Designing a Water Garden
| A newly created water garden is unlikely to be a visual success, unless some thought is given as to how it is to fit in with the garden landscape, and how it is to be enjoyed. Once established a garden pond is likely to become the focus of recreational garden activity. It is also important to see the design and arrangement of any open water in the context of safety.
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 Once established, a garden pond is likely to become the focus of garden activity.
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 Practical design for the well-being of the plants and fish is very important.
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That is not just for children, but everyone, for a water garden is a potential hazard for all. The positioning of a pond in a garden is not only about visual design, but also functional design. The way in which the pond rests in the garden landscape and how it functions if placed in the most visually appropriate place. Also the practical design with regard to the requirements of the plants and fish that are to be introduced.
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| To this must be added the practical considerations of the ability of the gardener to complete the construction of any design proposed. Visually design is important, but it need not be an over-riding factor. Water is usually found naturally at the lowest point in a landscape and in the garden the visual attributes of placing water in a low, or apparently lower part of the garden does have visual merits, providing that all the conditions that are necessary for the successful functioning of the pond - like uninterrupted sunlight - are embraced. However, for most gardeners the pond’s relationship to the house, and especially the patio or sitting-out area is likely to be most important.
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| It is fashionable with all garden design to try to over-turn convention and to use all manner of new materials, and this has been particularly prevalent with water gardening. Some novelty and innovation is to be applauded, but not innovation for innovation’s sake, or the discarding of convention.
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 The relationship of the pond to the house is an important consideration.
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 Some novelty and innovation is to be applauded, but respect tradition.
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With the garden pond there are well-established precedents for functional design and these should be considered carefully from the outset. Some traditional designs may appear staid, but they usually work perfectly, having been proven over many years. This applies very much to moving water. However, the technology that enables the gardener to more easily create waterfalls, fountains and other moving water features has revolutionised what is possible in the home garden.
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| Having said that, the principles of design behind the great moving water features of late eighteenth and nineteenth century Europe are still very relevant. Some advances have been made in the manipulation of water since those days, but the basics of moving water design in the small garden remain much the same as always. |
 Advances have been made in the manipulation of water.Here it appears to flow in a reverse direction.
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