Garden fountains and water features

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"The Haven", Kevin Cooper Garden Design Kevin Cooper Garden Design Country style garden
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Fountains and water features can be an attractive addition to your garden as the sound of bubbling or cascading water adds to a feeling of peace and tranquillity.  They are particularly effective at making a garden seem calm and cool if they are nestled in the shade amongst plants, creating a relaxed afternoon retreat.  However, fountains can also be a bold source of design that can make a strong statement in a garden, as can be seen in the selection shown below. Unlike swimming pools, it is not essential to have a great amount of space to have a water feature, as it is possible to choose a smaller feature according to the size of your garden.  Whether nestled away in quiet corners, or as the centre piece of your garden design; fountains and water features are sure to provide an attractive focal point. 

Vintage favourite

This fountain design by Kevin Cooper Garden Designs, recalls the gardens of historical villas and country houses.  It is suitable for those who want to create a more traditional garden, with the rough bricks that form the base of the fountain creating a rustic feel.  For optimum effect it would look great combined with  clusters of pretty flowers and shrubs as shown here, although be sure to avoid anything too minimalist, as this may look jarring. 

Stepping stones to success

This modern and minimalist water feature is a restrained design that can fit easily into the corner or edge of your garden.  Unlike a round fountain, this water feature does not need a great deal of space surrounding it, meaning that it would be suitable in gardens where space is at a premium.  This is a natural scene re-imagined for a modern garden. The back wall forms the basis of a 'floating' waterfall that looks simple and elegant, while the pool has been embellished with stark white slabs that create the notion of stepping stones. The water feature here is raised along with the adjoined planter box that will make both items easy to maintain, especially if you select plants that do not need much care.  Overall, this water feature is a good choice for those short on both time and space, who still want a cool modern garden.

Revitalising aqua vitae

This fountain features as part of the renovation of a 45 year old house and surrounding garden in Bhubaneswar, Odisha by Anna Interiors. It is a simple but attractive feature that adds life to the outdoor terrace.  Designer Anuradha Mishra stated that the house had to be redesigned with minimal cost, and it is evident that it is not necessary to spend a lot of money on a fountain for it to transform a space. Plants placed around the edge of the fountain tie it in with the borders of flowers on the surrounding lawn, illustrating that it is possible to supplement a focal feature with additional items in order to dress it up, or change the look if desired. 

Ultimate urbanite's water feature

This design for a terrace garden by London designer Aralia is the ultimate in compact garden design.  The water feature here forms one edge of the terrace, and draws the eye without being too obtrusive. This effect is compounded by the colour scheme that has been synchronised across the stone panels of the water feature, pebbles, planters, flooring, table and seating area so that all items fit together nicely without one drawing too much attention.  However, the pebbles of the water do provide a nice contrast to the smooth surfaces that have been used in the rest of the design. This is an excellent demonstration of how it is possible even for city dwellers with small terraces to incorporate water features into their outdoor spaces.

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