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Why Should all UK gardens have a Water Feature or Fountain?
Posted on December 11th, 2009 1 commentIf you are planning on adding a Garden fountain or water feature to your garden, no matter if it is big or small, you are enhancing the outdoor area by making it a tranquil retreat and an elegant focal point. Certainly, if you don’t have one already, you are probably looking on the web at the wide selection of garden fountains or water features that you could choose. Garden fountains have a long reputation as an Artistic accent as well as a enjoyable experience.
garden fountain
Garden fountains and water features have been used in human habitations for thousands of years. In the architecture of ancient Rome it wasn’t unusual to find garden fountains at the heart of home courtyards. Looking at the hieroglyphs found on Egyptian tombs, garden fountains and water features were also present in the ancient peoples of the Nile. Fountains were located in public squares where people washed themselves, but they also became decorative elements in private gardens. Many countries in the Orient, especially Japan, still honor the traditional formal garden with their ornate garden fountains.
The 21st Century Garden, especially in the UK, generally contains some sort of fountain or running water. That may be in the shape of a pond with a water feature or a grand fountain lit up at night. The ideas all stem back to the previous paragraph. The Romans quickly found that running water was not only a feature of stature and grandure but also a wonderful architectural eye pleaser.
Understandably, the type of UK garden fountains you choose may depend on size or shape of the space . For large gardens, you will probably want large and intricate garden fountains to suite. Smaller gardens usually implies smaller, but no less distinctive fountains. You can choose wall-mounted fountains or those sitting on freestanding bases. It is also important to note that you can purchase garden fountains in various different materials in the UK such as wood, copper, ceramic, stone, fiberglass, resins, and cast iron.
The UK climate can be harsh and that is why 99% of fountain and water feature retailers sell protected materials. The ice and snow of winter can be harsh but should not deter you from your dream as such. Just be aware that once your water feature or fountain is in place in your garden, it is important to protect it from the elements wherever possible. A good water feature or fountain should last 15 to 20 years and withstand everything the winter can throw at it. You tend to get what you pay for.It may be an option to store a small fountain inside, but with larger or freestanding garden fountains, this option is not possible, nor should you have to. You could go out and purchase a protective cover for your water feature that would slide over your fountain. Remember that if you remove the water pump that you should make sure it is free of water.
Research into fountains has shown a relationship between the running waters of garden fountains or waterfalls and a beneficial impact on your health and well-being. Others would consider the spiritual advantages of fountains to be of importance based on the sense of peace they can induce. It is a scientific fact that running water releases negative ions that purify the air by removing dust particles and other pollutants so breathing is made easier.
If you are serious about getting garden fountains or water features, then you need to ask yourself what your likes and preferences are. Many people who buy garden fountains enjoy the do-it-yourself experience so it makes sense to find fountains that come with detailed installation guides so you’re connecting hoses and pumps correctly and, most importantly, safely. Most garden fountains and water features in the UK are easy to install and most of the modern models require just one person to put them together. Garden fountains can be a peaceful backyard accent or the centerpiece for your elegant garden design.
For more information on choosing the right garden fountain or water feature for you in the UK visit www.waterfeatureuk.co.uk or purchase from a fantastic range of both indoor and outdoor fountains visit www.poplartreegardencentre.co.uk
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Where to buy a water feature in the uk
Posted on November 1st, 2009 No comments
water feature fountain
The sparkle of a fountain in the sun, the music of a waterfall or tumbling stream of a water feature, the gleam of a fish gliding beneath a lily leaf or the plop of a frog diving into a pool’s shady depths. No garden seems quite complete without the element of water, and it needn’t be a full scale water garden. There’s an infinite range of choice in garden water features from the lake to formal ponds. You can transform your garden within 1 day with a simple water feature. Plug your water feature in and watch it light up at night. Sit back and listen to the trickle of water as your party carries on through the night or add thousands of pounds to the value of your house wit a water feature before you sell.
Formal PondsThese come in all shapes and sizes and may be raised or sunk into the ground. Simple round or square shapes are easiest to build, and most suitable for a small garden, but more complex shapes, or patterns of interconnected pools may fit well in a large formal garden.
Large ornamental pools call for the sweep of a big lawn, drive or paved area as a setting, but a small round or square pond can easily be included in a small garden or even a patio area.
Formal ponds can be bought in preformed shapes, but are also easy to build for yourself. Building your own raised formal pool is probably the easiest of all water gardening projects.
Informal Ponds and water features
Informal pools and water features come in an even wider variety of shape and sizes. Their natural appearance makes them appropriate in a wider range of garden situations and hence they tend to be more popular. There’s a wide choice of different pond building materials. It’s possible to buy preformed pools, which need simply to be sunk into the ground. Building an informal pool to your own design using pond liner or concrete is a little more difficult, but most water gardeners consider it worth the effort
Water Features can add a variety of feelings to any setting. Many hotel entrances will have sweeping water features or trickling water from a fountain. Something special to create that wonderful effect. It is now extremely popular to add a water feature to your garden. It has almost become fashionable to encorporate a water feature or fountain to your driveway or the centre of a garden. Whether you have a terraced house or a grand mansion, there is a water feature that will suit your needs. The best ranges are available online from UK sources. I have found that reputable long standing garden centres such as this will offer free next day delivery and a 3 year guarentee to your water feature.
