You’ve got lots of beautiful features in your yard, colorful flowering shrubs, trees for shade, perennials, and lush green grass. You’ve got a lovely beautiful patio for entertaining. What are you missing? There is a component of a landscape that you can hear! The Answer may surprise you, “water!”.
Koi ponds, waterfalls, and simple water features are the only natural landscaping element that provides sound! The water features we install for our clients in New Hampshire are “easy” to “very easy” to maintain, depending on the type of water feature. Ponds and Water Gardens.
Here are a couple of ideas to consider for your yard:
Koi ponds. A water garden with fish is commonly referred to as a Koi pond. Adding fish 
and plants to a pond completes the ecosystem and keeps the pond clear, provided there is a waterfall and a sufficiently sized pump to re-circulate the water. Koi ponds are not
maintenance-free, however. A water garden is just that- a “water-garden.” There are plants to trim back, fish to feed, and leaves to clean out in the spring. These types of water gardens are typically purchased by homeowners who like to work in their yards.
Pondless Waterfalls. These water features are an excellent addition to the landscape for people who don’t want the maintenance of a pond. A pondless waterfall is a waterfall feature that cascades into a bed of River Rock. The reservoir of water remains under the stone. One advantage of a pondless waterfall for folks who like to travel is that it can be turned off without causing algae to bloom because the reservoir of water is not exposed to sunlight. Pondless waterfalls can be designed into virtually any space in your yard.
Freestanding Water Features. Similar to a pondless waterfall, but smaller and quieter, a freestanding water feature is another low-maintenance way of getting some soothing water sounds into your yard. These freestanding water features may use natural granite stone, a Basalt column, or clay cistern. Water is recirculated from a basin beneath the feature and covered with River Rock or Peastone, keeping algae to a minimum. This option is best for intimate areas near a patio or sitting garden.