The Japanese have for years used outdoor fountains as a focal point in gardens creating a scene of beauty and sense of calm. As well as the Romans, farther back in our history, used water fountains to offer drinking water and for bathing.
Today, there are many types of water fountains on the market. When choosing a water fountain for your garden or patio, there are few things to consider.
The first thing to consider is space. Too large a fountain can be overbearing in your garden or patio if the space is very small. Sometimes, smaller is better. However, fountains are available in as many shapes and sizes as you can wish.
The next thing to consider is style. What is the look you are trying to make? Your fountain can have a whimsical effect, which can include fairies, gnomes, animals, birds or people. Or, sophisticated and statuesque. The choice is definitely personal preference.
The next thing to consider is the composition or the materials you would like for the effect you want to create. There are as many types of materials for outdoor water fountains as you can imagine.
There are fountains constructed of heavy stone or concrete, for a permanent outdoor fountain in your garden or patio. These outdoor fountains are not intended for moving or stored indoors in cold or harsh winter months.
Other construction materials could be fiberglass, pottery, copper, metal, aluminum, glass, wire, poly resin, steel, iron stone, brick, tile, bamboo and the list is only limited by your imagination. However, a very popular material for outdoor fountains is fiberglass.
Fiberglass can be manipulated into many forms, shapes, sizes and dimensions. It can take the appearance as to look vintage, as perhaps, and old water wheel with water cascading through it. Or, it can be painted in a shinny color as a statue of some kind.
Fiberglass is a very lightweight material affording the ease of moving the unit into different locations in your garden or patio. The fact that it is lightweight, provides the ability to clean the unit, dry it and store it indoors. In regions of the country that have particularly cold winters, protects it from damage.
Other types of outdoor fountains are sometimes constructed with iron as a stand to support pots, bowls, leave, old shoes, or any object that can help create a cascading effect. For the do-it-yourselfer, outdoor fountains are made of anything that will hold and support water.
Some water fountains have LED lights that glow when it gets dark enough to see them. Others use LED lights in the cascade to highlight the water flowing from item to item.
There are so many water fountains on the market today, that we have barely scratched the surface. One more thing to note, some water fountains have a switch for sound for on or off. Some prefer to see the water and not hear it, while others like the sound and the motion. It is just personal preference.
There are so many variables when choosing the right outdoor water fountain. For those who live in a warmer climate where you can use your gardens or patios any time of the year, purchase the best unit you can afford. That way, you will have peace and calm in your garden or patio throughout the seasons.