Where did Garden Water Fountains Come From?
Where did Garden Water Fountains Come From? The incredible architecture of a fountain allows it to provide clean water or shoot water high into air for dramatic effect and it can also serve as an excellent design feature to enhance your home.The main purpose of a fountain was originally strictly practical. Residents of urban areas, townships and small towns utilized them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash up, which meant that fountains needed to be connected to nearby aqueduct or spring. Up until the 19th century, fountains had to be higher and closer to a water supply, including aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to benefit from gravity which fed the fountains.
Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to decorate homes and celebrate the designer who created it. The main components used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly depicting animals or heroes. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to re-create the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to exalt their positions by adding beautiful baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Indoor plumbing became the main source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity allowed fountains to bring recycled water into living spaces as well as create special water effects.
Contemporary fountains are used to embellish public spaces, honor individuals or events, and enrich recreational and entertainment events.
The Many Good Reasons to Include a Water Feature
The Many Good Reasons to Include a Water Feature You can perfect your exterior space by adding a wall fountain or an outdoor garden water feature to your property or gardening project. A myriad of present-day designers and fountain artisans have found ideas in the fountains and water features of the past. Therefore, in order to link your home to earlier times, include one these in your decor.
Among the many properties of these beautiful garden fountains is the water and moisture they release into the air which attracts birds and other wild life as well as helps to balance the ecosystem. For example, birds attracted by a fountain or birdbath can be helpful because they fend off bothersome flying insects. Spouting or cascading fountains are not the best option for a small backyard since they need a great deal of space. You can choose to set up a stand-alone fountain with a flat back and an attached basin propped against a fence or wall in your backyard, or a wall-mounted type which is self-contained and hung from a wall. Adding a fountain to an existing wall requires that you include a fountain mask as well as a basin at the base to gather the water. Since the plumbing and masonry work is substantial to complete this type of job, you should hire a professional to do it rather than try to do it alone.