Fountain Builders Through History

Fountain Builders Through History Often working as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and cultivated scholars all in one, from the 16th to the late 18th century, fountain designers were multi-faceted individuals, Leonardo da Vinci, a Renaissance artist, was notable as an creative master, inventor and scientific virtuoso. The forces of nature guided him to research the properties and movement of water, and due to his curiosity, he carefully captured his ideas in his now famed notebooks. Combining imagination with hydraulic and gardening talent, early Italian water feature developers transformed private villa settings into innovative water displays full with symbolic implications and natural elegance. The humanist Pirro Ligorio, renowned for his virtuosity in archeology, architecture and garden design, provided the vision behind the splendors in Tivoli. Well versed in humanist themes and ancient scientific texts, some other water fountain creators were masterminding the extraordinary water marbles, water properties and water jokes for the various properties around Florence.

Anglo Saxon Grounds During the Norman Conquest

Anglo Saxon Grounds During the Norman ConquestAnglo Saxon Grounds Norman Conquest 408983342680540510.jpg The arrival of the Normans in the 2nd half of the eleventh century irreparably improved The Anglo-Saxon lifestyle. At the time of the conquest, the Normans surpassed the Anglo-Saxons in building design and cultivation. Nonetheless the Normans had to pacify the overall territory before they could concentrate on home life, domestic architecture, and decoration. Most often built upon windy summits, castles were fundamental structures that permitted their occupants to spend time and space to offensive and defensive programs, while monasteries were rambling stone buildings frequently placed in only the most fecund, extensive valleys. The serene method of gardening was unlikely in these bleak bastions. The early Anglo-Norman style of architecture is portrayed in Berkeley Castle, which is conceivably the most unscathed example we have. It is said that the keep was developed during William the Conqueror's time. A big terrace intended for exercising and as a means to stop attackers from mining under the walls runs about the building. On one of these parapets is a scenic bowling green covered in grass and enclosed by an aged hedge of yew that has been designed into coarse battlements.

Modern Garden Decoration: Fountains and their Roots

Modern Garden Decoration: Fountains Roots 068196807456258540.jpg Modern Garden Decoration: Fountains and their Roots The dramatic or ornamental effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, in addition to providing drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property.

Originally, fountains only served a functional purpose. Residents of cities, townships and small towns utilized them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash up, which meant that fountains had to be linked to nearby aqueduct or spring. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be higher and closer to a water supply, such as aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to take advantage of gravity which fed the fountains. Fountains were not only utilized as a water source for drinking water, but also to adorn homes and celebrate the designer who created it. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times used by Romans to beautify their fountains. To replicate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. To demonstrate his prominence over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries created baroque decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the spot where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.

Since indoor plumbing became the norm of the day for clean, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely decorative. The creation of special water effects and the recycling of water were two things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.

Beautifying city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the functions of modern-day fountains.

The Origins Of Fountains A fountain, an amazing piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also propel water high into the air for a noteworthy effect.... read more


The Countless Options in Wall Fountains A small patio or a courtyard is a great spot to situate your wall fountain when you need peace and quiet.You can have one custom-built to fit your specifications even if you have a small amount of space.... read more


Ancient Greece: The Roots of Garden Statue Design Most sculptors were remunerated by the temples to accentuate the intricate pillars and archways with renderings of the gods until the stage came to a close and countless Greeks began to think of their religion as superstitious rather than sacred, when it became more typical for sculptors to portray everyday people as well.... read more


Outdoor Water Features Come in Lots of Shapes and Sizes Have you ever contemplated converting your garden into a haven of serenity?You can benefit from a water feature by incorporating an outdoor fountain to your garden and creating a place of serenity.... read more