumps and easier to remove filter/skimmer baskets.
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