Since the Covid-19 Pandemic, Americans have been spending an average of 14 hours a week outside. This is 3 hours more every week than before the pandemic hit.
Creating a welcoming outdoor space can make your life much more enjoyable. Water features make a great addition to any backyard, but you don't want to overdo things. There are plenty of different water features you can choose from, but you may need some help deciding what to go for.
In this guide, we'll go over some popular water features and discuss the pros and cons of each. Keep reading for more.
Natural Ponds
These are one of the best options if you want to give your backyard a more natural feel. There's plenty of design flexibility so you can design a pond in almost any size, shape, or style you want.
On the downside, the liners can rip, so you may need to repair yours if this happens. Depending on your yard as it is right now, the excavation work could be quite extensive.
Waterfalls
Waterfalls are one of the most beautiful water features available and offer great design flexibility. They serve very well as conversation starters, and you can even add things like LED lighting for improved aesthetics.
If you have children, they can present some risk, so you'll need to monitor them. Waterfalls can attract wildlife, which you may not want. They also need to be properly maintained, and this can be a bit on the expensive side.
Water Fountains
Like a waterfall, a water fountain offers a lot of design flexibility and can be one of the best additions to a backyard in terms of aesthetics. With the wide design range available, the prices also vary a lot, so there's an option for everyone.
It's worth noting that if you want something more complex, the price can be quite high. They also tend to require a lot of maintenance.
Pools
For many people, this is the obvious choice. Aside from the appearance, it's the best water feature functionally.
You can use a pool to relax, entertain guests, or exercise. You can even add additional features to a pool to make it more interesting.
This might not be viable for everyone, as you need to have a large enough backyard to facilitate a pool. They're also more expensive than smaller water features and require a lot of routine maintenance.
Bird Baths
Bird baths are another very popular choice as they work well in any environment. They're small, so you don't need much space and are relatively affordable. They're also easy to maintain and will attract birds to your backyard.
These need to be cleaned from time to time to prevent the growth of algae and other life. Fortunately, this tends to be quite easy.
The Best Water Features for Your Yard
If you're looking at different water features, you need to think about what will work best for you. Consider what you want, how much space you have, and how much you're willing to spend.
Scott's Landscaping is a professional landscape construction and lawn maintenance company. We can design and install a range of water features, and even help maintain them if needed. Take a look at our Services page to find out more about what we do.
