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For adults there are two main types of water features, water you look at and water you get into. Children frequently and willfully fail to make the distinction. Make any water feature both pretty enough to admire and safe enough for everyone to enjoy.

Study your master plan and site analysis to see where you may want to add the sound of water to mask outside noises and enhance privacy. Look for spots that need focal points too. Some water features, such as garden ponds, can add a contemplative quality to your landscape. Other options splashing fountains or swimming pools can add activity to an area. Design the water feature to match the use of the area.

Ponds and waterfalls

Garden ponds are popular ways to bring water to the landscape. The sight of water has a cooling effect summer. A dark bottom enhances the reflective qualities, that's why pond liners are usually black. Ponds can be naturalistic or elegant and formal. If a natural pond is your goal, use and irregular shape obscure liner edges with stones, wood, or plants. For a formal look, build raised geometric coping. Add water plants to mimic a natural pond. Splashes, gurgles, and falling water make a garden come to life. Waterfalls can be built from kits with pumps that return the water from a pool to the top for and ongoing flow. Waterfalls look best when integrated into the landscape. A pile of wet rocks in the center of the yard isn't as naturally striking as stones set on a slope that's lush with ferns and iris. Pay attention to what's behind your waterfall, screen distractions so your water feature will stand out.

Fountains add splash

Fountains offer a chance to incorporate water into your landscape without the expense or space of a large pool. A wall mounted fountain adds sparkle to the sight and music to the air. Small bubblers can add movement to garden ponds. Fountains flowing into pools can be made of anything from ornate cast iron to broken pottery. Use your imagination to discover how everyday materials urns, galvanized feeding throughs, watering cans can help create a water feature.

Poolside beauty

A swimming pool doesn't have to be big blue hole in your landscape. Consider it a large water feature that will complement the space when not in use. Any pool can be pretty enough for any landscape, even if you have no plans to swim. Add a stone patio with an arbour and lush plantings, and it becomes a focal point for even the most formal gathering. The sound of gently splashing water makes the pool even more inviting, consider buildings small jets into the side of a swimming pool to turn a plain wall into a row of arching spouts. Or direct a flow of recirculating water over a pool lip and down into hidden trough for a poolside waterfall. The location of your swimming pool plays a part in its appeal too. Don't plop it in the center of the back lawn where it dominates. Tuck it along one side, connect it to your bedroom with a deck, curve it around existing plants, list as many options as you can before planning where to excavate.