Why Every Garden Deserves A Water Feature

They’re widely recommended in just about any guide to sprucing up your garden and considered a must-have in truly luxury outdoor spaces, but can water features really be the right choice for every outdoor space? Here, we’re going to look at why they’re not just options for the opulent and the spacious, but how they can offer a little more to gardens of all shapes and sizes.

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They’re incredibly relaxing

The garden is supposed to be a haven from the homeowner, a retreat within a retreat. Being surrounded by nature and out in the sunshine is relaxing enough already, but a water feature might make it even more suitable for destressing and clearing your mind. That’s because the human brain finds water to be an innately calming feature. Both the sight and sound of water tend to draw us into a mental lull, helping us reach a slower mental pace that’s perfect for those who enjoy meditation. There’s a tranquility and a peace to water that we tend to forget when thinking about how relaxing a garden can be. If you want a truly Zen backyard, think about making a place for a moving water feature.

They provide extra privacy

Of course, it’s not as easy to relax when you have no filter between your personal space and the outside world. Water might not be the best at providing privacy by blocking views from the outside, you need fences and some masking plants like shrubs or trees to do that. Instead, it helps insulate your space by producing a background level of noise. This is known as noise masking and the sounds of water are so regularly used as a sleep or relaxation aid precisely because they’re great at covering the sounds from beyond. A fountain or another running water feature can create a peaceful soundscape while protecting you from the traffic or sounds of activity past the boundaries of your garden.

They attract nature

We are all growing more aware of the impact we have on the world as a society. Most of us might think most of the way we use resources and how we can conserve energy and water, but we also have to seriously think about how we encroach on nature’s territory. Suburbs and cities have become ecosystems all their own and there are creatures that can survive in them but only with a little help from homeowners. Many build hedgehog huts in their garden for just the purpose, but a pond can be just as inviting a home to your local nature. They can attract dragonflies, frogs, toads, newts, birds, and much more. Not only can you do your part to protect the ecosystem we share, but many of these creatures can also be a great help when it comes to protecting your garden from pests as they tend to prey on them.

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They brighten up the space

We can’t neglect the aesthetic impact of a gorgeous water feature in the garden, either. Whether you go for something with its own architectural flair, like a fountain sculpture, something contemporary and neat, or something natural like a wild-looking pond, water features can each help you better specify and detail the look you’re going for. More than that, the presence of water tends to brighten up the garden by sheer virtue of being there. It maximizes natural light by reflecting it throughout, making it a great addition to gardens with high fences or walls that might not see as much light.

They offer more choices for gardeners

When it comes to the aesthetic of the garden, you might rely most often on gardening and landscaping to achieve the look you want. Water features, and ponds, in particular, can provide a lot of help in that regard, too. They offer more options, allowing you to choose from the many water plants out there to end up with a more diverse environment. Reeds and grasses like Aurea can add a wild, untamed look to the pond, for instance. But you can also introduce a little more color and light with choices like water forget-me-nots.

They’re not as high-maintenance as you might think

Water features get a bad rep, sometimes, as a practical addition because people think they take a lot of work. Yes, it can take a while to initially add them, but that’s true of any major garden project. Beyond that, however, they’re not truly that high maintenance. They get this reputation mostly from pools, which do take quite a bit of work. If you have a pond, however, then with a pond air pump, most of the maintenance is taken care of for you. You might want to clean fountains and other water features to prevent moss from growing on them, but that isn’t a particularly strenuous task or one that needs to be done too often.

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They can give a home real value

The curb appeal of a home is one of the greatest assets it has when it comes to its value and improving your garden can improve that appeal. In that regard, water features can be one of the best tools for raising its value. This isn’t true of all water features in all situations, however. Again, pools are the weak link here. Depending on where the home is, they can be tremendous value boosters, but you have to consider the area. If it isn’t a high-income area, then the added maintenance and running costs that are involved in a pool will mean that it doesn’t shift the value at all and can actually make selling the home more difficult. Most other water features, however, bring real financial benefit with them.

With all of the above information in mind, do you think that a water feature might be the right choice for you?  They add light, sound, and life to just about every garden and they’re not as much work as you might be concerned they are. Think about the points brought up and start considering whether a splash of water in the garden might be the next best investment you can make.