A pool or fountain will add life to the patio, in more ways than one. Not only is the sound of water reviving, most people find it very soothing, particularly in the evening, but water will attract a range of animal life into the garden such as frogs, toads and newts as well as a host of insects.

Types Of Water Feature
A patio or deck that meets or overhangs a pool looks dramatic. Even a small pool set into the paving or decking brings all the pleasures of a pool in the open garden. Formal, geometric pools work best close to a house. They should ideally be designed around the proportions of the house windows or doors and built with the same type of materials as the house.

Remember that it will be difficult (if not impossible) to excavate for a sunken pool on an existing patio. If you are building your patio from scratch and would like to include a pool, allow for the depth of the water in the height of the patio. Alternatively build a raised pool surrounded by paving, a wooden framework or railway sleepers (ties).

If you favour an expanse of still water, try to site the pool away from trees as leaves will rot and pollute the water. Most surface-growing water plants do best in the sun, but if the pool is purely ornamental a shaded site is permissible, and you can keep the water clear with a chemical cleansing agent. Continued below…

On a large patio a fountain is the ultimate luxury, especially in a hot, dry climate. Cascades can be impressive, but for a really imposing fall of water, a large reservoir and powerful submersible pump are needed. If you have a small pool in a sunny position and would like a fountain, look for one that is solar powered. These are becoming more widely available and more attractive. Some models have separate solar panels, but increasingly they are manufactured with integral panels.

If you have small children most kinds of water features are best avoided altogether until the children are older. It is possible to drown in even the shallowest of water. Installing a bubble fountain can be a good compromise because no deep water is accessible, but remember that the reservoir and pump must be housed below ground level and hidden by cobbles that sit on top of the mesh. Such features involve excavating below the level of the patio, so this must be taken into account during the planning process.

Many styles of ready-made water features are available from garden suppliers, and these are very simple to install. Designs such as a brimming urn or village pump are popular, and if ground space is really restricted, a wall spout that feeds into a basin just below can be delightful. Wall-mounted water features should never be fitted directly to a house wall, and it may be necessary to erect a double wall to house the pipe and pump.

Introducing the electricity needed to power a submersible pump should be considered during the planning stages. Because water and electricity are a lethal combination, seek professional advice about the appropriate switches and cables.