Enclosed Landscape Waterfalls

Serenity for Pools

• Pools benefit from waterfalls sited near the edge. Such features not only add a peaceful burble to pool settings, they offer an extra play place to swimmers. Water can stream from a high rock ledge, or flow from a shallow rock pool next to the larger main pool. Some pools even have an extra “infinite” feature built right next to the side, which allows water to flow off a flat ledge that looks as though it is simply dropping off into a void. By recycling the water already in use in the pool, the water demand is lowered, and the water stays fresh and chlorinated.

Pond Accoutrements

• Many homeowners love the idea of adding waterfall features to ponds, which provides not only the obvious aesthetic benefits, but also helps to aerate pond water for the sake of fish and aquatic plants living in it. If your pond is located at the bottom of a slope, it is a simple matter of running a pipe from the pond up that slope, then building leveled rock formations on top and allowing the water to flow back down into the pond before it is recirculated.

Disappearing Falls

• Disappearing falls are a means of adding water to your garden landscape even if you do not have a preexisting body of water, such as a pond or pool to accent. They operate by installing an underground reservoir, which pipes water up a hill or series of rock ledges and allows it to cascade back down into the reservoir. Sometimes called “pondless waterfalls,” they reduce the costs of a waterfall feature by removing the necessity to install a pond at the same time. They also provide a safer type of water feature for parents of young children, who are concerned about the safety hazards of ponds.

Other Waterfall Types

• Dry waterfalls, sometimes used in Japanese gardens, impart a water-like effect without actually using any liquid. Instead, descending levels of rocks or stones are arranged in such a way as to mimic the movement of water. You can also use large stone blocks of various sizes that, when stacked next to each other, form a cascading waterfall fountain. Such fountains usually have holes drilled through the center of the stones and pipes fitted into them to route water.