Large Outdoor Water Fountains

Large outdoor water fountains are perfect for enhancing your patio or lawn area. Fountains were often used in courtyards to cool and moisturize the air, especially in arid regions of the world. They were sometimes used to animate displays or special items. The quiet sound of trickling water can be soothing to the senses.

The fountains can be stand alone, they can continuously recycle a reservoir of water, or they can be connected to a hose or even plumbed into your household water system. Equipped with a filter, they can provide a way to set up a bird bath without it becoming an engraved invitation for neighborhood mosquitos. Fountains can even be part of a koi pond arrangement or an irrigation system for your less drought resistance flowers or vegetables.

Fountains are often an arrangement of three or more basins that allow water from the top basin to trickle into the next, the second to trickle into the third and so on until the last basin is reached. From there a small electric pump will often take the water back to the top to start over. This cycle is ideal for inserting a filter to catch dust, dirt and any insect larvae that might be in the water.

Some fountains imitate natural surroundings such as rocks, logs or other kinds of environmental objects that might contain water or have it flowing over them. An enchanting country fountain could be topped by an old-fashioned pump for the initial flow, followed by a series of wooden tubs. Fanciful molded basins could include flowers, leaves, or geometric shapes that are arranged in pleasing patterns.

If you garden, the fountain might be surrounded by plants, either growing from the ground or set in pots. Tall plants such as dahlias or hollyhocks are ideal background plants. Small plants, such as violets, nasturtiums or aromatic herbs set in pots can further decorate a naturalistic fountain.

Finally, modern fountains that focus on non-representational shapes that display the flow of water and that incorporate leaping sprays of sparkling droplets combined with colored lights can create dramatic displays.

Tara GosselinInterior Design Expert

Large Outdoor Water Fountains

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