environment

Water features can be a fantastic addition to any garden in order to enhance the general look feel, however they are also widely used across the globe to enhance much larger areas to create a visual spectacle where people are genuinely excited about the feature and will travel hundreds if not thousands of miles to see. 

Plans are currently under way in Dubai where they plan on building the worlds largest water fountain. The fountains, will be built in order to produce a remarkable spectacle where the water will shoot over 150 metres into the air and stretch over 275 metres. Estimated cost for this sensational project will be around $218 million. Spending such a large amount of money to build such a feature that is 25 percent larger than the iconic fountains at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas actually has its perks. The Fountains will include an integral light and sound show and will certainly become one of Dubai's major tourist attractions drawing in well over 10 millions visitors every year. One thing for sure, this water feature is going to need some very large fountain pumps. 

Dubai really seems like a brilliant place to visit and spot some truly remarkable water features. Even while you are out shopping at the Dubai Mall there is a stunning water fountain inside the shopping center. The Waterfall comprises two cylindrical structures, 30 metres in diameter and 24 metres high, with an overhead reservoir feeding the recycled water. Well-lit in the night and reflecting sunlight by day. A choice of coffee shops and retail kiosks overlook The Waterfall, giving visitors a relaxing ambience to meet. Several palm trees are also set up to replicate the ambience of a desert oasis, and various in-mall activities will be held around The Waterfall to sustain visitor interest.

There is a stunning water feature that is a must see for anyone who plans a trip top Dubai, situated under the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. The dancing fountains run daily every 30 minutes from 7pm and are set on a 30 acre manmade lake. Illuminated by 6,600 lights and 25 coloured projectors, it is 275 m (902 ft) long and shoots water 150 m (490 ft) into the air (equivalent to a 50-story building), accompanied by a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and world music. It cost over £180 million to build! 

UK Water Features has a huge range of garden summer essentials ranging from garden lighting, garden buildings, bbq's and water features. 

As the summer starts to fade away and we move swiftly into the fall season we start getting less daylight we also start getting cooler evenings. Yet the fall weather we are still keen on spending as much time outdoors as possible we tend to stay closer to the comfort of our homes. Even in the the UK it is possible to enjoy the cooler nights on a fall evening by sitting out side on your deck or patio area. A key point to remember during this time is to be able to keep enjoying your gardens you should begin to  put your potted plants and flowers close to your patio are and bring the lighting closer. Sitting outside during the fall season is quite popular so if you have solar garden lights bring them closer into your patio or sitting area this way you will be able to benefit from outdoor lighting. 

If throughout the summer you invested in a birdbath for your garden then the fall season is a perfect time for you to embrace the sight and sounds of your feathered friends enjoying their new bird baths as the birds are preparing for the winter season. Enhance your water falls or water fountains  in your garden by simply adding a solar spotlight under it to bring the feature to life at night. You will be surprised how relaxing it can be sitting in your garden during the fall season. We all know that the temperatures will drop during the fall season so if you are planning on sitting outdoor then it may be wise to invest in a small patio heater or garden firepit to keep you toasty while you sit back and relax. Many of the patio heaters that are on sale are now eco-friendly and are available as ether gas or electric.

A quick note, towards the end of fall and when winter does draw closer be sure to remove any motorised parts from your bird baths or water falls so as not to damage them by any frost or below freezing weather if you are not using a heating system in them. A full guide on how to prepare your water features for the winter season will be posted close to the time. In the mean time, sit back and enjoy the rest of the summer in your gardens and take pleasure from all the hard work that you have put in over the season. 

With the advancements in technology you can now enjoy the relaxing ambiance of a water feature in your very own back garden completely hassle free. Solar water features are a great way for you to enhance the general look and feel of your garden without having to worry about installation or wires.

How do solar powered water features actually work?

The word 'solar' means something that feeds on the energy from the sun, so in the terms that we are discussing here the water features are powered by the sun.

The diagram below demonstrates how the sun can power general appliances. What happens is that the sun hits what we call a solar panel which will store and transfer the energy from the sun to your appliances, or in our case our water features.

