The English Home water features

OPPOSITE PAGE The Rill Garden at Wollerton Old Hall
Garden in Shropshire has two rows of Buxus sempervirens
balls backed by Carpinus betulus ‘Frans Fontaine’.
LEFT An elegant two tier fountain in age-patinated artificial
stone with circular pool surround, based on an eighteenthcentury
original. Two Tier Fountain, £7,680; decorative
circular pool surround, £4,560, both Architectural Heritage
ABOVE The Lily bowl by Urbis comes in several finishes,
from hammered stone to rust (as shown above). £POA
The garden design is by Carolyn Grohman and Watergems.
Tranquil
WATERS
With its rippling song and reflective quality, the addition of water
in any garden offers an attraction that can prove irresistible
T
he introduction of a sophisticated
water feature can enormously
enhance the enjoyment of a
beautiful English garden, not
only because of its importance as a vital
lifesource for wildlife, but also for its
ever-changing therapeutic display. There
are several creative ways in which water
can be introduced into any size of garden
or outdoor space and – with careful
planning – it can be easily maintained.
WATER AS ART
A simple sculpture or bowl may be all
that is required, and such structures offer
versatility in size, from a simple bubble
pool sited on a terrace to a grand sculpture
taking centre stage on a majestic lawn.
Artist David Harber’s first garden
sculptures were based on sundials. His
collection also now includes sculptural
water features, inspired by the energy
of water and its ability to create a certain
magic and sense of calm. Harber’s pieces
respond to their locations, reflecting
foliage, creating places of quiet
absorption and instilling awareness
of their surroundings. The sculptural
interplay complements the environment
within which they stand. “Having made
sundials and sculptural sundials for about
a decade, the challenge of harnessing the
element of water, to not only enhance
a sculpture but to actually become the
sculpture, became an exciting prospect and
opportunity,” Harber says. “The constraints
of fluid dynamics, gravity and many other
technical issues were a very steep learning
curve – water will do what it wants to do.
It is the job of the designer to play with
these constraints and physical laws to the
best advantage. One of my early water
features – Chalice, which was my first
marriage of sundial and water – is a simple
hemispherical form with highly reflective
surfaces, creating a seemingly implausible
use of surface tension and momentum.”
Peter Eustance – a garden designer with
a background in biology and plant sciences
– has a holistic approach that combines
the natural and aesthetic qualities of
water in a garden. He likes to create water
features that are simple and precise, yet
extremely effective and suitable for most
garden settings. Eustance is particularly
keen on interactive elements, as could be
seen at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show.
His Together We Can garden included
a water marimba to transform the garden
into an acoustic landscape and was
designed in collaboration with the
world-famous solo percussionist
Dame Evelyn Glennie on behalf of the
disability organisation, Papworth Trust.
Adding the element of water to a garden
in sculptural form need not be complicated
or expensive. There are many water features
that do not take up a lot of space, are easy
to install and will blend comfortably into
an established garden. Lily Bowl by Urbis
is one such example. Described as
‘a pond in a pot’, it can be used either as
a water bowl or a planter. It comes in a
variety of stone or metal finishes, and with
a diameter of just 118cm and a height of
THE ENGLISH HOME 131

A water feature, however small,
adds a soothing dimension to garden design
TOP LEFT A traditional wall mask fountain.
Grotesque Mask, £94, Haddonstone
ABOVE RIGHT In this garden by
Claudia de Yong a rill leads the eye to
a wall fountain and a lead cistern planted
with lotus flowers. For a similar cistern
try Bulbeck Foundry.
ABOVE An art deco-inspired vertical rill
of verdigris bronze and mirror-polished
stainless steel.
Volante, £POA, David Harber
45cm, it can be positioned on a deck or
a terrace. Where space is limited, the cast
stone Eclipse Fountain by Haddonstone
is the perfect solution. Measuring 31cm
across by 29cm high, it can be sited on
a tabletop or next to a seating area for
a touch of audio therapy. Its self-circulating
fountain means it does not need a water
source, but it does have a pump so needs
to be set close to an electricity supply.
HISTORICALLY CORRECT
Whilst many modern features sit well in
the grounds of older properties, adding
a contemporary contrast, sometimes the
introduction of period artefacts is
preferable. Alex Puddy of Architectural
Heritage has a wealth of knowledge about
antique and reproduction garden water
features. Chatting about the restoration of
old marble and stone, Puddy’s enthusiasm
is infectious as he describes helping
clients and designers with projects, whether
restoring existing features or adding new
ones. In addition to having a selection
of antiques on display, Architectural
Heritage also offers several reproduction
water features in age-patinated artificial
stone. “We achieve the look by handfinishing
and patinating to our own
formula in a four-stage process,” he
explains Puddy. “When completed, it
produces a look akin to an old weathered
garden ornament. This artificially aged
stone is particularly suitable for water
features due to its strength and its
resilience to extreme temperatures.”
WILDLIFE HAVEN
As well as being aesthetically pleasing,
the addition of a water feature is beneficial
to wildlife, attracting frogs, dragonflies
and birds, to name but a few.
It is advisable to employ a garden designer
to offer essential, expert advice on
establishing a pond and encouraging wildlife.
As Chelsea Gold Medal winning garden
designer Claudia de Yong says, “Having a
THE ENGLISH HOME 133

