Contemporary Garden Decoration: Fountains and their Roots
Contemporary Garden Decoration: Fountains and their Roots The dramatic or decorative 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. Pure practicality was the original role of fountains. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to provide them with drinking water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be more elevated and closer to a water source, 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 decorate homes and celebrate the artist who created it. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often used by Romans to decorate their fountains. To replicate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. The fountains found in the Gardens of Versailles were supposed to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. 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.
The end of the nineteenth century saw the increase in usage of indoor plumbing to provide drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. Gravity was replaced by mechanical pumps in order to permit fountains to bring in clean water and allow for amazing water displays.
These days, fountains decorate public spaces and are used to honor individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.
Keep Your Fountain Tidy
Keep Your Fountain Tidy Proper care and regular maintenance are important to the longevity of water fountains. It is easy for foreign items to find their way into outdoor fountains, so keeping it clean is vital. Another factor is that water that is subjected to sunlight is vulnerable to growing algae. Stir hydrogen peroxide, sea salt, or vinegar into the water to avoid this particular problem. Bleach can also be put into the water, but this is not the ideal option because it can harm birds or other animals.No more than 3-4 months should really go by without an extensive cleaning of a fountain. Before cleaning, all of the water must be eliminated. When you have done this, wash inside the water reservoir with a gentle detergent.
Feel free to use a toothbrush if helpful for any smaller crevasses. Make sure all the soap is properly washed off.
It is highly recommended taking the pump apart to better clean the inside and eliminate any plankton or calcium. Soaking it in vinegar for a time will make it easier to clean. Neither rain water nor mineral water contain ingredients that will collect inside the pump, so use either over tap water if possible.
One final tip for keeping your fountain in top working order is to check the water level every day and make sure it is full. Allowing the water level to get too low can cause damage to the pump - and you certainly do not want that!
Did You Know How Mechanical Concepts of Water Fountains Became Known?
Did You Know How Mechanical Concepts of Water Fountains Became Known? Spreading practical hydraulic facts and water fountain design ideas throughout Europe was accomplished with the published papers and illustrated books of the time. An un-named French water feature designer was an internationally renowned hydraulic pioneer in the later part of the 1500's. With Royal commissions in Brussels, London and Germany, he started his career in Italy, developing experience in garden design and grottoes with incorporated and clever water features. “The Principles of Moving Forces”, a publication that became the fundamental text on hydraulic technology and engineering, was written by him toward the end of his life in France.
Updating key hydraulic findings of classical antiquity, the book also explains contemporary hydraulic technologies. Archimedes, the creator of the water screw, had his work showcased and these included a mechanized means to move water. Natural light heated the liquid in two undetectable containers next to the ornamental water feature were displayed in an illustration. Actuating the water feature is hot water that expands and rises to seal up the water lines. The book furthermore covers garden ponds, water wheels, water feature designs.