Archie Hayes 
If you are lucky enough to have your own garden or outdoor space that you can design however you choose, you may have considered a water feature. Although there are many water features that you can buy and easily install another option is to design your own water feature!
Designing your own takes time and effort compared to purchasing a pre-built one, but it can be very rewarding to know that your water feature is a work of art designed with your own personal touch.
There are many ways that you can include water in your garden. Whether it is the relaxing sound of gently trickling water that appeals to you, the visual aesthetic, the benefit to wildlife, or all of these, water features are an incredibly popular addition to a garden. Here we will explore what you will need to take into consideration when designing your outdoor water feature.
Choose the Best Materials
Many popular water feature designs incorporate a variety of materials such as stone, brick, wood, metal, and fibreglass. Use the internet for inspiration or visit local ornamental gardens or garden centres to see what other gardeners have been doing.
Aside from decoration and aesthetics, it is essential to choose the correct material for the plumbing of your outdoor fountain. While more straightforward features may only require plastic tubing, larger or more complex designs may require piping made of metal such as iron, brass, copper, or even galvanised steel. There are many suppliers of galvanised fittings UK. It is recommended to consult a trained plumber to ensure that your design is safe and efficient.
Natural or Artificial?
Whether you choose a traditional pond design with plants and algae for wildlife, a more artificial design with crystal clear water, or somewhere in between, it is recommended that you research and plan properly. It may even be worth running your ideas by a skilled contractor before you begin work!
A traditional pond design will generally require you to dig deeper; however, once it is set up, it does not require much ongoing maintenance – you can pretty much leave it and let nature take over!
If you go for an artificial system, you will need to implement a cleansing pump circuit and keep the water regularly chlorinated. More complex features may require filtration devices, chemical dosing, and water level controls. Features like this will require a lot of research, plenty of space to build and house them, and most likely some clever design to conceal unsightly pipes and tubes!
Create a Mock-Up
Before you attempt to build and install any design, it may well be worth constructing a smaller-scale mock-up of your idea to scope out any potential issues. You do not want to spend time, effort, and money just to ruin your garden on an untested and potentially unfeasible design!
We hope that this article has been useful and given you some things to consider when designing your own outdoor water feature!
