The Many Styles of Wall Fountains

The two kinds of water features available to you are mounted and freestanding models. Mounted wall fountains are little and self-contained variations which can be displayed on a wall. Typically made of resin (to look like stone) or fiber glass, these types of fountains are lightweight and easy to hang. In large stand-alone fountains, otherwise referred to as wall fountains, the basin is set on the ground with the smooth side positioned against a wall. There are no weight constraints on these sorts of cast stone water features.

Landscape designers often recommend a custom-built fountain for a brand new or existing wall. A skilled mason is necessary to place the water basin against the wall and properly install all the plumbing inside or behind the wall. The wall will need to have a spout or fountain mask incorporated into it. A custom-built wall fountain blends into the landscape instead of standing out because it was a later addition, which adds to a cohesive appearance.

The Genesis Of Wall Fountains

The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly practical. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to supply them with potable water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Used until the nineteenth century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their source of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from gravity. Designers thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to supply clean water and honor the designer responsible for creating it. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times used by Romans to decorate their fountains. To depict the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his dominion over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were extolled with baroque style fountains built to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.

Since indoor plumbing became the norm of the day for fresh, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely ornamental. The introduction of special water effects and the recycling of water were two things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.

These days, fountains adorn public areas and are used to pay tribute to individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.