Garden Sculptures can be any object you want, you have a free license to make anything that you’re interested in a scuplture for your garden. It can be a piece of scrap or an unusual and elegant piece of rock. Unusual sculptures are a cheap and great way of creating ‘that look’ that you want. 

There is of course the option of combining both a water feature and a sculpture together.

Ponds a wonderful way of having fish as pets and a water feature at the same time.

There is more maintenace with a pond however than a water feature, obivously depending on what kind of fish and how many you have, they need to be fed fish food. There are other problems with a pond, the water has to keep fish alive and that may require a that certain level of salt has to be added to the water.

It is best practice to find a shop you want to buy your fish from and chat to them about building your pond, they will be able to give you great advice for the kind of fish you want to buy.

I could tell you some good pumps and types of fish to buy but Im not an expert in that area so I strongly suggest you talk to a professional who you will be buying the fish and or equipment from.

Im not trying to put you off buying a pond by any means, I have one that I built myself and its great to have fish in your garden as well as the sound of running water in the summer.

A good idea when thinking of a design for a pond is perhaps combining a water feature and a pond together. To make an amazing feature in your garden.

Below are some photos of water features, ponds and other garden sculptures that should help your creativity.

The images used in this gallery have been imported from www.freeimages.co.uk, www.freedigitalphotos.net.

Ive come up with some creative ideas below, feel free to leave any ideas for garden features you’ve had or have done in your own garden.

What are water features?

In landscape architecture and garden design, a water feature is any of a full range of fountains, pools, ponds, cascades, waterfalls, and streams. Water features are powered by electric pumps and therefore you need to be able to get the electricity to your pump. A water feature may be indoor or outdoor and can be any size, from a desk top water fountain to a large indoor waterfall that covers an entire wall in a large commercial building, and can be made from any number of materials, including stone, granite, stainless steel, resin, and glass.

How do they work?

Water features are powered by electric pumps and therefore you need to be able to get the electricity down your garden to the pump. There are increasing ranges of innovative designs on the market as people become more aware of the advantages of using solar power. These advantages include environmental benefits, no mains electricity in the garden, and free energy.

Most water features are self-contained, meaning that they do not require water to be plumbed in; water is recycled from a hidden reservoir, also known as a sump. The sump can either be contained within the water feature, or buried underground (in the case of an outdoor water feature).

Where can I buy a water feature?

You can either buy a pre fabricated water feature out of a box or build your own from scratch.

Pre fabricated water features come in a variety of designs and materials. These are available at most garden centres.

On this site we have links to some very good suppliers of water features and other garden accessories, in my own experience the cheapest and more unusual garden items are found on the internet, but it can take some research to find exactly what it is your looking for which is why it is sometimes better to build your own and get exactly what you want.

Build my own water feature?

Alternatively you can build your own waterfeature, this is often a cheaper and more satisfying option. Water features can be built from anything, scrap a piece or a pile of stones. You can even recreate a miniature version of a river, stream or waterfall that you’ve seen.

They are not difficult or complicated to build. However you will need to buy some pieces of equipment first. We’ll assume that it is a self contained water feature.

Things you need to buy:

• A pump with electrical cable reaching from your house or outdoor plug (when using electricity in your garden make sure a qualified person is installing any devices as water features can be very dangerous if wired in the wrong way, electricity and water do not mix).
• A sump (a big purpose made bucket to fill with water and put your pump in).

The rest is upto you, anything you like can be made into a water feature, a collection of flower pots, buckets, watering cans, rocks etc.

Inspiration

For inspiration of what you might want from a water feature, click on our Gallary page for photos of existing ones.

Often thought of as tranquil sanctuaries that allow individuals to escape from the stresses of daily life, Japanese gardens are designed for a variety of purposes. Some gardens invite quiet contemplation, but may have also been intended for recreation, the display of rare plant specimens, or the exhibition of unusual rocks.

Kaiyu-shiki or Strolling Gardens require the observer to walk through the garden to fully appreciate it. A premeditated path takes observers through each unique area of a Japanese garden. Uneven surfaces are placed in specific spaces to prompt people to look down at particular points. When the observer looks up, they will see an eye-catching ornamentation which is intended to enlighten and revive the spirit of the observer. This type of design is known as the Japanese landscape principle of "hide and reveal".

Stones are used to construct the garden’s paths, bridges, and walkways. Stones can also represent a geological presence where actual mountains are not viewable or present. They are sometimes placed in odd numbers and a majority of the groupings reflect triangular shapes, which often are the mountains of China.

A Japanese garden water feature should appear to be part of the natural surroundings; this is why one will not find fountains in traditional gardens. Man-made streams are built with curves and irregularities to create a serene and natural appearance. Lanterns are often placed beside some of the most prominent water basins (either a pond or a stream) in a garden. In some gardens one will find a dry pond or stream. Dry ponds and streams have as much impact as do the ones filled with water.

Green plants are another element of Japanese gardens. Japanese traditions prefer subtle green tones, but flowering trees and shrubs are also used. Many plants in imitated Japanese gardens of the West are indigenous to Japan, though some sacrifices must be made to account for the differentiating climates. Some plants, such as sugar maple and firebush, give the garden a broader palette of seasonal color.

Sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_garden

In landscape architecture and garden design, a water feature is any of a full range of fountains, pools, ponds, cascades, waterfalls, and streams. The majority water features have been powered by pumps. The power source was sometimes a steam engine but in modern gardens it is almost always electricity. There is an increasing range of innovative designs as the market becomes more established and people become more aware of the advantages of using solar power. These advantages include environmental benefits, no mains electricity in the garden, and free energy.

Modern water features are often self-contained, meaning that they do not require water to be plumbed in; water is recycled from a hidden reservoir, also known as a sump. The sump can either be contained within the water feature, or buried underground (in the case of an outdoor water feature).

A water feature may be indoor or outdoor and can be any size, from a desk top water fountain to a large indoor waterfall that covers an entire wall in a large commercial building, and can be made from any number of materials, including stone, granite, stainless steel, resin, and glass.

Ponds are a wonderful way of having fish as pets and a water feature at the same time.

There is more maintenace with a pond however than a water feature, obivously depending on what kind of fish and how many you have, they need to be fed fish food. There are other problems with a pond, the water has to keep fish alive and that may require a that certain level of salt has to be added to the water.

It is best practice to find a shop you want to buy your fish from and chat to them about building your pond, they will be able to give you great advice for the kind of fish you want to buy.

I could tell you some good pumps and types of fish to buy but Im not an expert in that area so I strongly suggest you talk to a professional who you will be buying the fish and or equipment from.

Im not trying to put you off buying a pond by any means, I have one that I built myself and its great to have fish in your garden as well as the sound of running water in the summer.

A good idea when thinking of a design for a pond is perhaps combining a water feature and a pond together. To make an amazing feature in your garden.

Solar garden water features are an environmentally friendly way of having a wonderful feature in your garden and saving energy. They come in many designs and are growing in popularity, so more products will be on the market soon.

Please look at our Shop to see our solar garden water feature collection.