What in a garden can bring tranquility to look at, nature in an otherwise dead space, distraction near a busy road and can change the whole feeling of a garden with as little as 1 square meter of space?
The answer is water.
This week we take a glimpse at what is a major part and, some would argue, an essential part of any good garden design and how a reasonably small budget can transform any outdoor space.
Its not a new idea by any means, The Islamic gardens of the last 500 years focussed around three key elements: shade, water and enclosure, and being such a crucial element in plant growth & life in general its hardly surprising its always been a key element in so many gardens.
And whilst the obvious British response to the requirement of water is to install a pond this isnt the only option by a long way...
Here are just a few of the options out there....
Self contained water features - These are the sort of thing that with a bit of care can look great in the right place but if you're not careful can turn your garden into a cheap looking mosquito home. Simple water treatments are a must here and choose a feature that suits the style of the garden - ultra modern; go for a stainless steel globe feature with grasses and box balls or for a more rustic feel a simple pot or bowl over flowing into pebbles in amongst some perennials will give you the sound and tranquility without breaking the bank.
A rill - a long, narrow expanse of water either moving or still, usually used as a border or feature to step over. These are more for the professional installer but once in can be added to with careful planting or lighting to create a slightly bigger effect whilst can be kept from becoming the main attraction if you prefer.
Larger features - Such as water falls, fountains, ponds, pools and water walls. These often become the main feature of a garden and can really create a wow factor, however again care must be taken to match the feature to the style of garden and property, but with a bit of thought these can really make a garden.
The next thing that has to be mentioned here is the maintenance as water has a habit of creating a lot of work if not looked after carefully. You can either go for the totally natural method of plants maintaining the right oxygen and light levels or you can use filters or even chemicals to keep the water from turning to green sludge. Immediate surroundings also play a factor here too; for example a pool under a deciduous tree is going to give you a bit of a headache around autumn when the leaves start to fall. Careful planning can reduce maintenance so unless you're confident in what you're doing its worth spending time researching or getting some advice on the location and method of keeping the water clean.
And finally the other consideration is electrics, whilst there are a number of solar powered water features out there most fail after just a few years and in my experience you're better off spending a bit more and having any pumps or filtration units to the mains. There is no compromise here though as all electrics must be connected and checked by a qualified electrician as water and power can be a nasty combination if you get them wrong!
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