Types of Landscape Water Feature Designs

by

Brandon Wilson

Adding a

landscape water feature

to your yard is not only great for overall aesthetics and creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere, but it\’s a wonderful way to bring an artistic touch to your outdoor living space. When planning their water features, Portland residents can choose from a wide variety of water feature designs due to the agreeable and mild temperatures of the Pacific Northwest, which are great for landscape projects.

If you have decided to install a landscape water feature but are overwhelmed by the variety of choices available, it\’s a good idea to compare and contrast the different types of features in order to find one that is perfect for you and your landscaping needs.

Here are some pros and cons of a few of the more common water feature designs:

Natural Pools

A popular, natural-looking, and simple landscape water feature to install is the natural pool. All you need to do is line a hole in the ground with a rigid or flexible material and include a submersible pump and filtration system in order to keep the water clean. A nice finishing touch, and a clever way to cover up the noise of the pump, is to add a fountain or artificial waterfall.

Pros:

– Is quite easy to install.

– Looks natural.

– You have control of how big or small you want the pond to be.

Cons:

– Flexible liners are not as durable and can be vulnerable to punctures and leaks.

– Creating a pond can be labor intensive due to the amount of digging you may have to do.

– Keeping your water clean, and preventing things such as algae from infesting it, can be a challenge.

Wall Fountains

For compact water features, Portland residents may consider installing a wall fountain. These space-friendly water feature designs come in several vertical compositions and include a basin that catches and circulates water using a pump and tubes or pipes that are hidden behind the fountain.

Pros:

– Great for compact spaces.

– Can come in kits that are quite easy to put together, or are available as ready-to-plug-in units.

Cons:

– They do not come with an adjustable valve, and therefore you do not have control over the amount of water that flows down the fountain.

– Depending on the design, making your own wall fountain may cost almost the same amount as a wall fountain kit.

Streams

For yards that have more space to handle larger installations, man-made streams are great water features Portland homeowners can consider. Man-made streams work well in conjunction with natural pools; a stream can feed into another landscape water feature via a waterfall.

Pros:

– Wonderful for informal landscapes.

– Great way to build upon a landscape water feature you may already have.

– By planting decorative grasses and adding river rocks, you can turn your man-made stream into a natural scene.

Cons:

– Installing a pump and plumbing system that routes water from the pond to the beginning of the stream is necessary.

– A lot of digging will need to be done in order to achieve a stream that is at least 15 feet long – streams look best at that length or longer.

– Building and maintaining this water feature can be pricey.

Landscape East & West brings more than 30 years of experience in landscaping services, landscaping design and

landscape water feature construction

to your landscape design. Visit their website at

LandscapeEast.com

to find landscaping contractor services in Oregon that are right for you.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com