Is there a fountain in a park or mall that you visit every time you take a walk? Ask yourself why you visit it so often. Your answer might surprise you – you just love the sound. You might find it relaxing or that it provides a contrast to the other sounds that fill your life.
Watching or Interacting with a water feature might be an entirely different story. Do you like the way the light plays on the moving water? Do you find the mist that rolls over the side of the splash basin to be cooling and relaxing? Do you feel a kind of thrill or tingle when you touch the water?
What kind of water feature do you find most attractive? The modern ones at the mall that have a big marble ball that seems to spin and float on the upper pond? An outdoor waterfall that reflects the sun, trees, and sky? Or a pond home to various fish and some frogs?
Come on, let’s explore this some more!
What kinds of water features are the easiest or simplest?
- The simplest, easiest to maintain and install would be a simple birdbath. They come in many styles, use different materials, and attract birds and small animals to have a drink or a bath. It could be a simple stone basin or as delicate as a blown glass bowl in reflective colors and swirls.
A typical birdbath can have standing water that you refill whenever it gets low – this may be twice a day on a hot day in Florida. Or it might be hooked up to a pump that gets water from your water supply. That’s a little more difficult but ultimately easier for you.
- A swimming pool, hot tub, plunge, or splash pad for the humans in the family to enjoy.
Splash pads are lovely for the kids and much less expensive and easier to maintain than a pool.
A Hot tub is not very hard to maintain, but this is Florida, so you might want to put it into a screen house or something protective to keep leaves, bugs, or curious animals from wandering in.
- A wishing well. It’s a simple feature, attractive to many who like an old-fashioned touch. It could remind you about your childhood beliefs in fairies, wishes, and tossing pennies into fountains and old wells.
- Koi pond. A pond can be a fantastic feature. It can reflect the sky or draw sunlight deep into the depths. It becomes an organic part of your landscape when adding water plants, floating plants, and live fish. It needs more care than any other water feature since there are live animals to care for, but it is usually beautiful and challenging.
- A fountain. There are hundreds of designs available commercially and thousands of original designs to bring your water feature home. Thanks to the internet, almost any commercial design can come to you. Each type of fountain build has purposes and design elements unique in the way they function or the beauty it adds.
If you live in a busy area, in a city, or where there is a lot of traffic, you might consider building a fountain or waterfall that will mask the noise of people and traffic. In addition, a fountain or other water feature can add beauty and variety to your landscape. Finally, you can dress up your yard with a water feature, whether you choose a simple fountain or a trail of ponds to surround your home.
You might consider adding your water feature outside your bedroom window, and you might find the sound relaxing. However, it might have a not so relaxing effect, so consider the location carefully.
Benefits, seen and unseen
A water feature can add value and interest to your home and landscape. It can give you a serene place to meditate, cool yourself after a hot day, an ever-changing view of water and stone, and a place to attract wildlife.
A small tabletop fountain may be all you need to enjoy your yard; it’s simple, inexpensive, and an excellent place to see if a fountain really has a place in your life and landscape. But, be aware that fountains will attract animals.
Birds see it as a watering (and maybe bathing) station. Squirrels see it as a way to chase birds. Cats see it as a place to chase birds and squirrels. It’s a full circle.
If you want something more interesting than a tabletop fountain, work with your landscaping crew from Custom Acres. Of course, you already have a relationship with them to upkeep your lawns, bedding, and landscaping. But did you know that they are one of the few green industry companies that offer water feature design and installation? Yes, it’s true!
If you add a fountain or other water feature, it will increase your home’s curb appeal. You probably aren’t thinking of selling right now, but it is something to consider in the distant future.
Difficulty?
Unless you have experience, you might find finding and installing a complete water project a little too challenging. It’s hard physical labor to move the big rocks or clear space for your water feature. You will have to learn about pumps, valves, and pipes, landscaping around the water feature. You will need to be prepared to repair the hoses, valves, and other hardware and possibly have to move or maintain the big giant rocks and modeled cement builds and frames. Is it hard work? You betcha!
Yeah or nay?
You have many facts about the building and maintenance of a water feature. You have landscapers to work with you to build what you want, and you have your own ideas.
Let Custom Acres help make your dreams of a water feature a reality.