10 Water Garden Ideas to Create a Relaxing Retreat Right at Home
The desire to add a water garden to your backyard may simply be for the visual appeal, but you’ll see benefits that go beyond aesthetics. Features like garden ponds, birdbaths, and even fountains can have a transformative effect on your space—from creating a sense of calm to attracting a flock of new wildlife to your yard.
To create a backyard escape that feels like a true sanctuary, don’t settle for just one water feature, but instead find ways to incorporate it into your landscape. Water-loving plants, natural elements, and garden designs built around these features are all ways to highlight their beauty.
Whether you choose a small birdbath or a spacious in-ground pond, these water garden ideas are sure to make a statement in your yard.
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01 Make Your Fountain a Focal Point
As with any room (indoor or outdoor), it helps to have a focal point that will naturally lead revelers to the main destination. Here, an impressive fountain adorns the manicured space. Surrounding yourself with succulents of different colors and types provides a textural base.
02 Let the Sounds Soothe You
One of the benefits of a water feature is the sound that accompanies it. Water urns in the garden, soothing waterfalls or babbling streams will all add to the feeling of an oasis. Here, a series of tubes gently release water from above, creating a water symphony.
03 Go Big
A small pond is great, but there’s no denying the appeal of a larger pond. Depending on the size of the underground water feature, you can stock it with fish, install a fountain, or plant a variety of native water-loving plants to create an oasis that looks like it has always been there.
04 Install a Waterfall (or Two)
The possibilities for creating a waterfall in your backyard are endless. Contemporary designs like this can give your yard an edgy, modern look, while a more natural application using native elements like moss rocks can add charm. The shape fits perfectly with the aesthetics of the garden.
05 Just Add Flowers
Water features and water gardens should not lack flowers. There are many flowers that grow well when planted near a body of water, even varieties such as chrysanthemums that require little water once planted.
Choose the best flowers for your water feature based on climate, soil, sunlight and humidity. A variety of colors will take your water feature to the next level.
06 Create an Outdoor Spa
While pools are certainly the main water feature, you can make the most of your entertainment area by adding waterfalls for a more spa-like effect. Lush greenery and landscape lighting give the home a finished look.
07 Install a Raised Pond
A small raised pond may be all you need to transform your yard or even a private nook into the outdoor oasis of your dreams. Consider adding elements such as river rocks and water-loving plants to give the pond a more natural appearance.
08 Plant Some Water Lilies
Water lilies are not only beautiful to look at and a great way to create a tranquil, natural setting in your backyard pond, but they also provide a landing spot for wildlife. Whether it’s frogs, birds or dragonflies, a small seating area for little garden visitors is never a bad idea.
09 Incorporate Charming Water Features
A small zen garden adds to the charm of the serene waterfall. The gentle sound of splashing water creates an enveloping effect, enveloping the space in silence.
10 Consider a Birdbath
A bird bath doesn’t have to be a large concrete obstruction that requires a crane to install. Even a small, tall saucer can be an ideal landing spot for small birds, butterflies and other small garden birds.