"There's nothing quite like the captivating sights and peaceful sounds of an outdoor garden fountain, so it should come as no surprise that a moving water feature is one of the most popular additions to backyard gardens. Fountains add the exquisite beauty of moving water and a touch of tranquility to our yards and our lives.Who among us doesn't love to watch jets of water leaping into the air and splashing back into the fountain? And the trickle of water cascading down an outdoor garden fountain is a relaxing sound that soothes frazzled nerves and takes us far away from the hustle and bustle of busy lives.

Years ago an outdoor garden fountain was a sign of prestige and status, and only the most luxurious homes had them. Now, there's such a diverse range of fountains in sizes and prices to any budget, that it's easy to add one to your existing pond or yard. From small spouting frogs to great gushing lions to Greco-Roman-inspired sculptures, there is a garden fountain that is sure to delight your family, friends and neighbors.

But before you buy a fountain, you should decide what type of feature you want (spray, trickle, bubbling or cascading water, etc.) taking into consideration the size of your yard and/or pond as well as your budget. Fountains are made from many different materials in a wide variety of prices and weights, including concrete, terracotta, millstones, carved or cast stone and realistic, lightweight glassfibre or faux-stone. No matter which type of outdoor garden fountain you choose, it's wise to find out exactly how frost-resistant the material is before you buy it. Ice may fracture certain materials, particularly fountain bowls.

Here are just a few of the many outdoor fountain styles available:

Free Standing Fountains require no pond to stand in, as the lower bowl acts as a reservoir from which water is pumped back to the top by a submersible pump. Playful cherubs, ethereal angels, mermaids, goddesses, and children are some of the favorite designs in free-standing fountains. These fountains are usually very easy to install, and most come with a built-in pump.

Fountain Jets spray streams of water up from the pond in many fascinating patterns, and typically can be adjusted to different heights and shapes. These vary from small bubble jets to energetic sprays that can shoot several feet into the air.

Wall Mounted Fountains: if you long for the tranquil sounds of splashing water but have a postage-stamp size yard, a flat-back style fountain is a good choice. They can take up less space than a full-round fountain but still add a graceful touch to a small garden. They're usually made of lightweight resin and attach easily to a wall or fence without complicated hardware.

One of the most popular in this category is the Lionhead Wall Fountain. Mount this stately feline on any wall to recreate the ambience and elegance of an ancient Greco-Roman sanctuary. Another great choice is the inspiring angel and child fountain, also with Greco-Roman style elements that echo a time long past.

Solar Island Fountains: enjoy the sight and sound of moving water without the hassle of wiring or special plumbing. The filter and pump are powered by sunlight and produce a spray of water that can be several feet high on bright, sunny days.

Bronze Fountains are less widely available and more expensive than most other materials, but they lend distinctive character to your outdoor garden.

Artificial Rock Waterfalls: these beautiful fiberglass "falls" look very real, and range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. Some are designed to cascade directly into your pond or pool.

Rock Bubblers and Boulders: these lightweight, durable artificial rocks are not a traditional outdoor garden fountain, but they are an inexpensive way to add a moving water feature to your garden, and come in many sizes.

Enjoy your fountain!" 

Reference:
Williams, Julia. "Choosing the Right Outdoor Garden Fountain for Your Yard." Yahoo Contributor Network. Voices.yahoo.com, 15 Dec. 2005. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. <http://voices.yahoo.com/choosing-right-outdoor-garden-fountain-your-11600.html?cat=32>.

"In the days of an uncertain stock market and job insecurity, there's no place like home sweet home. Even though the housing bubble burst over the course of 2007 and 2008, according to MSN Money, homeowners in many areas of the United States can still recoup 80 to 90 percent of the money spent on home improvements. The key is to know where to spend. Just because you put $20,000 into renovations, it won't necessarily add that much value. If your house needs a new roof, you won't see a return on it for a while because people expect the roof in a house they're buying to be in good shape. The same can be said for your plumbing and electrical systems. Bad plumbing will detract from the value, but new plumbing won't necessarily drive up the price tag. The key to adding value is to focus on the things that are important to buyers, and to not over-improve. You don't want to have the most expensive house on the block. So if the houses in your neighborhood have concrete driveways, investing in expensive brick pavers may not be in your best interest financially.

