Fountains are a beautiful and soothing addition to any garden. They are easy to install, generally coming with everything you need, and they add a serene elegance to everything surrounding them. There are multiple benefits to having a fountain. It provides a peaceful gathering place for wildlife, especially birds, and the sound of the water alone is enough to wash away the stress of even the toughest day. The beauty of the running water cannot be compared to that of any plant; it’s an element all its own.
There are several different types of fountains you can choose from; the first is a wall fountain. This fountain has a flat back, and pours water gently into the pool at the base. This is a great option if you have a decorative wall around your garden, or if your garden comes up against the back of your house. Brick backing, however, is preferable to vinyl siding, as the moisture from the fountain so close to the vinyl has the potential to cause mold if not monitored very closely.
Free standing fountains are also very common. There are two different types of these; one has a large pool around the bottom to catch the water, and the other is shaped more like a birdbath, with a stand keeping the basin off the ground. The elevated free standing fountain is preferable if you have dogs or other animals who may decide to use the pool as a bath or watering dish. This type of fountain is also very versatile, and can be placed just about anywhere in your garden. The fountain with the large pool at the base, however, will need a much larger amount of space, but provides very impressive aesthetic benefits. Both of these fountains, along with the wall fountains, tend to do very well in classic, well-groomed gardens.
Another option, which tends to work particularly well in exotic-style gardens, is the waterfall fountain. The opportunities for this type of fountain are endless! You can find these fountains made from a lightweight material that looks like rock, or you can fashion your own by purchasing a pump and setting it up to flow down over carefully arranged rocks into a fish pond, or even a swimming pool. This is the most natural looking of all the fountains.
Understanding the Principles of Landscape Design will help you determine what type of fountain to place where.
Whichever fountain you choose, it is important that you base your landscaping around it. For instance, if you have a smaller, free standing fountain, you can place it anywhere that it will not be overpowered by the surrounding plants. Avoid placing it too close to trees or large bushes, and surround it with pretty, colorful blooms that are close to the ground. The same goes for the wall fountain, although in some cases this looks beautiful if you can successfully train a vine to grow around or over it and up the wall it leans against. Larger fountains, as some free-standing and most waterfalls tend to be, need to be the piece that is decorated with accents, rather than the accent themselves. With these, you may want to 
consider placing a bench in close proximity to allow yourself and your guests to enjoy the sight and sound of the water. In a waterfall fountain that you fashioned yourself, you may want to plant pretty, colorful plants in between the rocks and bordering the pond or pool. If you have fish, make sure that the pump is protected and not accessible to them from the pond.
Any fountain you place in your garden will create an atmosphere of peaceful tranquility, and the simple beauty will do wonders to compliment your plants. Whichever fountain you choose, you can be assured that it will add a wonderful new element to your Eden that you will enjoy for many days to come.
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