With a big question mark over summer holidays this year, we look for exciting ways to bring the sights and sounds of water to us, as we prepare to welcome friends and family into our gardens.
We asked aquascaping expert Josh Levine about the different ways you can add water to your garden and what you can get for your budget. Josh breaks down water features into three main categories: fountains, pondless waterfalls and ponds. Each of these have pros and cons and will appeal to different people, but all of them are effective ways to bring the mindful trickle of water into your outdoor spaces.
FOUNTAINS
The easiest way to bring water into your garden. A water feature pump is used to circulate water from a storage basin up to a water feature.
Maintenance Level
Minimal.
DIY?
Yes, with smaller fountains, but we recommend professional fitting with larger or more complicated ones.
Budget
Your local garden centre or aquatic shop will likely have fountains from £50 to £500. These are often plug and play types with a small water feature pump which will circulate the water over a stone, statue, sphere or little falls. If you’re looking for something longer term, a professionally installed fountain will often involve burying a reservoir underground and standing the fountain on this. A water feature pump circulates the water creating brilliant bubbling effects as it rises up and down all sides of the fountain. Lights can also be added to illuminate the water and create a feature that can be enjoyed after dark. These fountains start at around £1,000 up to £2,500 for top quality with all the add-ons.
PONDS
Ponds are a versatile and incredibly exciting way to bring water to your garden. Popular with nature lovers and fish-keepers, ponds can be built using all kinds of materials, shapes, filtration and styles.
Maintenance Level
Medium.
DIY?
Ponds are one of the most common features to try and build yourself. Most products are available at your aquatics shop or online and provided you’re up for some digging, this is a great project to bring water to your garden.
Josh’s Tip
Don’t skimp on a pond liner. A good quality rubber or EPDM pond liner will last you much longer and save the headaches from leaks or tears.
Budget
Ponds can vary massively depending on your requirements. A DIYer on a budget can create a simple wildlife pond for a couple of hundred pounds which will attract all types of aquatic life, while a formal raised koi pond can cost tens of thousands. An average low maintenance 3m x 4m ecosystem pond will cost around £7,000, If you plan to keep fish then you will need a filtration unit so make sure to do your research before going to the aquatic store.
PONDLESS WATERFALLS
This increasingly popular water feature mimics a natural stream. A powerful pump brings water up from an underground reservoir to a spillway at a slight elevation. The water then makes its way down the stream and waterfalls back to the basin.
Maintenance Level
Low
DIY?
There are resources online to help guide DIYers on how to build these, so if you’re feeling up for the challenge, you could try and make your own to save some costs, but there is more that can go wrong.
Budget
Pondless Waterfalls start at the £3,000 range for smaller projects (from 1m) with features for larger gardens (up to 7m) as much as £7,000.
Got a question for Josh? Email us at elliot@nutsforprint.co.uk