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Rocks and water features
Water features have been incorporated in to gardens as far back as the original Persian gardens in 4000BC. The ponds and canals were not only decorative but were also needed to channel water to convenient points so that the trees and plants could be irrigated. Fish were included as a source of food and interest. Movement of water was either through the diversion of existing water courses or through manually drawing up water from wells. It wasn’t until the industrial age that the water could be recirculated via a pump.
Worked stone has been a traditional method of retaining water in a channel or pond as it was an abundant material. This method was improved when cement was first utilised. Both the ancient Greeks and Romans used a cement made of calcium carbonate and limestone. It is likely that naturally shaped stone and rock was included in some water features in order to recreate the great outdoors in a controlled environment.
The two schools of thought are still prevalent today. Some may prefer the regular design and shape of sawn stone and statuary while others prefer the appearance of the wilderness.
It’s certainly more economical to create a waterfall with some landscape rock from a garden centre. The time consuming and costly shaping of suitable stone and the installation thereafter make the rockery style water feature the popular choice. The size of the garden will usually dictate the size of the water feature, however it is not unheard of to completely convert a small back yard in to a mini wilderness.
Ball games and sunbathing may be more difficult pastimes but at least you won’t have to mow the lawn every week.
The smaller garden can have a pond with a small waterfall or a trickle water feature. Ponds can be hazardous with young children around and a safe water feature can be made with pebbles and cobbles filling the space where the water may have been. A recirculating pump can still be included this way and a preformed moulded pebble pool can be used to reduce the amount of cobbles and pebbles needed.
Waterfall flow rates: www.russellwatergardens.com
Waterfeature liners: www.swelluk.com
Below: How a lightweight artificial standing stone could look in a zen garden. A trickle water outlet can be included.
The 1900mm tall lightweight artificial standing stone or monolith below can include a trickle water outlet. Take a look further down the page to see an image of how the monolith could look in a Japanese garden . This can be reduced in height.
Above: lightweight one piece artificial Westmorland style or water-
When incorporating a water feature in to your rockery, remember that the rocks for your cascade will have to go on top of your waterproof liner to prevent water seepage draining the pond. You may need to cement the rocks in place here to help create a continuous channel. Coat the cement with a waterproof roofing sealant.
A powerful and expensive pump will be needed to create a wide waterfall and bear in mind that water usually tries to curve back under a rounded overhanging rock so the best shaped stone for this would be quite flat. A flow rate of at least 150 gallons per hour would be needed for every inch width of waterfall.
If you have fish in a water feature with a recirculating pump, avoid placing the drain tube or sump pump at the very bottom of the pond. This avoids debris clogging the filter and also prevents the pond from totally draining if there is a problem with the pipe or filter above ground.
Bear in mind that the herons will treat your new pond as a free restaurant. Don’t bother with the plastic heron as a deterrent. They don’t work. If you don’t want unsightly netting over the pond then you can consider a purpose made electric fence or movement sensing water sprayers or noise makers:
Above: lightweight three section artificial Westmorland style or water-
Water feature ideas:
Below: Lightweight artificial waterfall . This has a hollow back and is suitable for mounting against a wall or supporting with posts.
Above: a lightweight artificial boulder with a trickle water outlet and artificial succulents. Below: frozen water feature!
