Birdbaths and fountains provide the finishing touches to your garden, the final details that put charisma into the composition. As well as being ecologically sound, allowing not just birds but many other wild creatures to drink, birdbaths act as pretty focal points, drawing the eye in a particular direction.
Shapes and styles of birdbath vary enormously, from a basic wooden bowl set on the edge of a raised bed or wall to elaborate affairs cast in metal or hewn from stone. I believe that in all areas of design the simplest things work best and any feature should take its style from the area that surrounds it. The simplest birdbath might be a crevice set within a large rock, exactly right in an informal setting. The most complicated could be an ornate pattern in wrought-iron, perfectly at home in the formal setting of a crisp town garden while still fulfilling its function of attracting the local birdlife.
Birdbaths should be shallow and with gently sloping sides. If you or your neighbours have cats, then the birdbath should be set high enough to discourage cats from disturbing the birds. It is a good idea to line the bottom with coarse sand or gravel so that birds can get a foothold.
Fountains can be spectacular or simple, but should again suit the overall garden pattern. A huge jet needs to be in a huge pond some distance from the house or viewing point, whereas a small fountain will do much the same visual job closer to home. The height at which the jet is set will also play a part. If it spouts from the top of a bowl at eye-level, much of the effect will be lost when sitting down. This would be a composition to be viewed when walking, perhaps in a front garden on the way to the main entrance. Similarly a bubble jet, just breaking the surface of the water, will be most effective when sitting. Think about height, position and sound right at the beginning of the planning stages. It will certainly pay great dividends later on, when the fountain will be all the more appreciated if it can be seen to best advantage.
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