Decorative Features 101 Chapter 2
Basic Types
Let’s agree, for the purpose of discussion, that we will be talking about self-contained features that recirculate water from a closed basin over, around or through a decorative, sculptural or natural piece of art. The shapes, sizes and number of decorative items that can be plumbed are virtually limitless, but the water is always reused and returned to feed a pump in the basin. Let’s examine some popular types of Decorative Water Features.
Formal Spillway Feature, Stainless Steel Scupper
Trickle Walls and Sheer Descents
Distinguished mainly by the amount of water flowing over the wall that houses them, these features all share two components in addition to the pump and basin that feed them. All have some sort of tank or manifold that modulates and evenly distributes water over an overflowing lip or spillway down onto or in front of the wall that supports them and conceals the plumbing. These hardscape enhancers are especially popular in the engineered stone walls made by Paver Manufacturers, who produce a wide range of block wall material usually matched to companion patio stone. Lighted, colored sheers of water springing from the wall and disappearing into hidden basins uniquely highlight the outdoor living area. The glowing water, the musical sound of the falls and the interplay of shadows at night make these one of the most popular types of self-contained decorative water features for the hardscape.
Overflowing Pottery
These features evolved from the stone fountains of years past, where large open basins often contained decorative bowls and sculptural elements. The modern version usually hides the basin underground, under a porous landscape mulch or gravel, to foster the theatrical illusion that the water overflowing from the top of a vase or urn bubbles up and disappears like magic at the foot of the piece. These features can actually be set almost anywhere, in the hardscape or the landscape, indoors or out, above or below grade. A hole in the bottom of the pottery piece accepts the plumbing needed to convey water to the top of the piece, and the strong plastic basin the item sits on houses pump, valves, even automatic filling devices, making these features truly low maintenance. Available in many shapes, sizes and weight bearing capacities, these Fountain Basins will accommodate an almost infinite variety of vases and urns. Make sure to choose one that handles both the weight and the splash of your pottery, with an ample capacity to avoid the need for frequent refilling.
Fountain Feature
Bubbling Boulder or Stone Column
A popular variation of the same type of Decorative Water Feature as Overflowing Pottery, Bubbling Boulders and Stone Columns add a natural touch to the outdoor living environment. The decorative stone is drilled through to accept the flow from the pump in the basin, which bubbles out the top and down the sides, back into the basin. The sheer weight of these features makes the strength and rigidity of the basin of paramount importance, not just to support the stone, but especially to ensure its stability, as these pieces, especially the Basalt Columns so often used, can be tall enough to make stability critical.
Fountain Feature
Statuary
If your tastes run to more classical styles, Fountain Basins are especially well-adapted to Statuary and more formal decorative items such as fountains and birdbaths, whose main drawback in both landscape and hardscape applications has always been miniscule reservoir capacity. Plumbed above a Fountain Basin, statuary, birdbaths and fountains can now draw from the capacious reserves of the Fountain Basin, which, when fitted with an Automatic Fill Valve, will never run dry. Any item that that can be drilled or fabricated with a hole in the bottom can be set on a Fountain Basin, even pieces like tiered fountains and birdbaths which were not originally designed to overflow. With the addition of a single small hole the piece can be repurposed and revived to perpetually flow. Once again, make sure to choose the Fountain Basin that fits your decorative item’s weight and splash requirements.
Larger or Multiple Pieces
What if the piece you’re plumbing exceeds the capacity of the basins that are available? Or you want to plumb more features than any single basin could accommodate, all on the same reservoir?
Larger Fountain Features
There is an easy way to accommodate any size or number of Decorative Water Features on a single reservoir, when the reservoir is made up of Water Matrices. Water Matrix blocks resemble closed milk crates only in the most superficial way. Originally designed to capture the runoff from parking lots constructed directly above them, Water Matrix blocks can easily support the weight of decorative features set directly on top of them, as long as the weight is properly distributed over the vertical, weight bearing walls of the matrix blocks. The reservoir itself can be designed to fit any space or size requirement simply by arranging the blocks to suit in a hole lined with an impermeable liner. The right system can accommodate any number of decorative features over any size or shape reservoir, for limitless applications in the landscape.
