When you think of ponds and other water features, do your thoughts immediately go to the back yard? Or if you do think of front yard water features, do you picture a vast estate with a large flowing fountain at the top of a grand circular driveway?
While those are both lovely settings, it might be time to think differently about your front yard! Even the smallest one can be home to the soothing sight and sound of water.
Here’s why you may want a front yard water feature, and which kind can bring seasons and years of enjoyment.
Why The Front Yard?
If you’re wondering why you’d consider putting a water feature in the front yard in the first place, there are some very good reasons! It’s great for property value and an instant boon for curb appeal. The fact that few people consider it works to your advantage – it will make your home stand out for all the right reasons.
It’s also a great low-maintenance option. Say goodbye to water-hungry grass and gas-spewing mowers and enjoy the self-sustaining quality of a natural ecosystem pond, pondless waterfall or garden bubbler.
Perhaps most importantly, a water feature in your front yard will bring you beauty and joy all year long, whether you’re outdoors or simply enjoying the view from inside.
Ponds
Whatever the size of your yard, you can enjoy the lovely colors, motion and beauty of a pond. If you have limited space, choose a pond as small as six by nine feet, which is perfect for a couple of koi, a bubbling waterfall and plenty of plants and lilies.
Larger spaces can include other options, like running streams, multiple waterfalls, and an even wider array of koi, goldfish and other critters.
Large or small, you can include a couple of Adirondack chairs, a bench for two, or a broad, flat natural stone for seating so you can enjoy your pond up close.
If you’re feeling particularly daring, why not replace most – or even all! – of your lawn with an aquascape? Bring water right up to your doorstep, with bridges and pathways to accommodate foot traffic.
For evening enjoyment, underwater lighting or strategically placed spotlights can create an entirely different ambiance and draw attention to the beauty and motion of your pond.
As an added bonus, a pond will attract other wildlife like butterflies and birds, creating a view you can enjoy through a window even when you’re inside your home.
Garden Bubblers And Fountains
Bubbling water features come in array of sizes, shapes and styles. From tall basalt columns to low-profile globes and traditional bowl-type fountains, you’re bound to find one to suit your space and preferences.
Bubbling water features can be especially advantageous in a front yard if you have trouble spots that get too much shade, where soil is poor and nothing seems to grow. Instead of battling uncooperative elements, choose a natural stone garden surrounding a pot, column, or other type of flowing sculptural fountain.
They can be lit just as beautifully at night so you can enjoy the dance and play of lights on moving water.
Bubblers are also attractive architectural elements in their own right. From bright colors to elegant designs and whimsical shapes, you can enjoy them as décor as you enjoy the water that flows through and around them.
Spill Bowls
Take advantage of any size or type of yard with spill bowls. They’re one of the most versatile water features because they can be chained together to spill along a walkway, down a hill, on a front stoop, beside steps, or just about anywhere.
That makes them ideal not only for trouble spots but for difficult topography like sloping yards. They’re small enough to fit in tight spaces, and flexible enough to be interconnected to flow along larger ones. And they’re lightweight enough that they can be used atop everything from retaining walls to porches.
The “spilling” nature of this water feature means you can create endless custom configurations for a result that is truly unique, offering unrivaled curb appeal. Like ponds and waterfalls, lighting can be included to add depth and dimension to your evening landscape.
Pondless Waterfall
Waterfalls can be incorporated as part of a pond or stream, but they can also be standalone features. They’re ideal in small spaces and just as effective in elevating flat spaces as they are at taking advantage of sloping ones.
Like spill bowls, they’re versatile enough to be placed in a variety of locations. Tuck one beside your front door to welcome you home or to greet guests on their arrival. Transform an unsightly hill that does nothing but suffer runoff into a gorgeous focal point with tiers of running water. Even use it to direct water as part of a rainwater harvesting system.
Surround your waterfall with lush greenery, colorful blooms and natural stone, and remember to add lighting to ensure that you can enjoy your water feature day and night.
Whether you want to improve curb appeal, make better use of a difficult space, or reduce the work and maintenance involved in keeping your space beautiful, a water feature can do that for you, all while improving your view and bringing you the joy of natural beauty all year long.
If any of these ideas inspired you to consider adding a water feature to your front yard, contact us for a consultation. We’ll work with you to design water into your space in a way that suits your style and preferences so you can appreciate the soothing sight and sound of water day and night, season after season.
