The Benefits of Outdoor Water Fountains

When you think of an outdoor water fountain, you may picture a large, elaborate fountain outside a business 

building or museum. These outdoor fountains, however, are also popular for the use in lawns and gardens of private residences. Not all outdoor fountains are large, intricately carved white marble sculptures. In fact, outdoor fountains come in a variety of sizes and shapes and are made from a variety of materials.

Besides their elegant and impressive look, outdoor fountains have many benefits that you may not have been aware of. Additionally, there are different types to choose from. Below we’ll discuss the benefits, the different types, and how to select the best one for your yard or garden.

Outdoor Fountain Benefits

Outdoor water fountains are great investments that offer many benefits for many years to come with proper care and maintenance. Below are some of the common benefits of outdoor fountains:

1. Calming sound and relaxing ambiance. You can use a variety of plants and use a fish pond or two to construct your quiet, peaceful, meditative oasis. While the looks and smell of flowers and other plants utilize your senses to make your brain wander and escape, adding relaxing, constant, ambient sounds can better enhance the atmosphere of your garden, yard or meditation space. Besides their eye-catching appearance, the second thing you likely noticed was the calming trickling sound of the falling water of the fountain. Hearing and seeing the trickling water is soothing, calming, and mesmerizing. Their relaxing ambience easily enhances the serenity of a garden or yard.
2. Drown out unpleasant, unwanted noises. Street noise can be distracting and those loud get togethers by the neighbors can be stressful. Outdoor fountains tend to be bigger and louder than their indoor counterparts. This can be of great benefit. Besides the calming sounds they produce, outdoor fountains can also mask and/or lessen the intensity of loud, unpleasant noises such as traffic noise or noise from the neighbor’s loud music. With this benefit, you can still escape into the tranquility of your yard or garden even if you live in a busy area of the city or you live near neighbors who host multiple parties and gatherings.
3. Beautiful outdoor décor. It takes a lot of work and effort to keep up with the landscaping around one’s home. More time and money is often required to create that perfect, peaceful, relaxing space where one can withdraw to and feel like they are temporarily removed from the busyness and stress of real life. Outdoor fountains are simple ways to immediately add beauty to one’s outdoor space, whether it’s a meditation garden, a front lawn or a back yard. With the variety of materials used, sizes, shapes, styles and colors of outdoor fountains, one can quickly and easily achieve a certain look and feel of a space with an outdoor fountain. In addition, outdoor fountains often last many years and require less maintenance than plants.
4. Attract wildlife. Even if you’re not into birding, it can be peaceful and relaxing to watch beautiful, happily chirping birds drink and bathe in a fountain. What’s more exciting still is to watch larger native animals stop by for a refreshing drink from the fountain. Depending on where one lives, hard to see animals like deer, elk, moose, even bears and cougars can make an appearance, providing awe-inspiring entertainment.

Fountains are great magnets for attracting wild, native species of animals, while discouraging mosquitoes , making them a great, eco-friendly and safe way to tackle pest control and reintroduce various animal species back to the area, benefitting the local ecosystem.

Types of Outdoor Fountains

It is a common mistake to think that there is only one type of yard water fountain. In fact, there are two main outdoor fountain types : seasonal and year round outdoor fountains.

• Seasonal Outdoor Fountains. These types of fountains are the most common type of outdoor fountains. These fountains use re-circulated water to keep the fountain working. Seasonal fountains, however, must be shut down in the winter in places that experience freezing temperatures. If left on in the cold winter, the water can freeze, damaging the fountain. The two types of seasonal fountains include the waterfall fountain and the pedestal fountain. The waterfall fountain is just as it sounds, it features the classical cascade of water. Pedestal fountains feature multiple tiers of flat, bird-bath shaped bowls whereby water cascades down into the bowl of the level below it.
• Year Round Outdoor Fountains. Unlike seasonal fountains, year round fountains can be used all year, including in the cold of winter due to their built-in heating system. The two types of year round fountains are solar outdoor fountains and electrical wall fountains. Solar outdoor fountains have solar panels mounted to them to capture and utilize the energy from sunlight to heat the water. Electrical outdoor wall fountains heat the water with electricity. These fountains require to be placed near an electrical outlet in the winter time. In the warm months electrical outdoor wall fountains don’t need to be plugged into an outlet as the water doesn’t need to be heated.

