Water feature ideas for your garden 

For many, our gardens are a sanctuary for us. Whether it’s a place for some rest and relaxation, or an entertaining space for family BBQs and parties, gardens are a great place to make your own. Water features for your garden are a great way to add a personal touch to your outdoor space. 

Water features make a great addition to any garden and offer a wide range of benefits. Such as stress relief. The sound of running water in a garden can provide a calming and relaxing atmosphere, perfect for when you need to unwind. Water features are also very popular with certain wildlife species. By introducing a water feature in your garden, you’ll be surprised at how many different birds, small mammals and insects suddenly start appearing. 

By investing in a new water feature, you’ll also be adding a stylish and interesting focal point to your outdoor space. Friends and family will be impressed by a stunning fountain or pond, making it a topic of conversation for when you entertain guests. 

Installing a water feature in your garden can seem a little daunting, there are so many styles to choose from and all ranging in price. It can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. They come in many different styles, shapes and sizes. We’ve come up with a helpful guide and some great water feature ideas for your garden. In this blog we’re going to be talking about everything that you might want to consider before getting a water feature. We hope you find this article useful and it gives you some great inspiration. 

Ideas for Different Garden Water Features

There are many different types of water features available for every style of garden. Different styles will require different levels of maintenance and installation. It’s important to know what you’re looking for before you start digging up your garden! 

Waterfalls and fountains are possibly the most varied and obtainable styles of water features. This is because they come in limitless designs, shapes and sizes, making them perfect for any size garden. They provide a relaxing sound of water trickling and add an interesting piece to your outdoor space. Most waterfall or fountain style features require a power supply of some sort, such as electrical or solar- so you should have a good think about where to place it in your garden. With certain fountains or ornamental water features, you can add them to your pre-existing pond or stream in order to add an extra touch to your space. 

DIY Water Features

Ponds and other sizable water features like streams can be added to larger gardens. Installing a pond yourself can seem like a big task, however the benefits are brilliant and could save you a lot of money. Ponds provide a great home for different species of wildlife and can create a calming area in your garden. In order to correctly install a pond or other large water feature, you will need to get your hands dirty- or employ a specialist to do it for you. A DIY pond project will take you a few days to complete, then it will take a few weeks for your pond to acclimatize to your surrounding garden. Depending on your abilities or time constraints, you might prefer to source a professional pond service - that way you can bypass the digging and building! 

There are many different types of ponds, all suitable for separate usages. Such as a home for fish, nature or for ornamental purposes. It’s important to remember that ponds can require a certain amount of maintenance and equipment in order to keep them working perfectly. Ensuring that you regularly clean and check your pond for algae or bad bacteria will prolong the life of your garden pond. 

If you’re wanting to create a homemade water feature, then you could create a stream. Don’t panic, it’s a lot simpler than it might seem. Just like with ponds, you will need to get digging. You’ll also need some special equipment, such as lining materials, decorative stones or slabs and some framing materials. You might also want to consider incorporating a waterfall feature in order to provide suitable movement and flow of water for your stream. 

For a beginner DIY water feature project, you could make your own pot fountain. By upcycling some ceramic plant pots, stacking them, filling them with pebbles and installing a small water pump and supply- you could have your very own pot fountain. With this project, you could make it as big or as small as you’d like, so it’s perfect for any garden. 

Preparation for your Water Feature 

Depending on what type of water feature you decide to go for, you may need to prepare the space before you install it. Should you decide to get a model that uses running or flowing water, you’ll need to ensure that there is a water and energy source, unless it’s a solar-powered feature. It’s best to check that you have everything ready. You may need to dig a hole in the ground in order to run an electrical source, or just to place the feature itself. 

Most standard water features don’t require a running water supply, as they just require topping up every now and then. For larger water features, such as ponds or streams, more digging and prep work will be required. 

Small Garden Water Features 

If you have a small garden, you can still own a beautiful fountain or bubbler. We’ve got plenty of water feature ideas for small gardens. There are many different types that are suitable for a garden that is limited in space. Certain ornamental fountains or waterfalls can be placed on a patio, terrace or even a balcony depending on the size. You can also get water features that can fit on a tabletop. 

Although a typical pond may not fit into your garden, you could still create a similar effect with a water bowl. Having a homemade water feature in your garden will help to create a completely unique focal point in your outdoor space. You can use any style or size of bowl you’d like, such as a sleek metallic, stone or perhaps a larger wooden option. You simply then fill it with water and aquatic plants or decorative ornaments of your choosing in order to create your very own mini water feature. This is a great way to encourage wildlife too. 

A unique and simple idea to create an interesting water feature is to install a pebble pile. It consists of a pile or group of carefully placed stones and pebbles that conceal a pump and water reservoir underneath. You could make your pebble pile as small or as big as you’d like depending on the amount of space you have to play with.  

Looking After Your Garden Water Feature 

One of the pluses of owning a water feature in your garden is the low amount of maintenance required. During the spring and summer, you may need to prune any plants that have decided to make a home in your waterfall or pond, such as mould or weeds. Doing this will also ensure that the water is running freely and working properly. You can find specialist solutions like UV sterilisers and algae stoppers that help to prevent the growth of algae and bad bacteria in your pond. 

Water evaporates quickly in summer. During warmer weather, you may want to give your fountain or pond a top-up of water in order to keep it flowing correctly. If your garden is regularly exposed to harsh winters, then you may want to invest in a protective cover for your water feature. This will prevent any damage caused by frost, wind or snow.  

We hope that this guide has helped to inspire you with great ideas for water features for your garden or outdoor space. You don’t need a large yard, or even a huge budget to create a beautiful and interesting focal point in your garden. Owning water features provide a large range of benefits and are simple to maintain. There are so many options to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice!