Reasons Why You Need A Water Feature On Your Homestead

Learn what water features you can add to your backyard and the surprising reasons why you need a water feature on your homestead.

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Why Do You Need A Water Feature?

There are so many reasons for having a water feature in your backyard, in some areas it can add value to your home, they add a level of sophistication to a home and the outdoor space that you have. It doesn’t matter if you install a small pond or you add an extravagant fountain with three levels, sophistication comes regardless. And with those neighbors who are always trying too hard why not add a water feature to your yard?

Outdoor water features have some other benefits too which you might find surprising!

Stress Relief

Water can be a great way to relieve stress and I’m not just talking about a pool or a hot tub.  Water is soothing for a lot of people and being in an outdoor space with the sound of trickling water can add that stress relieving element for you, especially if you’re living a busy life juggling work/family/homestead/friends/animals/hobbies and everything else in between.

If you have ever been to Las Vegas or are planning to go, I urge you to watch the water fountain shows.  They caught the attention of so many people (including us!) who did nothing other than watch the water and the lights and enjoy it! It was mesmerizing just how captivated the audience was and they were looking at the water.

Not all water features are giant stone fountains or vast pools of water with timed jets and lights to give a dazzling show like they do at the beautiful Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.  A small water feature on a patio can be a big help to relieve tired and weary minds.

Permaculture

When temperatures climb in the height of summer, water fountains and ponds in the garden can cool your environment and encourage wildlife to the area. Water stabilizes fluctuating temperatures, that’s why if you live on the coast you don’t get a big seasonal shift in temperature like I do in the middle of the country.   

Ponds which are built in a greenhouse, especially geodesic dome greenhouses will act as a heat sink.  This means that they absorb the heat during the day and release the heat throughout the night helping to keep the temperature above freezing in winter which will help you to grow food all year round!

A pond in a permaculture orchard can help stabilize the area to be a little warmer in winter and a cool oasis under the canopy of leaves in summer as well as providing a water source for the fruit trees.  Water features like ponds and lakes can also be productive and a way to grow food in your backyard.  A pond can be stocked with fish and small scale fish farming can work in urban areas especially if you use aquaponic gardening techniques. 

Ponds can also be used to grow vegetables or perennials to eat.  Taro, arrowhead, water lotus, cattails, watercress, water chestnuts and even wild rice will thrive in a pond whilst the wet soil around lakes and in-ground ponds can grow moisture-loving ramps, daylily, fuki, chufa, bamboo and ostrich fern.  If this method of growing your own food interests you then I highly recommend reading Eric Toensmeier’s book Perennial Vegetables to learn more about the perennial vegetable plants you can add to your backyard.

Wildlife

A water feature will bring birds, bees and other pollinating insects to your yard.  I have a small pond which was made from a horse trough and throughout spring, summer and fall it is teeming with bees, butterflies and birds!   

Bees and butterflies will help pollinate your flowering crops like squash, cucumbers, beans, peas, chilies and tomatoes helping you have a bigger harvest.  Birds will help out with pest control by eating crickets, grasshoppers, cutworms and all those other pesky critters munching on your vegetable garden.  If you are able to, consider raising ducks on your pond for eggs and meat.

If you live in the southern states where alligators or snakes are prevalent, a large pond might attract critters like ‘gators and cottonmouths, use extra caution if you live in these areas around lakes and ponds. 

Water Features For All Gardens

No matter the size of your garden, there is a water feature which will work for your space!

Fountain

You can place a water fountain wherever you want in your garden; whether this is on the deck or the patio in the back or you choose to have it in the front yard.  Fountains have always been popular as water features, just take a look at stately homes and manor houses. Fountains can provide an elegance and sophistication that you don’t find with many other water features. You can get bubbling ones, spouting ones and multi-tiered ones that tinkle as they fall.

Garden Pond

Photo by icolorama on Unsplash

Garden ponds are one of the most appealing water features for a large garden. It can help to break up the look of the lawn and it adds some character. You will need to be sure you get the right pump for the volume of water, some pumps for sale may not advertise the size so look carefully. Give your pond life with plants and fish, Koi are a popular choice because they are hardy in cool weather and are easy to find. Your pond will also need a small fence if there are little ones around – for safety! Find out how to build a pond on your homestead right here.

Bird Bath

If you have a little garden space and still want a water feature, think about adding in a bird bath. They can be as elaborate or as simple as you want, and you can give back to the environment by ensuring the birds in your garden can cool off and get a drink of water. It’s a great way to introduce species into your garden that you wouldn’t normally see throughout the year. Bird baths can be stand-alone, or they can be bought to blend in with the environment.  You can even make them from other items you may have laying around.

Water Wall

These water features are rather artistic, and the focal point of these are the vertical wall surfaces that are there to support the flow of water. They’re abstract in their look but they can also be a classic way to showcase a water feature for your garden. The look of the mosaic wall is such that it can be as bold as you want it to be.  You can try making one yourself with friends or family too using recycled materials.

Which water feature will you add to your homestead?

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