In reconstituted stone or cast iron, with or without a basin, wall-mounted or free-standing, closed circuit or connected to the network, garden fountains come in various styles, materials and operating modes. We help you make your choice.
What type of fountain for your garden?
Your future fountain must be adapted to the size of your garden, the planned location or its future use. Different models are offered:
Wall fountains:
equipped with a decorative pediment, they are generally placed against a wall, placed on the ground or fixed high up for the smaller ones. They can be equipped with a basin (or basin) or just a drainage slab when placed on the ground;
Terminal fountains:
with or without a water outlet, they are equipped with a tap. Taking up little space, they can be placed anywhere in the garden (subject to a connection to the network), if possible in a place where a water point would be useful (to fill the watering can, wash the hands, etc.);
Basin fountains:
very decorative, they also serve as a water trough for garden birds. There are water jet and/or cascade (overflow) models. Attracting the eye, they occupy a central place in the garden;
Cascade or trickling fountains:
purely decorative, we like to listen to the soothing sound made by the falling water. They are favorites in Zen gardens.
The choice of material for the garden fountain
A garden fountain is an outdoor fountain and must therefore withstand repeated bad weather. Copyright (c) 2017 B Brown/Shutterstock. No use without permission.
A garden fountain is
an outdoor fountain.
In order for it to last over time without deteriorating and losing its aesthetic benefits, it must be able to withstand repeated bad weather, temperature variations as well as UV rays from the sun. The choice of materials is therefore important. The two great classics are:
Reconstituted stone:
which, in addition to its resistance, is lighter and less expensive than cut stone, with the advantage of being available in various colors and natural textures (wood look, stone, slate, etc.) ;
Cast iron:
we appreciate the old side that it brings to the object, but which can just as easily take on a more contemporary look.
But we also find more and more fountains made of stainless steel or steel. Easy to work with, metal allows you to obtain varied shapes with a designer appearance, particularly attractive for refined, contemporary or Zen gardens. These fountains also have the advantage of being easy to maintain:
Synthetic fountains:
made of polyethylene, resins or polyresin, these garden fountains are also becoming more and more popular. Light (and therefore easy to move), they take any shape you want to give them, perfectly imitating stone and wood. On the other hand, they age less well than metal or stone fountains:
Concrete fountains:
particularly robust and highly durable, these modern fountains are very aesthetic. A variation: fiber-reinforced concrete (glass-reinforced), lighter than traditional concrete.
The wooden garden fountain: a good idea?
For a rustic and natural style,
wood is ideal.
Unfortunately, wooden fountains are quite difficult to find. These are generally barrels, or assemblies of barrels, which cover plastic basins. Wooden fountains are modest in size because they only support small quantities of water (ideal for a terrace) and, although having undergone a treatment to make the wood water-repellent (to be renewed), their lifespan is nevertheless limited.
A closed cycle or open circuit garden fountain?
There are two types of operation for a fountain:
An open circuit fountain:
which is connected to a water supply. It is equipped with a tap and can be used, among other things, to connect a hose. Wall or terminal fountains can be open circuit;
A closed circuit fountain:
which uses a pump to rotate the water contained in a tank. To do this, you need a source of energy (solar or electrical connection).