Garden fountains will decorate any country site or park zone. On sale you can find a large number of different types of such decorative hydraulic devices. You can choose a suitable option for cottages or personal plots of different sizes and styles.
Design features of garden fountains
A wide variety of garden fountains is caused by the desire of manufacturers to satisfy the most varied tastes that land owners can possess. The optimal combination of small size and spectacular appearance.
The installation method distinguishes between:
- Submersible. They are used if there is a reservoir on the site. This device is a nozzle through which water is supplied by means of a submersible pump installed under water. Design features allow this system to save energy and work quietly. For her, the dismantling of equipment for the winter is required.
- Stationary Such a device can be installed anywhere in the garden, garden or summer cottage. Through certain nozzles there is a supply of water, which then flows into the bowl. Such fountains are often made from natural stone.
By architectural features and methods of supplying a stream of water, one can distinguish the following types:
- Wells and fontanels. They are often decorated with different elements of architecture.
- Ponds simple geometric shape (square, circle, rectangle). If the area allows, then do several vertically flowing jets of water.
- With one or more bowls. They are installed in the center of the reservoir into which water jets flow from such containers.
- Sculptural. They can be real works of art, have different bizarre forms.
- Cascading. They consist of several bowls, from which water overflows from one tank (stage) to another.
Did you know? From Latin, the fountain is translated as "spring", "key". Among the ancient Romans and Greeks, these structures were primarily sources of drinking water.
The dynamics of the water composition distinguish these types of fountains:
- Static They do not change the water form - before the eyes the same form of water flow.
- Dynamic. Various water compositions are recreated according to the established program.
- Light dynamic. Water forms and lights of different colors are alternated depending on the software set.
- Light and music. These are the “singing” and “dancing” fountains, which have different illumination depending on the tuned program.
What are the types of garden fountains
Although all fountains have the same purpose and basic principle of work, through the efforts of designers created many varieties of these devices. They can be divided into groups in various ways, depending on which feature is taken as the basis. First of all, the most obvious ones are taken into account - location and shape.
Ground fountain
The ground version consists of a tank filled with water, and pipes through which water flows through pumps, as well as other elements of the device (nozzles, nozzles, filters, etc.). If desired, it can be equipped with backlight and melodic music.
This is the most common type of classic fountain. Even in ancient Greece they were used as reservoirs for storing water, which at the same time decorated the city with their appearance.
Underground
The underground type of this device is a more modern option. It does not have a reservoir for storing water, but may have a bowl that is hidden underground. This capacity consists of several communicating channels located at different depths and having different sizes.
All communications are hidden by decorative elements or plates. The nozzles through which the water flows pass are fixed directly in the slab. This option does not need to be dismantled in the winter.
In shape
To shape the water jet, special nozzles are used. The fountain device may contain a set of nozzles that can be used by changing the shape of water flows.
The most expensive nozzles are made of aluminum bronze. This material is well resistant to corrosive processes and has a beautiful aesthetic appearance. There will be cheaper nozzles made of brass and stainless steel. For summer cottages, inexpensive plastic nozzles are often used. True, this material does not last long and is not suitable for large water streams.Below are the most popular water jet shaping devices.
Bell
The “bell” nozzle is a pipe with a disk from which water runs under pressure. When moving down, it forms a water dome resembling a bell.
Such a nozzle often has 2 discs located at a certain interval between them. The thickness of a hemispherical flow depends on such a gap. Usually this nozzle is used for small reservoirs. They are often set in groups.Important! A fountain with a bell-shaped nozzle is placed in a calm place, as gusts of air flow will disturb the shape of the hemisphere.
Hemisphere
The hemisphere (or hemisphere) consists of a nozzle-ball with numerous tubes emerging from its upper half. Of these, water is released under pressure, forming a hemisphere in this case. If the tubes are located on the entire surface of the spherical nozzle, then this option is called a sphere. These fountains in working form look like large water dandelions.
Fish tail
In the nozzle "fish tail" nozzles are located at an angle of 30-40 degrees. Water jets hit each individually and beautifully fall down. Due to the location of the pipes and the pressure, they do not form a continuous wall, more reminiscent of a cascade. In some of these fountains, a backlight is installed for each jet, which looks very impressive.
Tiffany
The device of this nozzle is a cross between a "bell" and a "fish tail". It contains these two nodes, creating an interesting composition. Unequal pressure is applied in them, and one water stream lays on top of another. The pressure in the nodes can be regulated: in the "bell" it should be greater than in the "fish tail".
Tulip
This nozzle is similar to a “bell” - it has a nozzle consisting of two disks. Only at the “tulip” a continuous water stream leaves them not horizontally, but under a slope up to 30–40 degrees. This leads to the formation of an upward flow inside the water dome. If two nozzles are located on the same nozzle, you get a “bouquet” with two similar tiers. Both options are similar to a flower.
Ring
The nozzle is made in the form of a ring, along the perimeter of which holes are made. Guide nozzles of small diameter (up to 1 cm) are inserted into each of them. They are equidistant from each other and produce the same thin jets in different directions. Sometimes other nozzles (for example, “turntables”) are installed in such openings and the fountain changes its appearance.
The use of fountains in landscape design
A wide variety of fountain options allows you to improve and revitalize any landscape design. There are options that fit even the most sophisticated garden style. Almost everywhere tiered fountains in the form of artificial waterfalls, stone bowls will look good. If there is a body of water in a summer cottage (pond, stream), then a fountain location in it will be an excellent option. Near it, it will be good to plant water plants and let fish in them.
The fountain can be beautifully decorated with a sculptural composition. In classical or Mediterranean style, antique sculptures will look good, on the playground - an option with figures of children or fairy-tale characters. A patio or other relaxation area can be decorated with a wide variety of types of these hydraulic devices. The main thing is to find the right place for them.Important! It is not recommended to place the fountain under trees and bushes whose foliage will pollute it, or next to plants, buildings and design elements that do not tolerate excess moisture. At the same time, it is undesirable and too sunny place, since overheating causes flowering water and breakdown of technical units.
Even in a small area, you can arrange various types of fountains - wall and wall, portable and in the form of a water wall. The latter look very avant-garde and interesting, take up little space and can be located in different places.
To enhance the beauty of the selected water composition will help well-chosen lighting. It can be underwater and surface, of the same type, or colored, flashing. Some summer residents install themed lights at the fountains in the form of luminous figures of butterflies, flowers.So, garden fountains can have a different design and nozzles for forming a jet. If desired, in the summer cottage you can always find a place for such a decorative element of landscape design and choose the option to your taste.