Susan’s Lawn Gardens is pleased to feature this article from today’s guest author, HARRY NACK. He is an expert on garden water features, so we feel very comfortable recommending his work to our visitors.

How To Light Up a Garden Fountain

by Harry Nack

You are able to make a fountain shine, light up an entire pond from inside, highlighting an attractive statue, or raise the expression of a particularly gorgeous tree.

You can install garden fountain lights inside or outside lighting. You need to know that all should be connected to a GFI for your own protection,

Before you start shopping for garden fountain lights, try out different effects with a strong flashlight or a spotlight on an extension cord. Focus for simplicity and nuance. Do not let yourself get carried away and chance your garden fountain into a amusement park , but keep your eye on elegance.

There are numerous types of in garden fountain lights, and each one produces its own special effect, depending upon how you position it almost all designs demand lights that have dark, subdued cases. Chromium steel or white casings can be obtrusive, particularly during daylight.

Garden fountain lights, either in white or colorations, add drama to a sprayer. A few garden fountain lights also come equip with transparent rolls of various colors. Colorful light, nevertheless, should be used sparingly-it can easily become tacky.

A lot of garden fountain lights have installed  timers that let you to automatically turn the lights off and on. You are also able to put in an independent timer in the lighting setup. Timers not only save you the hazel  of regularizing the light, they also save on your electricity bill.

How to place your garden fountain lights

The first rule in setting up your fountain lights is to never them shine straight on the water since they’ll produce a harsh glare. In-ponds, lights need reasonably clean water to be efficient. Muddy water obstructs too much light and decreases the light’s effectiveness substantially. If you’ve fish in your water garden, allow dark areas where they can back away from the light. Fish need a great deal of crevices for safety. And never brighten the entire pond, particularly all night. If possible, place out-of-water lights to hide their casings and cord underneath a deck, behind a stone, or tucked into the leafage of a shrub. Any type of lighting you prefer, be sensitive to its effect on the neighbors. Do not let the lights beam in their windows.

Installation of Low Power Garden Fountain Lights

Contrary to  normal 120-volt lights, installation of low-power landscape lights is a breeze, even for novices. And they are fairly safe because of their low voltage. Numerous low-voltage lighting schemes are sold as kits, complete with instruction manuals.

Installing a low-voltage system begins with installing a transformer, which cuts down the regular home current from one hundred twenty volts to twelve volts. Set up the transformer just about the GFI receptacle closest to the water feature, using the manufacturers directions. Even 12-volt systems should utilize a GFI unit to prevent shocks. Most transformers are plainly mounted next to an electric outlet and plugged into it.

Harry is the creator of Garden Fountain Auctions this is the place where you can get the best deal for you’re Garden Fountains he has the latest auctions on his page here.

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Susan’s Lawn Gardens is pleased to feature this article from today’s guest author, HUGH HARRIS-EVANS. He is a water garden expert, so we feel very comfortable recommending his work to our visitors.

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond
By Hugh Harris-Evans

Building a waterfall is easier than you think and will add a new dimension to your pool.

When building a waterfall, as with any garden project, you must first consider the design and make a plan. The biggest mistake that people make when planning a pond waterfall is to err on the large side. For a pond measuring 12 ft x 14 ft you should think in terms of a fall of 18-24 inches. The width of the waterfall should be in proportion to the size of your pond. The important point is to make sure that the scale of your construction fits in with the surrounding features and does not spoil the balance of your overall garden design.

The next question that has to be answered is the type of construction you wish to use. There are two basic choices. You can either use a liner and place rocks to form the fall or you can save yourself the trouble and buy a fibreglass unit. Either way you will still have to use your shovel to form the site of the waterfall.

The other requirement is a pump which will be sited in the pool to transport the water to the top of your waterfall. The size of pump that you will need depends on the height and width of the waterfall and also the length of pipe from the pump to the top of the fall. Once you have finalised your plans, consult your
dealer and he will be able to supply you with the correct pump.

