Formal, informal or contemporary, a water feature adds magic to even the smallest garden. Lathika George tells you how to go about it
A water feature adds a new dimension to any garden. It creates an inviting, magical atmosphere; a perfect spot to relax and entertain. Whether it is a formal pool or a tiny waterfall on a terrace, a water feature enlivens the landscape, giving an opportunity to grow moisture-loving plants, and to cultivate fish.
Few gardens come with a natural pond or stream. The best time to place a water feature is in a new garden, once the trees and shrubs are planted. Larger water features may require professional planning, but small pools are fun to do on your own, with help from a mason and electrician.
When planning and designing a formal pool, site it correctly. Make it focal, on an expanse of lawn or within a walled terrace or courtyard. If you plan to entertain nearby, place it near a patio. In water-scarcity areas, pools can double as catchment and storage. My own pond is built into a natural stone wall, catching rainwater and seepage from the rocks above; in the dry summer months, it stores water for the garden from a larger rainwater sump.
Scale is important. A large, ornamental fountain looks odd in a small urban garden. A tiny pond gets lost in a sprawling formal garden. A tiny artificial waterfall or an attractive brass vessel or rain barrel are best in a small terrace garden.
Pool of options
An irregularly shaped pond is ideal for small urban spaces and natural settings. If you have the luxury of space, the pond is best situated in a shady corner away from the house. Masses of close planting in a mix of flowers and foliage can be planted around, with a subtly placed spotlight or two to illuminate the area in the evening.
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A formal pool goes with classic, symmetrical gardens. It works best for a courtyard, open terrace or sunken garden; in fact, it works in small spaces as well as large. In a large formal garden, a square or rectangular pool edged with stone or mosaic gives an air of elegance. If excavation is a problem, opt for a raised pool. A lawn or hedges are the best planting options, along with flowering plants like a row of white-bloomed hostas or plumerias.
The sight and sound of splashing water can be replicated in a waterfall. Stream and waterfall go naturally together, so a combination is ideal. Soil excavated from the pond can be piled up and studded with rocks to create a rockery. A motor can pump water over the rocks and into the pool. Plant the area thickly with moisture-loving shrubs and grasses. If a multi-layered feature is planned, the lower pond should be larger than the upper one.
Fountains range from ornate — carved and patterned, dressed stone or mosaic — for formal gardens, to tiny, such as pebble fountains for smaller gardens. Planting should be minimal; choose topiary, ferns or green shrubs.
Even the smallest garden can accommodate an ornamental container like a brass vessel, stone basin or rain barrel. Surround it with potted plants to transform a small terrace or a dreary corner.
Other water features can include a bird-bath, a barrel with a bamboo spout, an outsize shell, a stone basin or a sheetglass water cascade.
Plants and accessories
Choose plants that thrive near water, like willows, hostas, red hot pokers, zantedeschias, grasses, irises, astilbe, feverfew, foxgloves, ferns and grasses. In the water, lotuses, grasses, water lilies and aquatic plants provide colour and interest. Goldfish, koi fish and turtles look good and help keep the pond clean.
The best time to enjoy your water feature is in the evening or night. Place lighting placed behind plants or focused on the water. A stone lantern can be a focal point.
Choose a stone seat or painted wooden bench for a fountain or formal pool, and a rustic log bench for a pond or waterfall. Outdoor dining sets can range from cast iron to a modest wooden picnic bench.
Opt for stone accessories like frogs, birds and bird feeders for an informal setting. In a formal garden, an elegant sculpture or stone planters work well.
A water feature requires regular maintenance to keep it clean and mosquito-free. Old water can be used to water the garden.
Sound and light
A client wanted me to create a waterfall and pond for his hillside garden. A fairly steep slope along the side of the house provided levels for two ponds. The larger one at the bottom was fitted with a motor to pump the water up to top of the rockery. Large rocks and stones were sourced from the site and placed in the rockery, while weathered granite slabs from an old stable were placed in the artificial stream connecting the two ponds to create small “steps” over which the water cascaded.
For the planting I chose grasses: the tall pampas with its feathery plumes, daturas with large pink and yellow blooms, ferns, white zantedeschias and blue agapanthus.
On a trial run one evening, the motor was switched on, and the water rushed through the rockery, overflowing from the upper pond onto the stones below. Here it tumbled over little rocks in the fabricated stream and splashed over the granite slabs into the pond below. Spotlights concealed behind shrubs, and an underwater light, cast up reflected light, adding drama. The sound of splashing water echoed through the garden above, into the house and across the lawn. Just as I had planned!
Lathika George is a writer and landscape designer based in Kodaikanal
