The Many Styles of Wall Fountains

The two kinds of fountains available to you include mounted and stand-alone models. Mounted wall fountains are small and self-contained variations which can be placed on a wall. Wall fountains made of resin (resembling stone) or fiberglass are typically light so they can be easily hung. Floor fountains are freestanding, big, and also have a basin on the ground as well as a flat side against the wall. Generally composed of cast stone, this kind of water feature is not limited in weight.

Landscape professionals often recommend a custom-built fountain for a brand new or existing wall. The basin and all the necessary plumbing are best installed by a trained mason. You will need to integrate a spout or fountain mask into the wall. If you want a cohesive look for your garden, buy a customized wall fountain because it becomes part of the panorama rather than a later addition.

Contemporary Garden Decor: Garden Fountains and their Roots

From the beginning, outdoor fountains were simply meant to serve as functional elements. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, via aqueducts or springs in the vicinity. Used until the nineteenth century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their origin of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from the power of gravity. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to decorate living areas and celebrate the designer. Roman fountains usually depicted images of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. To replicate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to illustrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries created baroque decorative fountains to exalt 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. Amazing water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the power of gravity with mechanical pumps.

Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational events.