Ponds and water features have become increasingly recognised as a key element of garden design. They not only add style and excitement, but are also good for the environment.

At Compass Garden & Landscape Design, we are experienced in creating beautiful designs for gardens in Bath, Bradford on Avon and a wide surrounding area. There is great scope to include water features, ranging from bird baths to waterfalls and wildlife ponds. Here we look at six good reasons for a landscape designer to make use of water.

Creating a Striking Focal Point

Water features tend to be one of the most eye-catching elements within a garden, adding visual interest and reflecting the surrounding trees and plants. We can advise you on choosing options which fit in with the style of other elements in your home and garden.

For instance, to help create a more cutting-edge contemporary look, you may choose a cascade using minimalist design, with geometric shapes and elegant clean lines. However, if you have an older property and are looking for a more classic garden design, your preference may be for a traditional pond, complete with lily pads and a more elaborate Greek ornamental fountain.

Relaxing and Entertaining

If a water feature can be placed alongside a patio or decking area, it will mean you can gain the full visual benefit while relaxing with family and friends. Patio lighting will help to create stunning effects and ensure you can enjoy the fountain or waterfall into the evening.

Attracting Wildlife

With growing awareness of the need for conservation, one of the biggest reasons to include a pond in your garden is to attract and nurture wildlife. The Royal Horticultural Society estimates that almost 70% of ponds have disappeared from Britain in the last 100 years, making the remaining ones even more important for birds, frogs, dragonflies and other wild creatures.

The charity has launched a Wild About Gardens pond campaign to encourage more people to add a wildlife pond to their garden, or to adapt an existing one to make it more accessible, for instance by having a shallow slope with a layer of stones on one side.

Ponds are not the only water features which can help wildlife and make your garden “greener”, though. Bird baths will also attract birds, and are ideal for smaller gardens or households with small children who are concerned about ponds posing a risk.

Calming Influence

Numerous studies suggest that water has calming properties, which is another reason for including water features in your garden. There has been scientific evidence that flowing water releases negative ions, which increase production of serotonin, helping to boost energy and relieve stress. Listening to the sounds of a waterfall or fountain can also help to shut out other sounds such as traffic.

Keeping Fish

If you don’t have time for pets such as cats and dogs, a pond with fish is an alternative which can bring a lot of pleasure. Watching and feeding the fish will fascinate children in particular. A pump will be needed to keep the water circulating and ensure your fish get enough oxygen, but apart from that they are fairly low-maintenance pets.

Enhancing Your Pond with Plants

Ponds lend themselves to a wonderful array of plants, such as irises and of course water lilies, which come in a wide choice of colours and with different sizes of leaves. Marginal plants, bog garden plants, rushes and grasses can also be used within a pond or water garden area, while border plants such as hostas and primulas are suitable for the conditions around the edge of a pond.

As part of our planting consultancy service, we can advise you on which plants will look good and thrive all around your garden, including in the areas of water features.

Compass Garden & Landscape Design

If you are looking for a landscape designer in the South West, Compass can help to turn your hopes for your garden into reality. We will start by consulting you to understand your wishes and then carry out a full survey, so that we can draw up concept sketches and discuss them with you before creating a full design.

For clients who want to include a water feature or pond within their landscape garden design, we will advise on where the best place is to put this, for instance making use of any natural dip. Sometimes there may be a problem with an existing pond or water feature, and if so we can also advise you on this, including how to restore it or make it safer for children.

The areas we work in include Bath, Bradford on Avon, Great Ashley, Avoncliff, Somerset and Wiltshire. To find out more, contact Compass Garden & Landscape Design.