Waterfalls in the garden add a lot of quality to the ambiance and create a soothing and scenic landscape.
Of course, for most of us, waterfalls remind us of something like the Niagara Falls and it does not look like a perfect fit for our backyard garden... unless of course, you have a large garden.
But that is not true, you can create your own garden waterfall with minimal effort.
For many people, the closest alternative to flowing water is the water fountain, which is a great garden unit in itself but a bit different to a waterfall.
Waterfalls can be grander than fountains, and may add more natural appeal to your garden than garden fountains.
Types of Garden Water Falls
You can create waterfalls of two kinds – one is a plain waterfall and the other is a waterfall with a pond. If the pond is reasonably sized, you can even have water plants in there too, making your garden that much richer in terms of flora diversity.
An interesting waterfall idea is the rock waterfall. You can place rocks in a variety of positions to create the waterfall effect. This is a very interesting idea as it emulates the typical waterfalls in the mountains, and your creation will be unique.
Planning Rock Garden Water Falls
There are many aspects that you need to consider while planning a rock waterfall.
Size
The most important aspect is the size and area of the waterfall. It is very easy to misjudge the size of the waterfall with respect to the rest of the garden and we could end up with a waterfall that looks too big for the garden. So focus on how big your waterfall needs to be in comparison to the size of your plot of land or garden. You need it to look like it is a part of the garden (not the garden itself).
Position
The next thing is the position of the waterfall. Some people like to kind of hide the source and just have the flowing water visible to outsiders. Other gardeners prefer to have the whole waterfall near the entrance of the garden to impress guests as they arrive etc. So choose a location that you think is best for your garden.
The Height
The next thing to think about is the actual height of the waterfall. You need to strike a good balance between the height and the area to make the waterfall look perfect in your garden. If you have a natural incline in your garden, it can be the perfect naturally built up area to design and construct a waterfall. If not, you can pile up large rocks to build the waterfall height.
The Depth
Once you have determined the height, it is time to focus on the depth. Typically, waterfall water would collect in a pond. If your garden is not big enough for a decent sized pond, you can go for waterfall systems that don’t require a pond.
Adding a waterfall in your garden is great, but you also need to protect it from the flowing water. Flowing always erodes soil. So you need to waterproof your water paths to avoid it from eroding the soil away.
Landscape
Lastly, the landscaping of your waterfall. While designing a waterfall it is very easy to narrow the focus to the path of the water flow because that itself can be quite demanding.
But if you really want to add beauty to your garden, you must focus on the landscaping of the waterfall.
The manner in which you design the area around the flowing water and also the area surrounding the waterfall itself.
Once you have considered all the above details, there are many ready made waterfalls and other tricks available online to build your own backyard or garden waterfall.
Bamboo Fountains
Or if you are not quite ready for construting a waterfall, or just don't have the room in your garden, why not opt for a garden fountain instead. You will still have the benefit of the sound of trickly water and fountains come in all shapes and sizes. Some are made of a more natural material and others more modern. My favourite are bamboo fountains...
Visit Bamboo Inspiration for a selection of quality bamboo garden fountains. Bring a touch of tranquility to your shade garden with the sound of trickling water from a bamboo water fountain, or in your home with a bamboo tabletop fountain.
