Easy oasis
The word oasis calls forth images of a life-giving watering hole in the middle of a parched desert. No wonder people are fond of installing water features in their own backyard oases. But if the prime objective is to enjoy the hypnotic effects of running water and not to take care of a sensitive little ecosystem, a koi pond with lily pads and ferns is the wrong choice.
Instead, low-maintenance water features can help homeowners conserve water, save money for design and installation and spend more time enjoying their oases instead of scrubbing and repairing.
Off-the-shelf options
The simplest solutions are accent pieces that can be purchased right off the shelf at garden centers and simply plugged in. Voilà – instant Zen! Often made of resin for portability, these bubbling urns and decorative fountains require no plumbing. An electric pump recycles the water. The only maintenance needs are keeping the pump filter clean, removing debris like fallen leaves, and occasionally replacing water lost to evaporation and splash-out.
If algae start to appear, "on a hot, sunny day, unplug the fountain and let the sun bake off the algae," said Matt Septeowski, owner of Along the Waters' Edge, Lombard, Ill.
Disappearing act
For a more natural look, consider a pondless waterfall, sometimes called a "vanishing water" feature.
A vanishing water feature is a self-contained system that pumps water back to the top of the waterfall in a continuous cycle without allowing water to collect at the bottom.
"These solve a lot of problems that a pooling system might have," such as the pond-and-waterfall kits sold at garden centers, said Ken Box, owner of Somerset Gardens, Edmonds, Wash.
Where there is pooling water, "The sunlight hits it and you get algae growth," he explained.
And ponds of a certain depth create a drowning hazard and trigger code requirements like fencing.
This type of system requires about the same maintenance as a simple fountain but makes a bigger splash, so to speak, as a focal point. The unit can be equipped with an auto-fill feature so it doesn't need to be topped off.
"You might have to scrub the waterfall [spillway] with a brush occasionally," said Chris Kane, co-owner of Kane Bros. Inc., an aquatic environment firm in Homer Glen, Ill.
When not to DIY
In-ground, freeform water features can be low-maintenance if a professional contractor does the installation, but as a DIY project, the design and installation are challenging.
How To Build An Outdoor Waterfall | Homily Magazine
The beautiful ambiance of an outdoor waterfall is virtually always a refreshing experience for both the mind and spirit. As a matter of fact, elegant and elaborate waterfalls have been around throughout history as outdoor décor for nobility and other important figures in the past. When you install a beautiful waterfall in your own garden, it will be the very best home project you ever take on.
When you discover the very best place and creative idea for your own personal outdoor waterfall, all you need are the tools with which to make the elegant environment of your imagination come to life. Your waterfall will be the waterfall of your dreams because you can make it exactly to serve your personal needs.
The highest quality materials available for the design of a garden or outdoor waterfall are much less costly than combining the cost of those materials with manual labor. You can create your own garden waterfall without hiring a professional by finding designs for outdoor waterfalls that are very simple and inexpensive to build.
There are specific structures, ways to plan, and certain forethought needed for the waterfall you build. Among the many waterfalls there are to choose from will be options to build, design, and create one all on your own. Consider your base, or, the pool into which the water from your waterfall will descend. You must also, of course, consider the structure of the waterfall itself. Often, creating a waterfall uses rock, which many people harvest from their own property – if not there are many kinds of rock available for you to purchase.
There are, of course, other styles of waterfalls like waterfalls made of bamboo or brick – waterfalls you may prefer when you imagine the project before you begin to build.
Here are the supplies you will require if you want to build an inexpensive and yet elegant waterfall for your home:
1. It is a great idea to use rocks, and, as a matter of fact, it may be the very best and certainly one of the most inexpensive ways to go about making your own waterfall.
2. You will need a submersible pump.
3.
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