Where did Garden Water Fountains Come From?

Pure practicality was the original role of fountains. Inhabitants of urban areas, townships and small towns utilized them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash, which meant that fountains had to be linked to nearby aqueduct or spring. Up to the late 19th century, water fountains had to be near an aqueduct or reservoir and more elevated than the fountain so that gravity could make the water flow downwards or shoot high into the air. Fountains were not only utilized as a water source for drinking water, but also to adorn homes and celebrate the artist who created it. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times utilized by Romans to beautify their fountains. Muslims and Moorish landscaping designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller models of the gardens of paradise. To show his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries manufactured baroque decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the location where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.

Indoor plumbing became the key source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby restricting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Gravity was substituted by mechanical pumps in order to enable fountains to bring in clean water and allow for beautiful water displays.

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

Outdoor Wall Fountains: The Numerous Styles Available

Mounted and free-standing water features are obtainable on the market. You can place a mounted wall fountain because they are little and self-contained. Wall fountains made of resin (resembling stone) or fiberglass are typically light so they can be easily hung. Stand-alone fountains, often referred to as floor fountains, are sizable, have a basin positioned on the ground and a smooth side which leans against a wall. Normally made of cast stone, these water features have no weight constraints.

Landscape professionals often recommend a individualized fountain for a brand new or existing wall. A professional mason is required to place the water basin against the wall and correctly install all the plumbing inside or behind the wall. A fountain mask or a spout also needs to be incorporated into the wall. A tailor-made wall fountain blends into the landscape instead of standing out because it was a later addition, which contributes to a unified appearance.