The new Radisson SAS range of hotels have created wonderful water feature effects in many of their UK hotels.
In my opinion, try a reputable garden centre online somewhere like here or here will give you every range of water feature you could ever dream of buying and through various price ranges to suite all budgets. -
My Pond has turned green!
Posted on September 5th, 2008 No comments
Please ensure all electrics are disconnected from the mains before you perform this operation.Often your pump becomes blocked and it can only perform at up to 50% of its normal ability.Carefully take out your pumps and inspect them closely for dirt and grime. Make sure there are no blockages and dust them down .Its time to return your pumps to the water after careful inspection of them and your hoses. You can give your biological filters a spring boost by inoculating them with beneficial bacteria available from garden suppliers. This is not a chemical. It is harmless to humans, animals, fish and plants. It helps to jump start your pond and maintains a healthy immune system for your fish. A 100% natural bio-product consisting of bacteria cultured on barley straw, enzymes and activated barley straw. You can test the water to assure that ammonia has not built up over the winter months. If you have high levels of ammonia, a 25% water exchange at this time should reduce the risk to your fish. If you have chlorine in the water, you will need to treat it. Be patient if you notice string algae or green water. Once your pond has established a balance this will disappear. -
I want to build a pond
Posted on September 5th, 2008 1 comment
It seems such an appealing option for your garden. An attractive alternative from grass, a variation from paving and a habitat for all kinds of interesting wildlife. Choosing the right place for your pond and the right equipment to keep it clean and fresh will ensure you haven’t wasted your time. So many people cut corners in the design stage and end up filling in their pond with topsoil after a year or two.A garden is there to be enjoyed by us, but there is no reason why we cannot share it with wildlife, which may need it as much as we do. Our wild animals and plants have been losing their natural homes over the years, as woodlands, hedgerows, fields, marshes and ponds have been destroyed to make way for roads, houses, factories etc. There are over a million acres of private gardens in Britain, not to mention the acres of land belonging to schools. Any garden, however small, and whether in the countryside or city, can be made into a nature reserve – land where wildlife finds a suitable home. We cannot expect to turn our gardens into homes for endangered animals such as otters and ospreys, but we can help a huge variety of plants and animals – remember that even common species could become rare some time in the future, especially if they have nowhere suitable to live.Another important reason for having a garden full of wildlife is that it is so convenient. You can spend hours of fun with your children studying the natural world right outside our back door.A pond should be as large as space allows, but even a small one is better than nothing. There are many useful books and leaflets available to help you make and look after a pond.Instead of, or as well as a pond, an area of marshy land could be created by sinking a pond liner a few inches down into the soil. Wild marsh-loving plants growing there will attract many species of animals.It is important to keep your pond free from algae by using a pump. Pumps come in a confusing array of models and sizes.You will need a pump if you are planning on moving water in your pond, whether by a waterfall, stream, fountain, or spouting ornament. This article will help you determine what size of pump you will need for your pond or water feature.It will not matter whether the pond has a liner, or if it is a preformed pond.To operate any electrical equipment near a water garden, use an outdoor outlet. Set this outlet at least 6 feet from the water and use only an outlet that is equipped with a ground fault interrupter (GFIC) for safety. These devices will cut off the power the moment water is detected in contact with the wiring. Your cable should be protected in a conduit, a plastic tube for electrical wires, so you won’t dig into it accidentally. Extension cords with an integrated GFIC can be used for shorter distances. You can hide them under stones or mulch.Pumps are available in both submersible and external (out-of-pond models). Reputable water garden suppliers have charts and other information available that can help you select the best model and connecting equipment for your purposes. For the smaller pond, a submersible pump is the most economical. The Titan range has been specifically designed for continuous running with minimum cleaning. Titans have the ability to pump solid particles up to 8mm without blocking (4mm with Titan 2000, 3000). They are suitable for filtration, waterfalls and watercourses.To determine the pump required for your pond, estimate the vertical height from the top of your pump to the top of your waterfall or stream. Add another foot of height or lift for every 10 feet of hosing you will be using. This will allow for loss of volume from resistance within the hose. A general rule of thumb is to figure your stream/waterfall requirement as 150 gallons per hour per inch width of the spillway or channel. For example, if your stream or waterfall spillway will be 10 inches wide, you will need a pump that produces a flow of 1500 gallons per hour (at whatever combined height of the feature and another foot of height for every ten feet of hosing to get there). You can use a valve to adjust the pumps flow to what you want. You cannot increase the pumps capacity. ALWAYS PURCHASE A PUMP THAT WILL MORE THAN HANDLE YOUR NEEDS