To maintain a healthy pond environment with crystal clear water usually involves installing a biological filter. Again your dealer will be able to advise you as to the correct type and size. The filter should be placed at the top of the waterfall so that the water is cleaned before issuing out on to the fall.

Once you have assembled all the equipment it is time to get out your shovel. If your site is level and the soil from excavation of your pond is nearby this can be used as the mound on which to place the waterfall. If you are using a liner you first dig out the channel and then fit the liner. Next place the rocks so that the water can flow over them. It is helpful if you observe a natural waterfall to give you some ideas as to how the rocks can be placed for the greatest effect. Once you are satisfied with the arrangement, use black waterfall foam to seal the rocks to ensure that the water flows over and around them and not underneath. If you have chosen to use a fibreglass preformed model, you will avoid the problem of placing the rocks and will just have to dig out sufficient soil to allow you to fit the unit.

To complete the installation fit the pump, filter and hose and connect to the electricity supply. Providing all is working to your satisfaction, now is the time to relax and enjoy your handiwork.

If you have read this far and are wondering whether it would be just too much like hard work, then consider this. Water soothes and relaxes, inspires reflection, and is a source of beauty. A cascading, bubbling stream adds interest and serenity to the garden, while a waterfall can create a dramatic centerpiece. Building a pond waterfall really is worth the effort.

Hugh Harris-Evans is the owner of The Garden Supplies Advisor where you will find further articles, gardening tips and product reviews.

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Susan’s Lawn Gardens is pleased to feature this article from today’s guest author, DAN ESKELSON. He is an expert on water landscapes, so we feel very comfortable recommending his work to our visitors.

How To Build A Waterfall
By Dan Eskelson

The number one, most asked question that I receive about water features is “How do I build a waterfall?”

The first advice I give is to visit natural waterfalls or at least look at photos. Don’t try to memorize just how they look…just get a general idea how the water flows around and over the rocks.

The design of your falls will depend on topography, pump and pipe size, length of water flow from pump to falls, pond size and possibly other site-specific factors. If your pond is just 4′ x 6′, you certainly don’t want a large, three foot wide falls – keep the elements of your water feature in scale.

One of the most common mistakes results from the desire for a tall waterfall at a level building site…large amounts of soil are imported to build the falls up to a three or four foot height. Yes, you will achieve a dramatic waterfall, but the total effect will look more like an out of place volcano. A falls of just two feet will produce a very satisfactory effect both visually and audibly.

On a level site, with an “average” size pond of 11′ x 16′, the amount of soil needed to surround the biological filter and create the berm is just about equal to the amount of soil excavated from the pond…it works out quite well. To further enhance or enlarge the berm, you may want to import a little more soil, large boulders or other features.

If you are working on a slope, you have the option of placing the biological filter (waterfall source) uphill from the pond and creating a series of cascading waterfalls. This is how I built my falls, described in the photo essay here: http://clearwaterlandscapes.com/pondphotos.htm

It was definitely an exercise in visualization to determine exactly how the water would flow down the falls. I made a slight underestimation of the total flow and could have widened the falls somewhat, but the effect is very acceptable.

Even on a level site, it’s a good design strategy to place the falls six to eight feet from the pond. This will create a short stream to the pond.

Be sure to use a wide EPDM rubber liner under the falls and/or stream…this will allow for twists and turns in the course of the water and also contain splashing. A ten foot wide stream liner is recommended. Underlayment under the falls and stream liners is usually not required.

When your excavation is complete for the falls, and liner is in place, add your stone. Don’t be in a hurry – try several (or many) combinations and visualize how the water will flow.

When satisfied with your arrangement, use black waterfall foam to direct the water over the stone instead of under it. That is, stone that is directly in contact with the liner should sit on a bed of foam so the water goes around or over the stone instead of underneath it. Caution – the foam expands greatly…don’t use too much!

Though it requires some creativity and patience, building a waterfall is extremely satisfying. Though you should give some time to preliminary research, you’ll learn most by actually building your water feature – just do it! You’ll find that your water garden is the most relaxing and enjoyable part of your yard.

About The Author

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