Tips for how to get the best bang for your buck on your home renovations, even in a tight real estate market.

If your house doesn't look appealing from the outside, chances are a potential buyer will never make it inside. According to Bankrate.com, a good first impression can add five to 10 percent to the value of your home. If the exterior color of your house is dated or fading, painting is a good place to start your improvements. Choose colors and exterior details that match the period of your house. Shutters add charm and depth, but not if they're hanging crooked or flaking paint. Paving a driveway or walkway that is in disrepair is a must, because this is what leads people to your home -- you want it to be welcoming. Attractive, manicured front-yard landscaping will also add value to your home. Drought-tolerant plants and easy-to-care-for perennials are a good option if you don't have a green thumb. And don't forget about your backyard either. Outdoor living is very popular as more people wish to commune with nature in the comfort of their own home. Sprucing up a deck or patio with attractive furniture, raised garden beds and maybe even a water feature will give you years of enjoyment and appeal to future buyers.

Many homeowners don't give much thought to their landscaping, but a good design can add significantly to your home's value -- sometimes as much as a new kitchen or bath. Have a landscape architect out to your house to assess what you've got and offer suggestions. Perhaps creating a more formal look will better match your home's style (think geometrical shapes and straight lines), or, if your lot backs up to lots of trees, a woodland look full of natural paths, native plants and lots of groundcover. There's often no fee for an architect's design if you buy at least a few items, which is well worth it. Keep in mind, too, that landscaping is more than greenery -- it includes lighting, fences, rock features, paths, ponds, fountains and more. So even if your current trees and plants are attractively laid out, they may still be greatly enhanced by, say, a curving pathway, bench and a few well-placed lights. Landscaping is especially important (and more valuable to your bottom line) in temperate climates, where your plantings are visible year-round and you're able to be outside enjoying features like ponds all 12 months of the year".

Reference:
Sennebogen, Emilie, and Melanie Radzicki McManus. "Top 10 Ways to Add Value to Your Home." HowStuffWorks. Howstuffworks.com, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. <http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/remodeling/5-ways-to-add-value-to-home.htm#page=0>.

"Get Rid Of The Grime. 
Dirt and debris wear on the fountain's surface. Once a month, bail out gritty water (or siphon it off with a wet-dry vac); then wipe the interior with a soft cloth or sponge. Scrub off buildup with vinegar and a soft bristled nylon brush; wipe clean and refill.

Put On Socks. 
Slip an old nylon stocking over the pump and its intake to keep out stray dirt.

Fight Buildup.
 Each time you refresh the water supply, add a clarifier to deter algae growth and a scale and stain remover, following the label directions on dosage (it depends on your fountain's capacity). Double the normal amount if you notice algae or scale that persists. In warmer months, when algae grows more readily, add a time-release algaecide in tablet form about once every three weeks.

Don't Let It Run Dry. 
Your pump could overheat if the water level's too low, so keep an eye on it, especially if you've had a string of hot, dry days.

NEVER USE Chlorine.
Fountain pumps aren't designed to work with concentrated levels of chlorine, but if an algae bloom won't die down, add 1/4 cup of distilled vinegar for every 5 gallons of water, and run the pump overnight so it circulates long enough to disinfect the entire system". You can also add shiny copper pennies to oxidize the water and fight algae growth. 

Reference:
DISHNER, Jackie. "Five Tips To Keep Your Fountain Running." This Old House. Thisoldhouse.com, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. <http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0%2C%2C20209545%2C00.html>.

