The Influence of the Norman Invasion on Anglo-Saxon Garden Design

The Influence of the Norman Invasion on Anglo-Saxon Garden Design The arrival of the Normans in the 2nd half of the eleventh century irreparably improved The Anglo-Saxon lifestyle. At the time of the conquest, the Normans surpassed the Anglo-Saxons in building design and cultivation. But home life, household architecture, and decoration were out of the question until the Normans taken over the rest of the population. Castles were more standard constructions and often constructed on blustery hills, where their tenants spent both time and space to practicing offense and defense, while monasteries were considerable stone buildings, mostly situated in the widest, most fruitful hollows. The bare fortresses did not provide for the peaceful avocation of farming. The purest example of the early Anglo-Norman style of architecture existent today is Berkeley Castle. The keep is said to date from the time of William the Conqueror. A large terrace meant for walking and as a means to stop enemies from mining under the walls runs about the building. On one of these parapets is a picturesque bowling green covered in grass and enclosed by an aged hedge of yew that has been shaped into coarse battlements.

The Origins Of Garden Fountains

The Origins Of Garden Fountains A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to provide drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes.

The main purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. Origins Garden Fountains 45853419.jpg Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to provide them with drinking water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be more elevated and closer to a water source, including aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to benefit from gravity which fed the fountains. Designers thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and celebrate the artist responsible for creating it. Roman fountains often depicted images of animals or heroes made of metal or stone masks. Muslims and Moorish landscaping designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller models of the gardens of paradise. The fountains found in the Gardens of Versailles were intended to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were glorified with baroque style fountains constructed to mark the place of entry 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 decorative. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity enabled fountains to bring recycled water into living spaces as well as create special water effects.

Modern fountains are used to adorn public spaces, honor individuals or events, and enhance recreational and entertainment events.

Eco-Friendly Garden Wall Fountains

Eco-Friendly Garden Wall Fountains Are you looking for that perfect piece to enhance your home? Stop looking! Solar water fountains are the perfect solution - they bring beauty to any home and at the same time add financial value to the property. Solar powered water features can be a better investment versus electric ones because they not only improve one's well-being but they offer other interesting financial perks. While you may spend a bit upfront, the savings that you make in the long-term are worth it. Electrical power deficits will no longer hinder using your fountain since it will run on the energy of the sun.

Constant running water fountains will probably lead to a higher electric bill at the end of the month. Eco-Friendly Garden Wall Fountains 200812687.jpg The short-term perks may not be noticeable, but keep in mind that the increased worth of your home will be later on.

The increased prices resulting from using more electricity is not the only factor, it also damages our eco-system. Solar driven water fountains are a good option to becoming “green”. Using solar energy to run a water feature is not only worthwhile to our environment but it also heats and cools our homes.

Less maintenance is a result of adding this kind of fountain. Since solar fountains don't have motors, they don't get clogged which leads to less cleaning. Which ultimately means more time to chill out in your yard.

Rome’s First Water Transport Systems

Rome’s First Water Transport Systems Prior to 273, when the first elevated aqueduct, Aqua Anio Vetus, was constructed in Rome, residents who lived on hillsides had to travel further down to get their water from natural sources. Outside of these aqueducts and springs, wells and rainwater-collecting cisterns were the only technological innovations around at the time to supply water to areas of higher elevation. To deliver water to Pincian Hill in the early sixteenth century, they applied the new tactic of redirecting the circulation from the Acqua Vergine aqueduct’s underground network. During its original construction, pozzi (or manholes) were added at set intervals alongside the aqueduct’s channel. Though they were initially planned to make it possible to service the aqueduct, Cardinal Marcello Crescenzi started using the manholes to gather water from the channel, starting when he bought the property in 1543. Despite the fact that the cardinal also had a cistern to amass rainwater, it didn’t produce enough water. By using an orifice to the aqueduct that flowed underneath his property, he was able to satisfy his water needs.

The Earliest Water Features

The Earliest Water Features The water from springs and other sources was initially delivered to the citizens of nearby communities and cities via water fountains, whose design was primarily practical, not aesthetic. A supply of water higher in elevation than the fountain was needed to pressurize the flow and send water squirting from the fountain's spout, a system without equal until the later part of the nineteenth century. Fountains throughout history have been developed as monuments, impressing hometown citizens and travelers alike. If you saw the first fountains, you would not identify them as fountains. Simple stone basins created from local rock were the very first fountains, used for religious purposes and drinking water. The initial stone basins are believed to be from about 2000 BC. The spray of water appearing from small jets was pressured by gravity, the sole power source builders had in those days. Situated near aqueducts or creeks, the functional public water fountains provided the local populace with fresh drinking water. The people of Rome began building elaborate fountains in 6 BC, most of which were metallic or natural stone masks of wildlife and mythological characters. Water for the public fountains of Rome arrived to the city via a intricate system of water aqueducts.