There is nothing like sitting back in a favorite chair, closing your eyes, and letting the sound of moving water take you away. Homeowners who live next to rivers, lakes, and the ocean have that luxury naturally. But if you live in a landlocked home, adding a water feature can provide a similar relaxing experience.

The benefits of a water feature

Adding a water feature to your yard sets it apart. Sure, you have a beautiful blooming garden and an amazing patio space in your backyard. But a water feature can take it from good to great. It can be a relaxing addition to help buffer any noise in the neighborhood, and wildlife like birds can enjoy the water.

And don’t worry about wasting water—most water features recycle it through a pump system. You’ll need to perform occasional maintenance on the feature’s pumps, pipes, and drains. But overall, it can be a very hands-off addition to your yard.

Where should you install your water feature?

Where you install your water feature is up to you, but there are some considerations. Think about the size and type of water feature you want to install. Is there a portion of your yard that will be accommodate it? You will likely want to choose a spot that is easily visible from a porch or window. If you want to incorporate plants or flowers in your water feature, make sure the spot you choose gets the right amount of sun.

Types of water features

There are a variety of water features to consider adding to your backyard, including:

Pond

There is nothing like coming home from a long day of work and unwinding next to a pond in your backyard. You can install a pond by excavating a hole and lining it with a flexible liner. Adding a filtration system and a submersible pump keeps the water clean. The design of your pond is almost limitless. Most ponds are designed to blend seamlessly with your yard’s scenery. You can use a variety of landscaping elements such as plants, trees, flowers, ferns, stones, and pebbles to make a pond unique to your home.

Stream

Running water through your garden is like bringing a piece of the wilderness home. Stones guide the running water to a retaining pool, which is then pumped back to the top of the creek. A garden stream does require a good bit of space. This feature may require some of the most intensive work to design, but it is a unique way to help your yard stand out and bring a sense of seclusion to your property.

Waterfall

The sounds of a waterfall offer relaxation overload for your yard. You can tuck a standalone waterfall into a corner of a flowerbed to help your landscaping standout or add a waterfall to another water feature like a pond or stream. There are many choices of materials available at home improvement stores, such as stone, sculptured concreate, or fiberglass, but you could also design your own or work with a contractor to achieve the look you desire.

Fountain

A fountain can be a focal point of your garden or courtyard, as well as a splendid addition to your deck or patio. This elegant feature can meet anyone’s taste: modern or classic, grand or delicate. With the addition of lights, a fountain will command attention at night.

Water wall

Guests in your home will have to take notice of this stunning accent to your yard. This can be a perfect addition for homeowners with limited space, as it can be installed against walls or fences. Water that falls is recycled at the bottom of the waterfall and cycled back to the top, and textures on the wall can alter the sound. Adding lights to your water wall will make it an eye-catching addition from morning to night.

Adding fish to a water feature

Remember: if you add fish like koi to a pond, you need to be prepared to take care of them. You’ll need to provide food—koi will eat plants, so only allow non-toxic plants to your pond like water lilies and water lettuce. Also, the pond will need to be deep enough for the fish to survive in the winter if you live in a colder region. Fish will move to the bottom of the pond when the top of the pond freezes. Finally, make sure a pump or aerator is running throughout the winter to provide oxygen.

Water features can be a great addition to anyone’s yard. By finding the one right for you, the sounds of running water can help you drift away to relaxation.