Manifestations of water in landscape design: 5 options of water facilities for every taste
Water is the source of life on earth and a natural resource that enriches the landscape. She is a beautiful itself and is able to attract attention to itself in any manifestation, whether it be lake, stream or artificial decorative pond. It is not surprising that landscaping water is a key formative factor. Because nothing gives a corner of nature so much light and life as water.
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The design of the site in any style of landscape art is not complete without the use of water element in one of its manifestations. The reason for this is the amazing ability of water to attract and fascinate. Its movement, the play of light and shadow it’s hard to compare.
There is no such person who would not love to observe marine surf, hurriedly down by the stones of the cascades and motionless surface of lakes. Any manifestation of this incredible element give a special peace, relaxation and a sense of harmony with the surrounding world.
The connection is in the design phase of the elements of Water and Earth can give the landscape of harmony, of completeness and the maximum similarity with the natural environment
Playing in the sun jet fountain, winding ribbon of a stream or sparkling calm water of the lake is able to revive the landscape and make the element dynamics. Water in any of its manifestations can enhance the aesthetic effect of the appearance.
All water bodies can be divided into two groups:
- Dynamic – the water which is in the active state (rivers and streams, waterfalls and fountains).
- Static – quiet objects (wells, artificial ponds, decorative swamps).
The fans watching the cascading water streams, overcoming on the way the ledges and rapids, to design areas it is better to use water sources belonging to the first group. Planning to create a cozy nook where silence is broken only by falling on the glassy surface of the leaves, in the regeneration areas the choice is to stop at more calm static water sources.
Even in the suburban area with a small area, you can organize a spectacular and picturesque water arrangement. It may be strewn with pebbles «sea» coast or picturesque koi pond, decorated with exotic plants, and it can be a fabulous stream, framed by moss-covered stones… the Choice is only limited by the imagination of the master.
Option #1 — streams and springs
Streams – some of the most popular water devices. They mimic natural underground sources and have a low pressure jet. Due to the small size of the springs for them it is easy to find a place in a shady corner of the garden, on the paved area or lawn, where it is quite difficult to equip more bulky water facilities.
In gardens they are created in the closed loop system in which the consequences of source water entering the channel in the lower reservoir is pumped by a pump under the ground back to the source.
A great addition landscape design area with uneven terrain will be coming down from the slope water of the stream
Ideally, if the site has a slight bias. If this is not available, it can be created artificially by placing the source on a slope of loose slides or equip the grotto or «the crying stone». Uneven terrain can also be made artificially, paving a path of water movement in several layers of stones or plates.
The Creek can flow in the winding enveloping the flowing lines of the tree line, flow along the stony steps or «dissolve» in the pebble dumping. The main thing is to avoid symmetry, because in nature nothing is perfectly smooth and keep naturalness. Than proizvolnoi will bend «snake» the Creek, more natural and more picturesque it would look, louder and more fun splatter.
Will look spectacular in the spring and in the background the rocky garden: the rock garden or rockery. Most naturally it will look in the form of a small grotto or gushing from the ground spring
Option #2 — cascades and waterfalls
Waterfalls – a truly fascinating spectacle that people can watch endlessly. Regardless of design they have a similar constructive solution, in which on a stone ledge the point, pouring out water. Depending on the form of an installed flat top of stone shelf water flows can create a mirrored wall or veil of the finest jets.
Waterfalls can be a single fluid uniformly continuous threads or broken separately flowing streams
If you want the cascade to be part of the composition, turning it into the mouth or the source of the stream, or make a separate object.
The cascades is convenient to decorate the shores of bodies of water: falling water falls directly into the pond and the pump goes up
Picturesque cascades and waterfalls framing the dark «clearing» herbal compositions, can have surprising effects: they set up for relaxation and peace and create the plot perfect microclimate.
Option #3 — Park fountains
The fountain is the only water unit that is inherently man-made and has no analogue in nature. Besides the decorative function, the fountains perform and practical, enriching the surrounding air with oxygen. In the regeneration of suburban areas using inkjet and sculptural fountains.
Jet fountains are installed in the finished water and are part of the sculptural compositions. Sculpture also represent an independent object of landscape design and are often a key element of the garden.
When making small landscape gardens and «green offices» on the site it is interesting to look dig little sculptural fountains.
The fountain in the form of a woman with a pitcher, from the bottle which water flows, is able to decorate a nook in the garden or side of the pond
Sculpture fountains represent the cycle of water: where jet climb up or fall down under the action of the pressure generated by the pump. Though these miniature fountains and have a small spread of water, but they do not lose this special attraction.
For the decoration of fences, exterior walls of pavilions and houses are perfect wall fountains. When building this fountain hoses and the pump hiding in the ground near the wall or hide in plain thickets of plants.
Most often, wall fountains are the head of a bird, animal or mythical creatures, from the mouth of which poured streams of water
Most naturally, on the background of the plant composition of suburban areas look placed in bodies of water jet fountains
This can be a multi-jet fountain in the form of an umbrella, or dome geyser. The height of the streams and the type of water depends on fountain heads and pump performance.
Option #4 — artificial ponds
The main feature of the pond is static stillness of the water, as if in a mirror, reflect the seasonal changes around the pond plants.
Smooth the surface of lakes and ponds, attracted the attention of deep blue and multicolored iridescent reflection colors
Among the variety design of garden ponds the most attractive ponds with simple natural shapes and irregular contour, through which it is impossible to cover the whole view of the landscape.
Shoreline ornamental ponds serve as natural so that the reservoir fits harmoniously into the surrounding natural landscape.
When making small areas look interesting raised ponds arranged in self-contained containers or high beds
Zadekorirovat side of the pond boulders or stones of small size, make its coastal plants and lights – and it will be a real decoration of your garden.
Extraordinarily beautiful ornamental pond in the evening when its water mirror-like surface reflects the dark trees in the garden, a rich palette of colours of the sky and the twinkling lights of street lamps
Option #5 — decorative swamps
Decorative overgrown swamps seldom are an independent part. They are more like dry islets off the shoreline of the pond. The main task of the decorative bogs – visually expand the boundaries of the waterfront.
For the design of reservoirs are ideal for group planting melkolukovichnye and water-loving plants, which create the effect of a waterlogged
A good addition to a coastal area of swamps are blocks of stone, old stumps and snags.
Any, even the smallest body of water can turn an ordinary garden into an oasis where you can relax, listening to the murmur of water or watching the calm surface of the pond.