Contemporary Garden Decor: Large Outdoor Water Fountains and their Roots
Contemporary Garden Decor: Large Outdoor Water Fountains and their Roots
The dramatic or ornamental effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, in addition to providing drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property. From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements. Inhabitants of cities, townships and small towns utilized them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash up, which meant that fountains had to be connected to nearby aqueduct or spring. Used until the nineteenth century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their source of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from gravity. Fountains were an excellent source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and memorialize the designer. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times used by Romans to decorate their fountains. Throughout the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners included fountains to create smaller depictions of the gardens of paradise. Fountains enjoyed a significant role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exert his power over nature. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were glorified with baroque style fountains constructed to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.
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. The creation of special water effects and the recycling of water were two things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.
Beautifying city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the uses of modern-day fountains.
Acqua Vergine: The Answer to Rome's Water Problems
Acqua Vergine: The Answer to Rome's Water Problems Rome’s 1st elevated aqueduct, Aqua Anio Vetus, was built in 273 BC; before that, citizens living at higher elevations had to rely on local streams for their water. When aqueducts or springs weren’t accessible, people living at raised elevations turned to water drawn from underground or rainwater, which was made available by wells and cisterns. Beginning in the sixteenth century, a brand new system was introduced, using Acqua Vergine’s subterranean segments to supply water to Pincian Hill. Pozzi, or manholes, were made at regular intervals along the aqueduct’s channel. While these manholes were developed to make it simpler and easier to maintain the aqueduct, it was also possible to use buckets to pull water from the channel, which was practiced by Cardinal Marcello Crescenzi from the time he purchased the property in 1543 to his passing in 1552. Whilst the cardinal also had a cistern to collect rainwater, it couldn't provide sufficient water. Thankfully, the aqueduct sat directly below his property, and he had a shaft established to give him access.The Many Good Reasons to Add a Wall Fountain
The Many Good Reasons to Add a Wall Fountain The inclusion of a wall fountain or an outdoor garden fountain is a great way to beautify your yard or garden design. Contemporary designers and fountain builders alike use historic fountains and water features to shape their creations. As such, integrating one of these to your home design is a great way to connect it to the past. Among the many properties of these beautiful garden fountains is the water and moisture they discharge into the air which attracts birds and other wild life as well as helps to balance the ecosystem. Birds enticed by a fountain or bird bath often frighten off irksome flying pests, for instance.Wall fountains are a good alternative if your yard is small because they do not require much space in comparison to a spouting or cascading fountain. You can choose to put in a stand-alone fountain with a flat back and an attached basin propped against a fence or wall in your backyard, or a wall-mounted type which is self-contained and hung from a wall. A fountain can be added to an existing wall if you include some kind of fountain mask as well as a basin to gather the water below. The plumbing and masonry work necessary for this type of work requires training, so it is best to hire a skilled person rather than do it yourself.