"A wonderful way to enhance the beauty of your garden is to install a solar powered garden fountain. Compared to traditional electric fountains, solar powered garden fountains allow you to be gentle on the environment and to reduce your running costs to practically nothing. Maintenance is simple, too, with no wiring to look after. And yet a broad range of prices and styles are available.Setting up a solar powered garden fountain is easy and care of these fountains is minimal once installed. Want to use your solar powered garden fountain at an evening party? One option is to install a battery backup for working when the sun is not shining. Weekly maintenance is simple. Panels may accumulate dust or dirt, which can easily be wiped off.

Once installed, if you find the pumps' power is not to your satisfaction, you may need to reposition the solar panels somewhat to increase maximum solar energy. It's also possible to add extra solar panels if you want to increase power to the pumps. Just note that water jet intensity will fluctuate according to the presence of sun throughout the day, and of course be lower on cloudy days.

You can buy solar powered garden fountains with panels and fountain all in one unit, or purchase a model that allows you to place the panels at a distance, connected by a cord. Either way the panels' position needs to be where they can get maximum sunlight. If setup is separate, this allows you to place the fountain in any location, sunny or not.

The best benefit, once the solar powered garden fountain is installed, is sunlight is free and summer time use has no limits. Since there is no need to place the fountain close to an electric supply, installation can be at any distance. This is especially ideal for large gardens.

The only disadvantage is total dependence on sun; solar powered garden fountains work best on bright sunny days. Performance will slow down on cloudy days. Once the freezing chills of winter arrive, it's best to move the unit indoors to prevent damage from snow and frost. Extremely low temperatures could crack the bowls of the foundation.

Solar powered garden fountains are designed for sunny locales with mild winters. They come in a variety of styles; some float, others are placed on solid surfaces, but are the most cost-effective way to enhance your garden, harnessing one of the planets most renewable energy source, sunlight. Make your garden truly green, go solar". 

Reference:
Hessman, Scott. "New Gardening Trends: Solar Powered Garden Fountains." Yahoo Contributor Network. Voices.yahoo.com, 16 Nov. 2011. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. <http://voices.yahoo.com/new-gardening-trends-solar-powered-garden-fountains-10428209.html?cat=32>.

Reference:
LaLiberte, Kathy. "How to Create Sensational Pots and Planters." Gardeners Supply. Gardeners.com, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http://www.gardeners.com/Planters-That-Stand-Out/5325%2Cdefault%2Cpg.html>.

"Adding a bird bath to a garden area creates a decorative feature while promoting conservation of wild birds and other wild creatures. Bird baths create a water source for birds and other wild visitors to a garden. Knowing how to landscape around a bird bath can help you safely provide for visiting birds while creating a beautiful display in your garden.
Proper Location for a Bird Bath 
A spot near trees and bushes is ideal for your bird bath. This location will make it more accessible to the wild birds that will visit and make use of the feature. Placing the bird bath in a sunny location gives you a large variety of plant possibilities around the bird bath but an area that receives a combination of sun and partial shade throughout the day would be an ideal choice.

A Foundation for Your Bird Bath 
A paving stone is a good choice to set the bird bath on. Placing your bird bath on a paving stone will provide stability and a flat surface as well as block out some of the weeds directly against the base of the bird bath.

Create a Pathway Around the Bird Bath 
By creating a pathway around your bird bath, you will be able to get close for cleaning and regular maintenance. Arrange paving stones around the bird bath and if you prefer the stones to be level with the ground, dig out a shallow indention in the shape of each stone. Level the dirt and place the paver in the spot. Add more dirt to make the stone level.

Planting Around the Bird Bath 
In order to deter predators that will be looking at your visiting birds as tasty snacks (domestic cats are the biggest predator in my yard), keep a clear area of about 10 feet in diameter around the bird bath. This open area allows birds to make use of the water without predators being able to sneak up on them.

