The Origins Of Garden Fountains
The Origins Of Garden Fountains The dramatic or decorative effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, as well as providing drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property.
The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly practical. 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. Up to the late nineteenth 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 jet high into the air. 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 times used by Romans to decorate their fountains. To illustrate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his dominion 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 location 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. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity enabled fountains to bring recycled water into living spaces as well as create unique water effects.
Embellishing city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the uses of modern-day fountains.
Rome’s First Water Transport Systems
Rome’s First Water Transport Systems Aqua Anio Vetus, the first raised aqueduct assembled in Rome, commenced supplying the individuals living in the hills with water in 273 BC, although they had counted on natural springs up till then. Outside of these aqueducts and springs, wells and rainwater-collecting cisterns were the sole technological innovations available at the time to supply water to areas of high elevation. Starting in the sixteenth century, a newer program was introduced, using Acqua Vergine’s subterranean segments to generate water to Pincian Hill. During its original building and construction, pozzi (or manholes) were located at set intervals alongside the aqueduct’s channel. Whilst these manholes were manufactured to make it simpler and easier to protect the aqueduct, it was also possible to use buckets to extract water from the channel, which was exercised by Cardinal Marcello Crescenzi from the time he invested in the property in 1543 to his death in 1552. Despite the fact that the cardinal also had a cistern to accumulate rainwater, it didn’t supply a sufficient amount of water. To provide himself with a more practical way to gather water, he had one of the manholes exposed, providing him access to the aqueduct below his property.
Keeping Your Landscape Fountain Clean
Keeping Your Landscape Fountain Clean
It is vital to carefully maintain water fountains for them to perform optimally. It is important to clean it out and take out any debris or foreign objects that might have fallen into or onto it. Additionally, anywhere light from the sun comes in contact with still water, algae can develop. In order to stay clear of this, there are some simple ingredients that can be mixed into the water, such as vinegar, sea salt, or hydrogen peroxide. Some people opt for putting bleach into the water, but the drawback is that it harms wildlife - so it should be avoided. No more than 3-4 months should go by without an extensive cleaning of a fountain. Before cleaning, all the water must be eliminated. When it is empty, scrub inside the reservoir with a mild cleanser. If there is delicate artwork, you might need to use a toothbrush for those hard-to-reach areas. Be sure to completely rinse the inside of the fountain to make sure all the soap is gone.
It is highly advised taking the pump apart to better clean the inside and remove any plankton or calcium. Soaking it in vinegar for a time will make it easier to scrub. Build-up can be a big hassle, so use mineral or rain water over tap water, when possible, to prevent this dilemma.
And finally, make sure the water level is always full in order to keep your fountain operating optimally. Allowing the water to drop below the pump’s intake level, can cause major damage and even make the pump burn out - an undesired outcome!
The Countless Options in Garden Wall Fountains
The Countless Options in Garden Wall Fountains Putting a wall fountain in your yard or patio is perfect when you want to relax. You can have one custom-built to fit your requirements even if you have a small amount of space.
The required components include a spout, a water basin, internal tubing, and a pump regardless of whether it is freestanding or secured. You have many styles to a lot to choose from whether you are looking for a traditional, contemporary, classical, or Asian style. Freestanding wall fountains, otherwise known as floor fountains, are noticeably big and feature a basin on the ground.
It is possible to incorporate a wall-mounted water feature onto an already existing wall or built into a new wall. Integrating this kind of water feature into your landscape brings a cohesiveness to the look you want to achieve rather than making it seem as if the fountain was merely added later.