Let’s agree, for the purpose of discussion, that we will be talking about self-contained features that recirculate water from a closed basin over, around or through a decorative, sculptural or natural piece of art. The shapes, sizes and number of decorative items that can be plumbed are virtually limitless, but the water is always reused and returned to feed a pump in the basin. Let’s examine some popular types of Decorative Water Features.
Formal Spillway Feature, Stainless Steel Scupper
Trickle Walls and Sheer Descents
Distinguished mainly by the amount of water flowing over the wall that houses them, these features all share two components in addition to the pump and basin that feed them. All have some sort of tank or manifold that modulates and evenly distributes water over an overflowing lip or spillway down onto or in front of the wall that supports them and conceals the plumbing. These hardscape enhancers are especially popular in the engineered stone walls made by Paver Manufacturers, who produce a wide range of block wall material usually matched to companion patio stone. Lighted, colored sheers of water springing from the wall and disappearing into hidden basins uniquely highlight the outdoor living area. The glowing water, the musical sound of the falls and the interplay of shadows at night make these one of the most popular types of self-contained decorative water features for the hardscape.
Overflowing Pottery
These features evolved from the stone fountains of years past, where large open basins often contained decorative bowls and sculptural elements. The modern version usually hides the basin underground, under a porous landscape mulch or gravel, to foster the theatrical illusion that the water overflowing from the top of a vase or urn bubbles up and disappears like magic at the foot of the piece. These features can actually be set almost anywhere, in the hardscape or the landscape, indoors or out, above or below grade. A hole in the bottom of the pottery piece accepts the plumbing needed to convey water to the top of the piece, and the strong plastic basin the item sits on houses pump, valves, even automatic filling devices, making these features truly low maintenance. Available in many shapes, sizes and weight bearing capacities, these Fountain Basins will accommodate an almost infinite variety of vases and urns. Make sure to choose one that handles both the weight and the splash of your pottery, with an ample capacity to avoid the need for frequent refilling.
Fountain Feature
Bubbling Boulder or Stone Column
A popular variation of the same type of Decorative Water Feature as Overflowing Pottery, Bubbling Boulders and Stone Columns add a natural touch to the outdoor living environment. The decorative stone is drilled through to accept the flow from the pump in the basin, which bubbles out the top and down the sides, back into the basin. The sheer weight of these features makes the strength and rigidity of the basin of paramount importance, not just to support the stone, but especially to ensure its stability, as these pieces, especially the Basalt Columns so often used, can be tall enough to make stability critical.
Fountain Feature
Statuary
If your tastes run to more classical styles, Fountain Basins are especially well-adapted to Statuary and more formal decorative items such as fountains and birdbaths, whose main drawback in both landscape and hardscape applications has always been miniscule reservoir capacity. Plumbed above a Fountain Basin, statuary, birdbaths and fountains can now draw from the capacious reserves of the Fountain Basin, which, when fitted with an Automatic Fill Valve, will never run dry. Any item that that can be drilled or fabricated with a hole in the bottom can be set on a Fountain Basin, even pieces like tiered fountains and birdbaths which were not originally designed to overflow. With the addition of a single small hole the piece can be repurposed and revived to perpetually flow. Once again, make sure to choose the Fountain Basin that fits your decorative item’s weight and splash requirements.
Larger or Multiple Pieces
What if the piece you’re plumbing exceeds the capacity of the basins that are available? Or you want to plumb more features than any single basin could accommodate, all on the same reservoir?
Larger Fountain Features
There is an easy way to accommodate any size or number of Decorative Water Features on a single reservoir, when the reservoir is made up of Water Matrices. Water Matrix blocks resemble closed milk crates only in the most superficial way. Originally designed to capture the runoff from parking lots constructed directly above them, Water Matrix blocks can easily support the weight of decorative features set directly on top of them, as long as the weight is properly distributed over the vertical, weight bearing walls of the matrix blocks. The reservoir itself can be designed to fit any space or size requirement simply by arranging the blocks to suit in a hole lined with an impermeable liner. The right system can accommodate any number of decorative features over any size or shape reservoir, for limitless applications in the landscape.