Add some of your favorite plants to provide food and shelter for the wild birds. Some of my favorites are sunflowers and lilac bushes. Sunflowers will provide seeds and lilac bushes will provide shelter. Choose appropriate plants for the sun exposure near your bird bath.

Provide Feeding Stations Around the Bird Bath 
Tall shepherd hooks can be placed to hang bird feeders in the area but still position them away from the bird bath. Do not place bird feeders close enough for dropped seeds to fall into your bird bath or you will be spending extra time cleaning it out. It is best to create a combination of feeding stations at various heights for the many birds that may visit - hummingbirds, goldfinches, cardinals, and more.

Hang suet feeders, platform feeders, hummingbird feeders and other types of feeding stations to attract wild bird to the area of your bird bath.

Create a Spot for You to Watch the Birds that Visit Your Bird Bath 
A bench or seat of some type should be placed at least 10 to 20 feet away from your bird bath. This distance will allow you to watch the birds visiting your bird bath without scaring them away. I have a garden swing that I sit in to watch the critters that visit my wildlife garden. Listening to the birds is a favorite summer pastime and I look forward to it daily.

Miscellaneous Needs for a Bird Bath 
A rock placed in the center of your bird bath will give the birds something to perch on while they drink or bathe. Be sure the water level in your bird bath is never more than two inches deep and never add any chemicals to the water".

Reference:
Morris, Tammy Lee. "Tips for Landscaping and Setting Up Your Bird Bath." Yahoo Contributor Network. Voice.yahoo.com, 19 June 2010. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://voices.yahoo.com/tips-landscaping-setting-bird-bath-6424658.html?cat=6>.

"When most people think about New Orleans homes, they imagine outdoor spaces -- cast iron railings and lush, private courtyards. And those are absolutely magnificent. But, New Orleans interiors are pretty special too.
With the city’s mix of French, Spanish, African, Haitian, and American Low-Country heritage, nothing is really inappropriate. I've even seen crumbling plaster become a decorative element. But, for that quintessential New Orleans style -- whether you prefer an apartment in the French Quarter, a colorful shotgun cottage, or a grand manor in the Garden District -- mix in some of these:

If you don't have that French Quarter balcony with the cast iron railings, you can still enjoy decorative ironwork. Hang a gate or fence section on the wall as art or use it as a headboard. Top a three-sided balcony piece with glass or marble to make a console table".

Reference:
French, Leah. "Get the Look: New Orleans Style." About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales. About.com, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. <http://fleamarket.about.com/od/stylestrends/tp/neworleansstyledecorating.htm>.

"Sometimes fresh, clean water is hard for a bird to find. You can make a bird's day simply by offering a drink and a bath.
Parent birds will often bring their babies to the bath after they fledge and show them where it is. Like the baby robin getting its first bath.
Water will actually attract more species of birds than feeders will. Birds such as wrens, catbirds, and waxwings, who eat insects or fruit, don't visit most feeders.
But a birdbath attracts all kinds of birds. Bluebirds, robins, catbirds, warblers and thrushes. We've even watched screech owls drinking from a birdbath right in town at dawn.

Put your birdbath in your garden, and the birds will find it quickly. We took the photo at left, of bluebirds and cedar waxwings, 15 minutes after we first filled our homemade birdbath. We hollowed out a shallow basin in a section of a pine log. It was so heavy that we had to roll it into place. And it was rough, but it was a major hit with the birds.

It was a hit with us, too. Watching birds at the birdbath brings great happiness to a home. It's one of the easiest ways to bring birds up close, where the whole family can get a really good look and enjoy their beauty.

What kind of birdbath is best?

Shallow
No deeper than three inches at the center. It should be even shallower at the edge, so that a bird can ease its way in. Many birdbaths are way too deep. If you have one that's too deep, you can put rocks in it to raise the bottom. However, it will require you to work a little harder to keep the water clean.

