Water features and ponds

Bored with your plain lawn and borders? Why not consider adding some interest to your garden with a water feature?

Water has long played an important part in culture dating from the ancient pools of the Celts, Roman bath houses and fountains or the pools and fonts used for Christian baptism. They can be peaceful places of refuge or an irresistible attraction for local wildlife.

There are all kinds of water feature, big or small. They can be anything – a pond, fountain, stream, cascade or waterfall. There isn’t a limit on what you can do other than the size of your plot and the depth of your pockets.

What feature you have will also depend on what you are hoping to achieve. Are you looking for a peaceful, Zen garden, a minimalist sculpture or something to help wildlife flourish?

Here are a few ideas for your own water feature. You can filter the search returns on Houzz by garden type, size and space location, landscaping and sun exposure.

Once you have chosen your feature and installed it you will need to bear in mind maintenance. Regular maintenance will keep your feature looking its best all year round.

Here are some dos and don’ts:

• Do maintain your water levels.
• Do clean the feature itself every four to six months.
• Do make sure the pump is clean.
• Don’t be tempted to switch the pump off. Keeping it running will ensure your water doesn’t stagnate and will help to keep the feature clean.
• Don’t fill up your feature with tap water – especially in a hard water area.
• Do use distilled water or use additives to prevent the build up of scale and algae.
• Do drain your feature and prevent it from being filled up with rainwater during the coldest winter months.