There are many items to think about once you’ve decided to build a water feature in your yard. The first thing would be what type; bubbling rocks, a waterfall, stream, formal brick fountain or pond?
When selecting the location for your water feature, pay attention to overhead trees that could drop leaves or needles into the water. Also, determine where you will get the most bang for your buck. Are you using this water feature to mask the sounds of a nearby street? Are you making it to hold Koi or other fish? Every time I place a water feature in a design, I try to figure out where it would go that can be seen or used from multiple spots (e.g. view from dining room and sitting on back patio).
Selecting the right type of water feature is a very important step. Decide what type of water feature fits your tastes, your neighborhood or your housing style. If you’re building a formal fountain, use materials that match the facade on the house or compliment the structure or adjacent patio. Bubbling rocks have become very popular in the past 15 years and give a natural appearance, even though having water flow out of the top of boulders isn’t often seen in the real world. Many people chose to install waterfalls in a flat yard by building up the soil in the corner, with mixed results. Try to utilize the topography on your site and it will look much better in the long run.
Talk to your local water feature experts to determine the size of pump you need or calculate them yourself. It’s better to slightly oversize your pump and have control of the water flow with a ball valve. Some pumps require 220v power, so be sure to see what electrical you have available. Like pools, ponds and other water features can be outfitted with filters and skimmers to help keep the water clean. Many Koi ponds we’ve installed utilize UV lights in filter box to keep algae from growing and the water clear. When installing pumps and other equipment, be sure to keep them in the lowest point under water or in soil to protect them from freezing.
Remember to use low-voltage spot lights or underwater lights to really enhance your pond, fountain or waterfall. The view of a water feature at night is quite often the best one. Light reflecting off of the shimmering water will bring people outdoors and utilize your garden more.
Other items I would recommend on any water feature would be an overflow pipe or attachment for a pump to drain the system for maintenance or even the winter. The other addition would be an auto-fill pipe or drip system off your irrigation. There always seems to be evaporation or splash that slowly drains water features during the summer.
As with most things there can be downsides to owning a water feature. First of all, they can harbor insects and attract frogs that might drive you crazy. There is sometimes maintenance that needs to be done to insure a healthy environment (e.g. cleaning filters, removing debris, draining pipes, leaks) for your water feature, so please keep that in mind. Try to make good decisions on where and what to install, then enjoy your water feature for years!