It is quite easy to make a waterfall or a fountain in the country with your own hands - you only need three main components: a storage tank, a pump and a power supply. But even the smallest waterfall, skillfully inscribed in the landscape design of a summer cottage, is able to give it a new unique look.
When creating a waterfall with your own hands, keep in mind a few important points:
- The waterfall should look beautiful from different points of the site.
- Use the natural slopes of the site to create a waterfall.
- It may be more effective to make several small waterfalls than one big one.
- The waterfall should harmoniously complement the landscape design of the garden area, and not outweigh it.
- Place a waterfall or fountain closer to your home and recreation areas so you can admire them more often.
- Use a local stone to decorate the waterfall for a more natural look.
- When designing the size of the waterfall, calculate the required power of the electric pump and reconcile your design dreams with your electricity bills.
A landscape waterfall should be located slightly away from deciduous trees so as not to become clogged with fallen leaves. If the area of the reservoir allows you, then in the thicket of the pond you can place aquatic plants in pots, strengthening them at the bottom with stones.
You can easily make a waterfall with your own hands using a pump and a liner (waterproof film for a pond). This method has one drawback - the water must be drained for the winter. This problem can be avoided by making a concrete pond bowl.
If a film is used to build a waterfall, then its edges should protrude at least one and a half meters beyond the water flow line.
First, a lining is placed on the bottom of the pit, and a liner is placed on top of it. If the line of the waterfall or pond is too large, then overlap the film.
The bottom of the pond, the line of the waterfall is reinforced with small stones, the side parts of the reservoir are reinforced with large stones, filling the distance between them with small pebbles.
Flat stones are placed along the line of the waterfall. Experiment with the location of the stones - you will hear that the noise of the flowing water depends on it and how the waterfall breaks against the surface of the pond.
The stones that form the pond and the waterfall can be fastened together with cement mortar for reliability.
A landscape waterfall must be decorated not only with stones, but also with perennials so that it naturally and harmoniously fits into the landscape design of the garden.
On summer evenings, you get an absolutely amazing picture if you add glowing stones to the bed of your waterfall and pond.
If there is no place for a reservoir in the country, you can make a small waterfall without a reservoir. In this case, water accumulates in an underground container of gravel and is pumped to the top of the waterfall.
The principle of creating a waterfall can also be applied to creating a fountain with your own hands.
We cover the pit in the ground with a film or concrete, install a pump and a sprayer.
We strengthen the bottom and side parts of the reservoir with large stones and gravel.
A waterfall in the country can be not only landscape, but also quite avant-garde in design.
It can even combine aesthetic and practical features like this one - a waterfall plus a summer shower. Another question is how successful this combination turned out, but the originality of this solution cannot be denied.
Summer residents with a creative approach and skillful hands can surprise not only others with their unusual waterfalls, but also themselves.
Moreover, it is not necessary that these masterpieces be large-scale, the main thing is a non-standard approach!
Regardless of whether you are making a large landscape pond with a waterfall or you have a small fountain near the patio, these handmade landscape design elements will give your summer house a special charm and charm and will surprise your friends and neighbors.
The basic principles of creating a waterfall or fountain are just an impetus to your own ideas, which you can do for your favorite summer cottage with your own hands.