Fall for a Water-Wise Fountain
No need to sacrifice beauty in the interest of water conservation — these smart fountain designs let you have both
Water brings tranquility, balance and movement to an outdoor space, qualities nearly impossible to replicate with other materials. How do you get the look with water conservation in mind? There are a few strategies:
- Decrease evaporation by minimizing the surface area
- Surround with permeable materials
- Include water foliage
- Reduce, reuse, recycle
Minimize surface area. Evaporation steals water from your feature. Minimizing its surface area by choosing a fountain or fall with a small surface area of water reduces the space for this process to take place.
Regardless of the surface area, evaporation is slower in areas that remain cool. The trees that surround this space are likely to substantially decrease the evaporation in this charming set of fountains.
Surround with permeable materials. When splash and spray are desired effects, consider placing foliage at the base of a water feature. The foliage joints in this patio will enjoy any overspray the fountain sends their way. Were the joints made of gravel, the patio surrounding the fountain would still have the benefit of allowing overspray to permeate into the ground rather than coming to rest on a hardscape and evaporating.
Surround with splash-catching foliage. This design applies the same strategy, placing foliage in the area most likely to receive splash.
Reduce splash and overspray. This lovely fountain's small evaporative space and splash are appropriate to a desert environment.
Don't let it bubble away. A bubbling fountain reduces all splashing and water flows quietly down the sides, sheathlike, into a recirculating basin.
Add water foliage. Whereas the foliage in the previous photos increased the sustainability of the fountains, this one seems designed to sustain the garden bed — a wonderful idea.
Reduce, reuse ... This charming set of water fountains appears to be fed by runoff from a slope. Once captured, of course, the water can be reused.
Use everyday materials. This vintage iron hanger becomes a wonderful reclaimed piece to keep the old-world charm of this fountain while minimizing water loss.
Recycle. This smart application of a rain chain and rain barrel is actually lovely enough to be considered a fountain. When not capturing rainwater, the chains effectively evoke the sense of movement and calm of a water feature.
Do you have a water-wise fountain you want to share? Or a question about how to conserve the water used by an existing fountain? Let us know in the Comments! We'd love to see your ideas.
More:
The Sustainable Garden: Permeable Paving Lets the Rain Soak In
Design With Weather: Introduce a Rain Chain
Dry Riverbeds Solve Water Runoff
Do you have a water-wise fountain you want to share? Or a question about how to conserve the water used by an existing fountain? Let us know in the Comments! We'd love to see your ideas.
More:
The Sustainable Garden: Permeable Paving Lets the Rain Soak In
Design With Weather: Introduce a Rain Chain
Dry Riverbeds Solve Water Runoff
