Firstly, be open-minded when it comes to the style of your fountain. As you’ll see from some of the garden water feature ideas in this list, very modern features can look incredibly striking in an otherwise traditional garden, next to a historic home. It’s harder to blend more old-fashioned styles in with an otherwise contemporary space, but it can work.

Finally, what kind of safety features will your fountain need? If you have pets or small children this is particularly important – look for enclosed designs that don’t have large open water elements (or find a way to cover it with a net). The resin construction makes it much more durable than bamboo, especially when exposed to the elements. If you’ll put the water feature indoors, you can get one with a plug. You’ll need to locate the water feature near an outlet. Find a good-looking bowl. Most water features will work with a bowl of any size but it has to be large enough to hold enough water to submerge the pump. Porcelain or ceramic bowls look really nice and make a relaxing sound when water hits them. A steel or iron decorative bowl also works great. The resin is shaped and decorated to resemble real bamboo. You usually can’t tell the difference just by looking.Bamboo water features come with a small submersible pump that pushes water in the bowl through tubing into the bamboo and out of the spouts. Made from polyresin which is frost resistant, as the feature is fully self-contained, no plumbing or special skills are required. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, a pump and cable are included. Large Bamboo Fountain Features: The other end of the spout is up to you: you can run the tube straight out of the end or drop it out nearer the top. Try pencilling it out before committing to putting the spout in the ground - you'll be annoyed if you decide to dig it out to cut it differently! If you've seen a film that's either culturally Japanese (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) or wishes it was (Kill Bill), you might have seen or heard one of these water features. A shishi-odoshi (called a sōzu when a water feature), or 'deer scarer', is the bamboo thing that goes donk, an occasional noise-maker previously designed to spook animals from your garden. Nowadays, they're used to add an oriental flair to gardens across the world. And scare pigeons.

Aesthetic appeal: Select a design that resonates with your personal taste and complements your overall outdoor aesthetic. There are a few different styles to choose from in our round-up. There are so many types of water features, but we’ve loosely categorised them into two variations: structural garden features (typically with man-made elements), and natural-looking water features. Let’s take a look at some structural water feature designs that will add interest and style to any size of garden. Bubble fountains

The cascade of water creates a nice relaxing sound effect. If you don’t want a fountain where water falls into a bowl of water – like the Bamboo Accents one above – The Design Toscano fountain is a good alternative. Unless you’re very fortunate, if you want a stream or creek in your garden, you’ll have to build it yourself. That won’t affect the final result though, which is complete serenity. For your stream to have a current you’ll need some way of circulating the water, but even that can be aesthetically pleasing (as this photo shows). Some water features are simple to install and can be set up. However, more complex installations may require professional help. Be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions and consult with a professional if needed. What type of water should I use in my water feature? A bamboo water feature simply elevates your outdoor design. It knits visual and auditory elements together in a harmonious blend, making time in the garden all the more appealing. What are the downsides to bamboo fountains? Ponds are a well-loved garden staple. They can really help you appreciate all of the life in your garden, thanks to the various flora and fauna that they attract and sustain, like dragonflies. You can enjoy ponds as a still body of water, but adding a fountain or other flowing water feature to a pond creates a much more pleasant ambience (and can reduce the amount of maintenance needed, too).