LEFT This garden, designed by Joe Swift, has water falling
into a pool from a contemporary-style rusted metal rill that
is surrounded by architectural plants. TOP ‘Le Jardin Perdu’
by Claudia de Yong contains a lily pond flanked by trees,
stone arches and fallen masonry to provide a romantic feel.
ABOVE Claudia de Yong designed this wildflower pond to
fit into the natural landscape by using soft planting and
placing a wooden pontoon at one end.
SHOW GARDENS
If inspiration is required before installing
a water feature, some can be viewed
in a garden setting.
• David Harber has a semi-permanent
exhibition in the private gardens
of Eaton Square in London.
Viewing by appointment only.
• Peter Eustance’s work can be seen
at The Symphonic Gardens Gallery,
Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire.
Viewings by appointment only.
• Architectural Heritage is based in
the grounds of Taddington Manor
in Gloucestershire and has several
examples of reproduction water
features on display.
• The Swimming Pond Company
has a show pool at its headquarters
in Norfolk. Viewings by appointment.
• Gartenart Swimming Ponds organises
events throughout the year at
established ponds that it has
previously installed.
water feature, however small, adds another
dimension. Not only does it provide a calm
relaxing atmosphere with reflective qualities
and gentle movement, but it also attracts
and provides a haven for wildlife.”
De Yong also points out that there is
a wonderful array of plants that can be
introduced once a pond has been built.
“Large hardy water lilies add impact. Good
varieties include ‘Pink Sensation’ and ‘Joey
Tomocik’. There are also miniature hardy
lilies such as Pygmaea alba.”
Species to plant at the edge of a pond
include Butomous umbellatus, which has
clusters of pink flowers; Scirpus zebrinus,
the green and white zebra rush; Pontederia
cordata, which has striking blue flowers
and thick green leaves, and blue Myosotis
palustris, a water forget-me-not.
CONTEMPLATIVE RILLS
Of all the water features used in gardens,
the rill perhaps has the most interesting
history. The earliest style of rill was found
in ancient Persian gardens, but perhaps
the most famous rills are in the gardens
of the Moorish Alhambra Palace in
Granada, Spain. The rill was a familiar
water feature in many Gertrude Jekylldesigned
Arts and Crafts gardens.
The perfect choice for any size garden,
a rill takes up little space and is easy to
maintain, and can be used as a design
feature to lead the eye to another part
of the garden or as a functional feature
to move water from one part of the garden
to another. It can also be designed to have
still, contemplative water or a stream of
movement – the famous serpentine rill
at Rousham House in Oxfordshire, built
by garden designer William Kent in 1738,
snakes through woods at ground level,
transporting water through the gardens
into an octagonal pool.
Even the smallest of gardens can enjoy
the delight of sunlight sparkling off a rill.
A vertical rill falling into a small pond
can be ideal in a small town garden and
has the added benefit of masking any
undesired ambient noise.
THE ENGLISH HOME 135

LEFT This swimming pond by Gartenart
makes an ideal place to sit and while away
the hours or to enjoy a refreshing dip on
a hot summer’s day.
BELOW In this design by The Swimming Pond
Company, a jetty has been positioned at the
deeper end of the pond to bridge the aquatic
planting of the regeneration zone and for the
more adventurous to dive in from.
The shallow depth of a rill makes it the
perfect home for a range of marginal water
plants. Architectural plants, such as zebra
rush, soft rush and yellow iris, look most
effective in the formal structure of a rill.
SWIMMING PONDS
A pond need not be solely for the benefit
of wildlife – if space and budget allow,
it can also be for swimming. Although
a relatively new phenomenon in the UK,
swimming ponds are becoming increasingly
popular. Landscape and garden designer
Paul Mercer set up The Swimming Pond
Company to combine his love of wild
swimming with his passion for garden
design. “Swimming ponds add interest
all year round and still have a magical
appearance at night or in winter,” he says.
Mercer explains that swimming ponds
differ from swimming pools in that no
chemicals are used; water purification
is achieved through biological filters
used in conjunction with an electric
pumping system. The pond is divided
into two distinct and separate areas, with
a swimming zone and a regeneration zone.
It is advisable to employ a specialist
company to install a swimming pond and
help to establish an ecologically balanced
environment in the pond, using plants
and micro-organisms, to create a biological
filter to attain clean, clear water.
There is one question that seems to
dominate when people enquire about
swimming ponds: Will the water be warm
enough? Both Mercer and Tim Evans,
of Gartenart Swimming Ponds, explain that
swimming pond water temperatures in
summer easily reach at least 20°C,
sometimes even higher. This is due to the
shallow water around the regeneration zone
heating up naturally and filtering through
the cooler water of the swimming zone.
LOW MAINTENANCE
Most water features, correctly installed,
are designed for minimum maintenance,
requiring no more time than tending
a border filled with flowers and shrubs.
“A small amount of care and attention is
needed at times throughout the year, but
it should not put anyone off having water
in their garden and all the enjoyment
it will bring,” Claudia de Yong says.
When you consider the broad selection
of water features on offer, can a garden
truly be complete without the addition
of an ever-changing reflective surface and
the gentle ripple of a watery cascade? n
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
• The structure should always
relate to its surroundings in
scale and materials.
• If connection to the water supply
is needed, excavation and plumbing
work will be required.
• The flow of water will be dependent
on an accurate pump specification.
• The sound produced will be dictated
by the flow of water; whether a light
trickle or a heartier fall is desired.
• It is advisable to have pumps installed
by a qualified electrician as these
must meet safety regulations.
• To avoid frost damage to fountains,
water should be drained off before
winter every year and not replaced
until any risk of hard frost has passed.
• A pond without a filtration system will
need to be cleaned every few years.
• All ponds need to be kept clean of
falling leaves, whilst larger ponds may
require professional maintenance.
• If including lighting, it is important to
conceal the fitting and allowing only
the effect be visible.
FEATURE JULIE HAWKER PHOTOGRAPHS P132 © JOE WAINWRIGHT/ALAMY; P135 (DAVID HARBER SCULPTURE) © CLIVE NICHOLS;
P137 (RILL) © JO WHITWORTH/ALAMY
136 THE ENGLISH HOME