By using the sun as an energy source for your water features this essentially means free energy to you. You will be able to power your waterfeatures completely free of charge. Sounds good, but what is the catch? you ask. Well there really isn't one. It is a fantastic advancement in technology that is certainly catching around the world. From powering small appliances such as a fan in your home to larger objects like your entire home or office building to even powering airplanes and boats. As time goes by the technology advances as does the demand for this increasing popular, solar power.

Garden water features are certainly not a thing of the past; there is still a massive demand however there are now thousands of beautiful designs available as solar powered garden features. Perfect for the environmentally friendly consumers who wish to reduce their carbon footprint.

Installing a solar powered water feature in your garden is as simple as 1, 2, and 3.

1. Open your new water feature from its packaging and remove all protective wrapping

2. Place your water feature in an area of your garden that you know receives a good portion of daylight (it is not recommended to place your solar water feature in a completely shaded area of your garden)

3. Fill with water, and enjoy!

Here are some beautiful examples:

UK Water Features has a huge selection of water features, garden ornaments, garden furniture, garden lights, aggregates and BBQ's please feel free to stop by our online store.

If you are like most people you probably love the idea of sitting on your patio or deck throughout the day enjoying the lovely weather. However when the sun drops below the horizon the temerpature at this time of year can drop to less than desireable. Outdoor patio heaters are a great little addition to your garden that will take away that brisk chill in the air alowing you to enjoy the outdoors long into the night. Patio heaters come in espescially hand when you are entertaining guests. BBQ's are a certainly big at this time of year, and sometimes it is just not convinent to have them in the middle of the afternoon or maybe the party is still in full flow after the BBQ and your guests are still having a good time. However the sun has gone down and it is a little cooler now. Switching on your patio heater will keep you and your guests warm so you can stay outdoors longer into the night.  

In chillier parts of the United Kingdom, swimming pool and patio parties are more of a seasonal thing. But with a good heater, you can enjoy your patio late into the year. For those of us who are conscious of the impact we all have on the environment, you can now purchase eco friendly patio heaters. They emit no co2 or other harmful emissions, they are designed to last up to five thousand hours, and they are based on a carbon fibre heating system.

Some of the cool things about these heaters are the extra gadgets that you can get with them. Some come with built in TV screens or high powered lights. Remote controls make them easy to turn on and off, and of course, if you set them with your houses electrical timer, you can focus on your party without worrying about remembering to turn them on when things start to cool off or get dark. This simple addition your garden makes it a worthy addition to your property, whether you like to grill out or just chill on your deck or patio. 

Creating a wetland area in your garden is a brilliant solution to dealing with waterlogged soil. Instead of abandoning these boggy areas of your garden, plant a wetland are and enjoy the many beautifully coloured birds and butterflies that it attracts. Many plants thrive in wetland conditions, including grasses, hostas, marsh marigolds, petunias, irises and lillies. It is advisable to use a diverse selection of plants in order to attract the widest variety of wildlife to your wetland garden. So long as the plants have similar flooding needs they may be planted together in a wetland area.

If you desire a wetland garden but have no naturally boggy areas, you can create such a garden by digging a wide, sloping, shallow hole and lining it with a pond liner, alternatively use a preformed pond. Punch holes in the plastic to prevent stagnation, and then refill with the dirt removed when you dug the hole. Saturate the dirt with water and maintain saturation by using soaking hoses. You may then plant your wetland garden as you wish, using plants with similar flooding requirements.

It is also possible to maintain a wetland garden without constant flooding if you select plants such as cardinal flower, bulrushes, jewelweed, as these plants require alternating wet and dry periods to thrive. In summary, a wetland area is a simple and lovely addition to any garden.

UK Water features offer a range of pond pumps, liners and accessories

If you are trying to create a serene and tranquil area in your garden but are short on time, a self contained water feature is the ideal choice. Creating a peaceful spot by locating a self contained water feature in your garden takes only minutes. Gone are the days when you needed an engineering degree and an endless supply of free time to create a water feature in your garden. Simply choose your desired location, level the ground, place the water feature on the spot and fill with water. The beauty of these self contained water features is that require little maintenance once they have been set up. Simply treat your water feature for algae and limescale as needed using commercially available products.

If you do not have a garden, you can place a self contained water feature on your patio or even inside of your home. Self contained water features come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes including statues, above ground ponds, and free standing waterfalls. Solar powered self contained water features are easy to obtain and provide for a water feature that not only sets up in minutes but that costs nothing to operate. Such water features often possess battery backup for those bleak days when solar power is not practical.

