Garden water features

Whether you have a small patio or a large sprawling lawned garden there is room enough for a water feature, a trickle of relaxing peace and tranquillity or a fountain for some summer splashing. On our patio we have a little feature, a faux perpetual tap that pours into a bucket that we switch on during the summer.  It's such a nice little gurgle that distracts from the noise of the traffic from the front of the house and Little Bird loves it too, many a toy dolphin has swam in its waters.

On a grander scale we see some lovely water features on our travels, romantic ones where many a wish with a penny has been made like this one in Trebah Gardens, Cornwall. Ornate fountains that are focal points and a soothing place to sit a while. These huge metal gunnera leaves really suit the sub tropical feel of the garden. 

I do love a pond with lilies too, still water reflecting lush gardens like this one at my local ornamental gardens Abbeywood in Cheshire. Ponds that accommodate wildlife too as well as being pretty to look at. Add a small oxygenating statuette and this keeps the water great for nature too as well as a spray of water to soothe the senses.

Being a lover of the Gothic I love this ornate water spout, a puzzling face tucked away. A classical look and wonderfully moody. I could imagine fern fronds and hostas nearby creating a theatrical feel for a small shaded corner. 

A water feature on a grand scale, the cascade or rill. A beautiful feature for a large garden like this one at the Colby Woodland Garden, Pembrokeshire. The walled garden has this mesmerizing flow of water from the gazebo down to the bottom, edged by pretty alpine plants and punctuated by box balls. 

Historical gardens are a good place for water feature inspiration although this fountain in the Elizabethan Gardens at Kennilworth Castle may be a little too much for suburbia but we can dream a little. 

Edge Leisure have some more creative water feature inspiration from around the world to have a look at. I would love the Gothic wall mask waterspout from earlier, a grotesque like face would be really mysterious and I think my son would love dipping his hands into the mini pool it cascades into too. 

*Collaborative post