Modern Garden Decoration: Outdoor Fountains and their Beginnings
Modern Garden Decoration: Outdoor Fountains and their Beginnings A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to supply drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes.
Pure practicality was the original purpose of fountains. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, from aqueducts or springs in the area. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains functioned using gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a supply of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to decorate living areas and memorialize the artist. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times used by Romans to beautify their fountains. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners incorporated fountains to create mini variations of the gardens of paradise. To demonstrate his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to laud their positions by including beautiful baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Urban fountains created at the end of the nineteenth served only as decorative and celebratory ornaments since indoor plumbing provided the necessary drinking water. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Beautifying city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the purposes of modern-day fountains.
Pick from Many Outdoor Wall Fountain Styles
Pick from Many Outdoor Wall Fountain Styles Small verandas or courtyards are a perfect place to set up wall fountains since they add style to an area with little space. Conventional, antique, contemporary, or Asian are just a few of the styles you can pick from when looking for an outdoor wall fountain to your liking. It is possible to have one custom-made if you are unable to find a pre-assembled fountain to suit you.
Depending on your wishes, you can choose from mounted or freestanding types. Small, self-contained models can be hung on a wall are called mounted wall fountains. Fountains of this kind need to be light, therefore, they are typically made of resin (resembling stone) or fiberglass. Large-sized free-standing wall fountains, often referred to as floor fountains, have their basins located on the floor and a flat side leaning on a wall. Water features such as these are ordinarily made of cast stone and have no weight limitations.
Custom-built fountains which can be incorporated into a new or existing wall are often recommended by landscaping designers. A skilled mason is necessary to place the water basin against the wall and properly install all the plumbing inside or behind the wall. You will need to integrate a spout or fountain mask into the wall. The unified look produced by custom-made wall fountains make them appear to be part of the scenery instead of an afterthought.