Water Conscious Fountains

This year we have had so many heatwaves with temperatures soaring into the mid 30’s, day after day. This extreme heat was unheard of in previous years. Yes, the summers were always warm, but this year has been on a whole new level, with very little rain. The usual summer thunderstorms have just not happened, particularly in the south. This poses gardeners questions:  how to create cooler gardens whilst saving water? A water feature is a great way to lower the temperature and soothe the senses with the gentle sound of trickling water. While there will always be some evaporation, some fountainsrequire significantly less water than you’d imagine.  

Self-contained Octagonal Fountain

Our Octagonal fountain is a small self-contained vessel that recirculates water. Think of it along similar lines to a church font. What it lacks in water depth it makes up for in stately impact. With Gothic inspired quatrefoils, this small fountainis versatile. Place it on patios, amongst planted beds or as a centerpiece on a lawn (as long as it sits on a solid base).

From traditional country gardens, to modern landscaped gardens like this lavender filled patio, designed by Juliet Sargeant, our Octagonal Fountaincan be styled your way. Trees will shade your fountain and reduce the evaporation, but even in full sun this fountain is conservative with water.

Recirculating Fountains

It’s not just our Gothic fountain that’s self-contained. We have a wide range of petite fountains that can be used without ponds, that stand alone, using recirculated water with a pump set under the ground. These create beautiful garden features without consuming huge quantities of water or taking up too much space in gardens.

Available in a wide range of styles, from our Regency inspired Richmond fountain to our ornate Northampton fountain, to fountains modified from our wide range of urns, we have many options to suit your garden. Place these freestanding fountainsin flower beds or as a stand-alone garden feature with pebbles for a sonic sensory garden affect. These little beauties attract wildlife to gardens, helping dragonflies and bees access water, which is so important during a heatwave.

Small Ponds

Small ponds are also an option. A mid-sized fountain, like our Kew, can make a big impact, even inside a little pond. This doesn’t use vast amounts of water but still cools down the air in the garden. Surround it with climbing roses for a beautiful display of flowers, as well as attracting pollinators and over time it will create that all important shade.

Wall mounted spouted maskscan create a peaceful spot in gardens too. Sit and relax beside them as the water gently flows. They also make a feature of your garden walls and cool down the space amongst your hard landscaping with a little soothing water.

You can mix modern and classical styles to create the perfect water feature nook to escape to in your garden. Talk to our team about our range of styles. We also have troughs that can be adapted on request as water features at the base of walls in combination with wall mounted water masks. Team your design with our Hever balustrading for an elegant finish for your space.

Oxygenate Existing Ponds

If you have already invested in a garden pond, but your fish are struggling is the heat, you can add a small fountain (or two) to oxigentate the water and cool down the surface. It won’t impact the entire water depth, but it will help.

If you haven’t got the space for a fountain or water feature, please consider helping the local birds with a birdbath. This can become a vital source of drinking water as well as a safe place to preen and rinse off dusty feathers when the sun is intense. The heatwave has dried up many natural ponds and lowered stream levels, so a birdbath is a lifeline for some wildlife. They are also important in the depths of winter during a freeze. Keep your birdbathtopped up, sit back and see which birds stop by.

For more information on Water Conscious Fountains talk to Chilstone Architectural Stone & Garden Ornaments