Adding an outdoor garden fountain can really enhance the attractiveness of your garden. Fountains and other water features are both pleasing to the eye and soothing. There is no better way to relax, on a warm summer day, than to sit in a lovely garden, surrounded by your favorite plants and flowers and listen to the soothing sounds of running water. Installing an outdoor garden fountain is relatively easy and not too expensive and there is very little maintenance needed.
Before you buy your garden fountain you will need to consider the location and style so that it fits in well your garden design. Would you prefer a modern design of fountain, a rock fountain that looks more natural or a traditional marble fountain with, perhaps, angels or doves? There are a wide variety of fountains to choose from so browse on the net or visit your local garden centre to see all the varieties before you make a decision.
Once you have decided on the style of fountain suitable for your garden you will need to decide if you are going for a solar powered fountain or a wired fountain. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Solar powered fountains are extremely easy to set up and you won't have to bury wires in the garden. They can also be used at a distance from a power source. The disadvantage is that most of them do not store power so they won't work very well on overcast days or during the winter months. In fact, to prevent damage to the pump during icy weather, it is best to turn them off completely. Solar fountains once set up are easy to maintain and have no running costs. However the batteries will need replacing after a few years of use.
Solar powered fountain also come in two types, with solar panels built into the fountains base or with remote panels. If you wish to place your fountain in a shady spot, under trees or an arbour for instance, then buy one with remote panels that can be placed on a wall, tree or on a stake firmly planted in the ground that is in sunshine for most of the day.
A wired fountain, will work throughout the year of course but will take more time to set up. You will also need to carefully bury the wiring so that it is safe for children and pets and make sure you buy a cable that is suitable for being buried. Although fountains take very little electricity to run they are obviously going to have higher running costs than a solar fountain.
An additional advantage of an outdoor garden fountain is that it will attract birds that will not visit birdtables, insect eating birds like wrens for instance. So, not only will you have a lovely water feature to enhance your pleasure in the garden you will also attract a much wider variety of birds. Make sure you place your fountain in a spot that is visible from your window so that you can easily watch the birds bathing in the fountain without disturbing them.