Rough bottomed 
Birds don't want to lose their footing. They don't like a glazed, slippery bottom. Cement is good, but it's heavy and hard to handle. Some of the new fiber-and-resin baths are amazingly lightweight, and they have a rougher texture, that makes birds feel secure.

Drippy or sprinkly
The plink or splash of moving water is pure invitation to birds. It dramatically increases the number of species that visit a birdbath. For example, hummingbirds would never wade into the bath the way a robin does, because hummingbirds bathe only in flight. But I have watched hummers zipping back and forth through the drips, timing their flights so that they catch a water drop on their backs on each pass.

Sun power
There are also baths available now with solar-powered spray features, such as the Solar Spa bath shown at right.
We have one of these at the Birdwatching Dot Com garden, and we love to watch the birds come visit it.
To upgrade a regular birdbath to a moving-water feature, arrange a garden hose so that its water trickles or drips into the bath.

You can turn a still-water birdbath into a live-water bath by putting an inexpensive Water Wiggler in it. This is the same unit that makes the Water Rippling Birdbath work, but it's just the wiggler part. You put it in your own birdbath.

Some people make a 1/2-inch hole in the bottom of a bucket and plug it with a bit of cloth, and suspend the bucket over the birdbath. The dripping water makes plinking sounds that birds can't resist. You can also install a small spray fountain designed for birdbaths. And we've seen a solar spray pump kit that you can add to an existing bath.

Bath AttractionsKindness is a birdbath

Sometimes fresh, clean water is hard for a bird to find. You can make a bird's day simply by offering a drink and a bath.

Parent birds will often bring their babies to the bath after they fledge and show them where it is. Like the baby robin getting its first bath.

Water will actually attract more species of birds than feeders will. Birds such as wrens, catbirds, and waxwings, who eat insects or fruit, don't visit most feeders.

But a birdbath attracts all kinds of birds. Bluebirds, robins, catbirds, warblers and thrushes. We've even watched screech owls drinking from a birdbath right in town at dawn.

Put your birdbath in your garden, and the birds will find it quickly. We took the photo at left, of bluebirds and cedar waxwings, 15 minutes after we first filled our homemade birdbath. We hollowed out a shallow basin in a section of a pine log. It was so heavy that we had to roll it into place. And it was rough, but it was a major hit with the birds.

It was a hit with us, too. Watching birds at the birdbath brings great happiness to a home. It's one of the easiest ways to bring birds up close, where the whole family can get a really good look and enjoy their beauty.

What kind of birdbath is best?

Shallow
No deeper than three inches at the center. It should be even shallower at the edge, so that a bird can ease its way in. Many birdbaths are way too deep. If you have one that's too deep, you can put rocks in it to raise the bottom. However, it will require you to work a little harder to keep the water clean.

Rough bottomed 
Birds don't want to lose their footing. They don't like a glazed, slippery bottom. Cement is good, but it's heavy and hard to handle. Some of the new fiber-and-resin baths are amazingly lightweight, and they have a rougher texture, that makes birds feel secure.

Drippy or sprinkly
The plink or splash of moving water is pure invitation to birds. It dramatically increases the number of species that visit a birdbath. For example, hummingbirds would never wade into the bath the way a robin does, because hummingbirds bathe only in flight. But I have watched hummers zipping back and forth through the drips, timing their flights so that they catch a water drop on their backs on each pass.

Sun power

There are also baths available now with solar-powered spray features, such as the Solar Spa bath shown at right.

We have one of these at the Birdwatching Dot Com garden, and we love to watch the birds come visit it.

To upgrade a regular birdbath to a moving-water feature, arrange a garden hose so that its water trickles or drips into the bath.

You can turn a still-water birdbath into a live-water bath by putting an inexpensive Water Wiggler in it. This is the same unit that makes the Water Rippling Birdbath work, but it's just the wiggler part. You put it in your own birdbath.

