Modern Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Roots
Modern Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Roots The amazing or ornamental effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, as well as delivering drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property.
From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, from aqueducts or springs in the vicinity. Up to the late 19th century, water fountains had to be near an aqueduct or reservoir and higher than the fountain so that gravity could make the water move downwards or shoot high into the air. Serving as an element of decoration and celebration, fountains also generated clean, fresh drinking water. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often utilized by Romans to decorate their fountains. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to re-create the gardens of paradise. Fountains enjoyed a considerable role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exert his power over nature. To mark the entryway of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the construction of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts entered the city of Rome
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 ornamental. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by switching the power of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Decorating city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the purposes of modern-day fountains.
Outdoor Fountain Designers Through History
Outdoor Fountain Designers Through History Water feature designers were multi-talented people from the 16th to the late 18th century, often working as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and highly educated scholars all in one. Leonardo da Vinci as a imaginative intellect, inventor and scientific virtuoso exemplified this Renaissance master. With his immense fascination regarding the forces of nature, he examined the characteristics and mobility of water and systematically recorded his findings in his now celebrated notebooks.
Combining creativity with hydraulic and landscaping mastery, early Italian fountain engineers changed private villa settings into ingenious water displays full with emblematic implications and natural beauty. The humanist Pirro Ligorio provided the vision behind the wonders in Tivoli and was recognized for his skill in archeology, architecture and garden concepts. Masterminding the phenomenal water marbles, water attributes and water jokes for the numerous properties near Florence, some other water feature creators were well versed in humanist topics as well as time-honored technical texts.
The Myriad Styles of Water Wall Fountains
The Myriad Styles of Water Wall Fountains Wall fountains are well suited to little verandas or yards because they do not take up too much space while also adding a touch of style and providing a great place to find peace and quiet. Traditional, antique, modern, or Asian are just some of the styles you can choose from when looking for an outdoor wall fountain to your liking. If you are looking for a distinctive design, a customized one can be specially made to meet your specifications.
Depending on your needs, you can choose from mounted or freestanding models. You can hang a mounted wall fountain because they are little and self-contained. One of the most important features of wall fountains is that they be light, so they are normally made of fiberglass or resin to replicate the look of stone. In large free-standing fountains, otherwise known as wall fountains, the basin is set on the ground with the smooth side positioned against a wall. Water features such as these are ordinarily manufactured of cast stone and have no weight limitations.
Custom-built fountains which can be integrated into a new or existing wall are often prescribed by landscaping designers. The basin and all the required plumbing are best installed by a trained mason. It is also vital to include a spout or fountain mask to build it into the wall. A custom-built wall fountain blends into the landscape instead of standing out because it was a later addition, which adds to a unified look.
What Are Landscape Fountains Manufactured From?
What Are Landscape Fountains Manufactured From? Although they come in various materials, contemporary garden fountains tend to be made of metal.
Metallic models offer clean lines and unique sculptural accents and will fit in with nearly any decorative style and budget. If you have a contemporary look and feel to your interior design, your yard and garden should mirror that same style. Presently, copper is extremely common for sculptural garden fountains. Copper is appropriate for many fountain styles, including tabletop and cascade water fountains, and can be put either inside or outside - making it a great choice. Another advantage of copper fountains is they are versatile and come in a wide assortment of styles.
If your style is more traditional, a brass water fountain might be ideal for you. Brass fountains are frequently designed with interesting artwork, so they are popular even if they are a bit conventional.
The most modern metal right now is perhaps stainless steel. For an instantaneous increase in the value and comfort of your garden, get one of the contemporary steel designs. As with all fountains, you can find any size you need.
Fiberglass fountains are popular because they look similar to metal but are more affordable and much less difficult to move around. The cleaning of fiberglass water fountains is quite simple, so they have many merits that people appreciate.