How to Select the Right Outdoor Fountain

As not all outdoor fountains are the same, there are some factors to consider when deciding which fountain complements your space and expresses your unique personal style. Below are some of the basic fountain characteristics to consider and look at:

Fountain Style. Do you want a classical-looking fountain or one that is modern in appearance? A classical fountain, like this 4 Tier Fountain by Henri Studio, is more elegant and formal in appearance while a modern fountain can be seen as either more professional or more laid back and unique. Both styles come in a variety of colors, sizes and shapes and both outdoor fountain styles feature water cascading into subsequent tiers, giving off a relaxing sound and an aesthetically interesting water flow action.

Materials and Color. Most outdoor fountains today are made of either cast stone or concrete reinforced glass fiber. The materials the fountain is made of has some bearing on the fountain’s coloring and texture. While the natural stone look is the most popular, the many colors available make it possible to match one’s color preference or to contrast the fountain with nearby structures and features.

Why Choose Water Gallery

With both indoor and outdoor fountains becoming more popular and having more uses in different locations, there are many fountain manufacturers and sellers. The Water Gallery has many years in building and selling its own outdoor fountains as well as those made by some of the best manufacturers in the industry.

High quality fountains. Water Gallery is known for offering only the highest quality outdoor water fountains. Our water fountains are made from hand -sculpted cast stone and each fountain comes in a wide variety of colors, sizes and options. In addition, our workmanship is superior to those fountains found in big box stores or local garden centers. With our outdoor water fountains, you can rest assured that they will last for many years to come.

Knowledgeable staff and great prices. At Water Gallery, the purchasing of an outdoor water fountain is easier than ever. We pride ourselves on our top-notch customer service and knowledgeable sales staff that help customers quickly find the right fountain for their space, style and budget. We regularly have specials on our already low prices so customers can get a great-looking, durable, quality fountain for less than what others charge.

Tips for Maintaining Outdoor Fountains

Unlike indoor fountains, outdoor fountains require more frequent care and cleaning. Outdoor fountains are exposed to elements such as sun, dirt and debris from plants and animals. Below are three simple ways to maintain your outdoor fountain so it looks and operates at its best:

• Choose the Right Location. Fountains that are placed near the siding of a house or wall, and in the open away from trees and bushes will catch less dirt, leaves, twigs and branches, resulting in less frequent cleaning. When plant debris isn’t promptly cleaned out of the water, they can decay, turning the water brown and possibly clogging the fountain’s pipes.
• Add Vinegar. Vinegar may not smell great, but it is a safe and environmentally friendly antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic that not only keeps the fountain water clean, but it also prevents the growth of algae and bacteria, keeping your fountain looking great. The vinegar will only smell for a minute or two after being added to the fountain water.
• Avoid Sunlight & Algae. The warmth and light of the sun speeds up the growth of algae. Placing an outdoor fountain in a sunny area will require more frequent cleaning to keep algae growth at bay. For less frequent cleaning, place the fountain in a cool, shaded area. There are also shade coverings for fountains when no natural shade is available.

Planting In and Around Your Outdoor Fountain

If you’re planning on placing your outdoor fountain in a yard or garden, chances are you’ll plant around the fountain. Plants add color and enhance the local ecosystem. Before you plant, here are some things to keep in mind:

Don’t go overboard with too many plants. While plants add color, purify the air and provide shelter for animals and insects, too many plants in and around your outside fountain can accelerate the growth of algae and turn the water in your fountain into an unpleasant bog.

Plant with a purpose. Instead of planting flowers you like the look or smell of, consider plants that add camouflage and fight algae. Ornamental grasses, large shrubs and wildflowers are great tall plants that add depth to the space as well as cover up the unsightly fountain pump and motor. Iris and Sweet Flag are great options to cut down on algae growth.

Add a Beautiful Outdoor Fountain to Your Yard

Outdoor water fountains have many benefits such as providing relaxing ambience, attracting local wildlife and drowning out unpleasant background sounds. Modern outdoor water features come in a variety of colors, sizes and styles and are made from various materials. The size of one’s available space and desired ambience will determine the ideal style, shape, color and size of fountain that will work best. Both seasonal and year round fountains require maintenance to keep them looking and working their best. Both fountain types are great additions to a variety of outdoor spaces and can have plants and other landscaping elements surrounding them.

To add extra beauty to your outdoor space as well as experience some of the benefits outdoor fountains can offer first-hand, contact us at the Water Gallery today to learn more about our inventory of fountains as well as purchase your own quality, durable outdoor fountain.