How do water features work

Water features are going to need cleaning every now and then. Water will get slimy eventually and start to smell a bit, especially during the winter, so make sure you ask the store how to drain it the feature, dismantle it and clear out the reservoir, if you are unsure. It is better to ask to find out for definite rather than cause any unnecessary damage to your feature. Think about the placement of your new water feature in your garden.

When you are finding a place to display it think about what's nearby. If it's under a tree or near a bush, for example, it's likely to get lots of leaves falling into it particularly in the autumn months, so will need constant cleaning.

The finish of the fountain makes a big difference in the way the fountain looks and the care it needs. Different types of features will obviously suit certain types of gardens better than others.

Bronze and copper fountains provide a nice contrast to natural outdoor settings, creating a more modern, contemporary feel in your garden. They can require a little more care than other types though. Overall, the finish of the fountain is totally down to personal preference and the style of garden you wish to create.

Think about lighting the water in the feature, this creates a lovely effect, meaning you can enjoy the feature during the night too. Sometimes the features come with an option of an inbuilt light, or you could look into doing this yourself.

If you're going to have it in sight of the house this will look really good all through the year, being able to enjoy the feature from the warmth of your house on cooler days. If you have children make sure you consider their safety first. Small children can drown in tiny amounts of water, so it may be best to buy a feature with no exposed water. Garden lighting can be used to great effect on water features, especially on late summer evenings when entertaining.

Subtle lighting from below can create a lovely ambience and, of course, has a practical function when the sun goes down. Find out how to plan your garden lighting. Babbling Basalt Fountain , TorStone. For larger gardens and landscapes, centrepiece fountains that require a pool surround continue to prove very popular garden water features.

For smaller gardens, self-circulating water features are undoubtedly ideal as they require minimum maintenance and can fit into a more compact space while still looking impressive. You should also consider the style of your garden: natural planting schemes really benefit from garden water features that imitate natural structures such as ponds, rocks, or waterfalls. An irregular shape will help a water feature blend in even more. Contemporary patios, on the other hand, look best with neat, angular water features, or the ever-popular globe or bowl-shapes ones.

Check out our top tips for making small gardens feel bigger and better. The electricity cost of running a water feature is minimal as fountains are normally turned off overnight and during the winter. In reality, the power needed to run fountains is normally far less than expected. Self-circulating fountains only need water topping up in windy or very hot weather, and even large water features with grand pool surrounds recycle the water round and round.

Live in a period property? Have a look at these ways to make an old home more energy efficient. Larger fountains can be planted with aquatic plants, fish can be added and water species will, in time, choose your fountain as a habitat.

Also, birds like to bathe, drink or swim in water features, and hedgehogs can drink from them as well. Get more tips on creating a wildlife garden. Anna is Consumer Editor across Future's home brands. Whether this mechanism is surrounded by stainless steel, granite or a sculpture, the principle is the same. Listen to the water feature — do you like the sound? This is almost more important than what it looks like. If it sounds like a bath filling it won't be relaxing, if it's a barely-there trickle, it might just be annoying.

Think about cleaning it. Water will get slimy, especially during the winter, so you'll need to know how to drain it, dismantle it and clear out the sump. When you are finding a place for your feature, think about what's above it. If it's under a tree, for instance, it's likely to get lots of leaves in it, which will mean even more maintenance.

It's much easier to get a water feature, or any feature, to look good if it's placed in amongst planting rather than at the centre of a space. Nestled among the plants, it doesn't matter if it's a bit too big or small. Interestingly, modern features — stainless steel, glass etc — will work in either a modern garden or a traditional one, but older styles, like cherubs, millstones and the like, look really out of place in modern gardens. Think about lighting the water, often the features come with an option of an inbuilt light.

If you're going to have it in sight of the house this will look really good all through the year. If you have children consider their safety first.