Some people make a 1/2-inch hole in the bottom of a bucket and plug it with a bit of cloth, and suspend the bucket over the birdbath. The dripping water makes plinking sounds that birds can't resist. You can also install a small spray fountain designed for birdbaths. And we've seen a solar spray pump kit that you can add to an existing bath.

Where should a birdbath be located?

Not where cats can hide. 
Cats like to lie in wait beneath shrubbery or behind a concealing object and then pounce on the birds when they're wet and can't fly well. So put your birdbath at least five to ten feet from such hiding places. Give the birds a chance to see the cat coming.

With an escape route. 
The ideal location is under some branches that hang down within two or three feet of the bath. A wet bird can flutter a few feet up to the safety of the leaves.

On a pedestal.
It's easy to see from the house, easy to clean, and somewhat safer from predators. If you locate your bath on the ground, it's important for the birds to have overhanging branches.

Within reach of a hose. 
Make your birdbath easy to clean and refill. But locate your birdbath away from your feeding station, because seeds and droppings would soil the water quickly. Change the water every few days, or even every day in hot weather. Dump it out or squirt it out with the hose. I keep a scrub brush outside with my gardening tools, so that I can brush out any algae that begins to form.

In view from a window.

Don't forget to put yourself in the picture. Place the birdbath where you can see it from indoors, from your desk, dining room, or kitchen sink.

Or locate it in your garden. Nothing is more decorative in a garden than a father bluebird bringing his newly-fledged young and introducing them to the birdath.

A bird in the bath is the soul of enjoyment. The sight of it, even a chance glimpse through the window, will provide you too with a splash of happiness".

Reference:
Porter, Diane. "Bath Attractions." Birdbaths, by Diane Porter. Birdwatching.com, 2010. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. <http://www.birdwatching.com/tips/birdbaths.html>.

"Garden fountains range in size and style from palatial to small, quirky units made from flower pots. The landscaping style around your fountain should remain consistent with the fountain style. Regardless of size and style, fountains are meant to be focal points in the garden, so the landscaping design should highlight rather than upstage the fountain. As a general rule, the fountain should always be taller than the surrounding plants, so you must pay attention to mature plant sizes when choosing the plants for your fountain landscape design.
1.) Measure the total fountain height, including any pedestals, then mark a circle with landscaping spray paint with a diameter two to three times the fountain height. Remove the sod layer with a sod cutter and spade, spray the soil with a pre-emergent herbicide, then fill in the circle with pea gravel. Plant a low hedge around the perimeter of the circle, using a short evergreen species, such as elegans boxwood (Buxus sempervirens "Elegantissima").

2.) Fill in a circle that has a diameter two to three times the fountain height with pea gravel. Place four curved, concrete benches in the circle spaced evenly around the fountain and halfway between the fountain and edge of the circle; this landscaping design enhances a formal fountain and requires very little maintenance.


3.) Install a small garden pond beside the fountain to carry the water theme from the fountain to ground level. Surround the fountain and pond with your choice of plants, arranging them in order of descending height so you can clearly see all the plants.


4.) Excavate the soil to a depth of 6 inches around the fountain, pack down 2 inches of gravel and top with 2 inches of level sand. Lay brick pavers over the sand foundation and fill in the cracks with sand to create a patio that highlights the fountain. Substitute used bricks or cobblestones to take the patio from formal to rustic.

5.) Place the fountain in the middle of your lawn and add four separate walkways leading to the path from different directions in your garden. You can simply place flagstones or stepping stones for a casual walkway, remove the sod layer and fill in the path with gravel or install formal brick paver walkways.


6.) Plant a hedge around the fountain that is 2 to 4 feet tall and about 5 feet out from the fountain. Plant a ring of small flowers another 2 feet out from the hedge plants; plant the same species around the hedge, but alternate colors, if desired. Fill in the empty space with a 2- to- 3-inch layer of shredded bark mulch to conceal the soil, prevent erosion and aid in moisture retention.


7.) Build a raised planter about 3 feet tall from concrete pavers, fill the planter with soil and place the fountain in the center. Use the soil around the fountain to plant seasonal annuals; simply pull out the old flowers at the end of the blooming period and replace with new seasonal annuals.

8.) Plant sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) or "Blue Cascade" lobelia (Lobelia erinus "Blue Cascade") densely around the base of a fountain that is set inside a raised bed planter. The sweet alyssum resembles churning water or bubbles around the fountain, while "Blue Cascade" gently cascades down the raised planter and looks like a living extension of the water fountain.


9.) Place large and medium rocks in the ground around the fountain; bury the lower one-third of each rock so they appear as natural features in your garden. Plant small flowers in the open spaces around the rocks or use the large boulders as the backdrop for group plantings. Fill in the empty space with shredded bark mulch or pea gravel mulch.


10.) Plant two or three medium shrubs, such as gardenia (Gardenia spp.), in an arc on opposite sides of the fountain, with each shrub arc covering approximately one-fourth of circumference around the fountain. Plant small flowers on the outside of the medium shrubs. Place three or four flagstones to create a path to the fountain on the two sides between the shrub arcs.
Plant wildflowers such as California poppies in a flower bed around the fountain; this simple landscaping design is low-maintenance and coordinates well with rustic fountains, such as a simple fountain made from a watering can or flower pot.

Tip

• There are limitless ways to landscape around a fountain. If you're unsure of a design that works with your yard, create a scale drawing of the fountain and surrounding area on graph paper and draw the different landscaping features around the fountain until you find a design you like. Alternatively, you can cut and paste pictures from gardening catalogs and magazines to make a colorful representation of the landscape design".

Reference:
Mahoney, Jessica, and Demand Media. "Home Guides." Home Guides. Http://homeguides.sfgate.com, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. <http://homeguides.sfgate.com/landscape-around-garden-fountain-49580.html>.

"There are many benefits to installing garden water fountains in your yard or garden area.  Some of them are as simple as the soothing sound of water, but others are as important as providing an area for pollinating birds to bathe themselves.  There is even the very real justification that it can increase the value of your home while improving the attractiveness of the yard.

With either the sound of a rushing waterfall or a light patter of rain, the sound of water has always been useful in helping people relax.  There are even meditation exercises that require the subject to imagine a still pond of water with a slow drip hitting.  Having a fountain in the yard can provide the relaxation benefits of the sound of running water.

The second benefit of having garden water fountains is that they provide bathing for many types of birds.  People think that having a bird bath is enough. However, the fact is that most bird baths are a single container with standing water.  The water must be changed on a regular basis or it can start to grow many types of bacteria and fungus. This can cause the water to smell and be more of a distraction than a pleasure. Additionally,  the stagnant water can actually harm the birds, causing disease and forcing the birds to find a new place to bathe.

Having a fountain is a great benefit to the wildlife in your yard.  Birds will appreciate the running water and will bathe with more frequency and for longer periods.  This will allow you time to view the birds and enjoy their presence.  It is also great for flowering plants, because the birds will pollinate the plants while in the garden.  This can cause flowering plants to produce more flowers over a longer period of time.

Finally, having garden water fountain can increase in the value of your home.  Water fountains add a peaceful sound to the garden and can even provide decorative accents to your home.  Fountains can be constructed out of a variety of materials to complement the look of the home.  Copper fountains, with their gradual patina of green, provide a European flair to the garden. A fiberglass fountain can be tinted to look like aged granite, providing a slightly medieval flair to an otherwise modern garden setting".

Image Reference:
"CelebrityGardens." Zillow. Zillow.com, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://www.zillow.com/digs/celebrity-gardens/>.

Content Reference:
Admin. "Benefits of Installing Water Garden Fountains." Beckett Pumps. Beckettpumps.com, 18 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://www.beckettpumps.com/index.php/2013/01/18/benefits-of-installing-water-garden-fountains/>.