In summary, a self contained water feature sets up in minutes, costs nothing to run if it is solar powered, and requires little ongoing maintenance. It is a quick and simple way to create a lovely spot in your garden.

For a massive range of water features in the UK, then visit our shop pages!

People have put bird baths in their yard to attract birds for a century. A small pond in a garden or a back yard can attract other forms of wildlife. Some people decide to put up pre formed ponds to keep fish, but it is not necessary to put fish in a pond to attract water life.

Putting a water feature in a back yard takes a little work. The process starts with a shovel and digging a hole. A garden supply store can supply the necessary lining. A water feature, unlike a pool, does not need to be dug deep into the ground. The process of filling a water feature can take a while. When the pond fills, the next step of the process is putting in plants and occasionally necessary microbes to make the pond as natural as possible.

A pond in a backyard does not attract the larger types of wildlife. Squirrels, birds, and frogs will come on their own. The owner of the pond must keep away from the water feature in order to watch wildlife come to the pond. Wild animals do not like to come too close to people. The pond may also attract stray dogs and cats. The pond owner cannot stop the pond from attracting local domesticated animals. A fenced in yard may prevent some dogs and cats from using the new feature in your garden.

UK Water Features are the leading supplier of garden products, aggregrates, garden buildings and much more.

Many people enjoy the exercise and fresh air that an outdoor garden affords. And the rewards for such efforts are the peaceful greens of foliage and the myriad pleasing colours of flowers. But whether you have acres of garden or a tiny cottage patch of flowers, there are always those pesky weeds with which to contend. Rock aggregates are the perfect way to keep weeds down and accent your favourite garden plants at the same time.

While there are many types of mulches available on the market, rock aggregates are becoming more and more popular with gardeners these days. Small stones, pebbles, gravel for walkways and larger stones are available, as well, for accent pieces in and around the garden pond. Every colour of rock is available to enhance the colour of the plants you have chosen for your plantings. Rock aggregates can also be used as paving stones as edging for flower beds or as paving stones for pathways. And crushed rock and crushed glass of many colours will add a touch of class to your outdoor garden scheme. Unlike mulch, rock aggregate materials do not need to be replaced as often, and do not biodegrade as quickly as mulch.

Nothing beats rock aggregate for a low maintenance garden as a mulch, path or basis for a garden pond.

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Stainless steel is a practical and beautiful material for garden water features. It is durable, easy to clean, and resists algae growth. Stainless steel is much easier to clean than traditional concrete, which both algae and moss tend to grow on. It is so much more enjoyable to spend countless hours walking in your garden viewing stainless steel water features than it is to spend all your time cleaning stone and concrete water features with brushes.

The beauty of stainless steel is in its reflective shimmering quality which is brought out by the shimmering water flowing over its surface. Wet stainless sparkles in the sun, and reflects the shapes and colours around it, with a glorious brightness and lustre. Stainless steel water features can be exceptionally beautiful, in a contemporary garden.

Stainless water features comes in a variety of finishes, styles and sizes. Orbs and cylinders are very popular forms, but there are also basins with spray founts, series of bowls and basins, and even cubes. Freeform modern stainless sculptures are an attractive alternative as well.

Some stainless steel water features can be placed in small ponds while others are free standing and self contained. Stainless Steel water features can be placed in stainless steel reservoirs and pebble grids, to help keep your garden clean and tidy. When the garden is not in use, stainless steel water feature pumps can be shut off by remote control, to avoid wasting power.

There are certain things that take an outdoor space up to the next level, and a water feature is definitely one of them.

Landscaping companies are more than aware of the perks of a water feature and charge a small fortune for their services. However, it's more than possible for a handy homeowner to build their own bespoke water feature themselves for a fraction of the price.

There are a variety of kits available locally and online, but it's also possible to build a water feature with little more than a basic pump and some other simple supplies.

A water feature consists of a water tight base to hold the water, a pump and hoses for movement and circulation, and rocks, a sculpture or shells for the water to flow over.

Select an optimal spot in the garden. Dig out a bed for the water tight container. Line the hole with liner and insert the container. It should be snug. Arrange the rocks and tubing throughout, creating a pleasing structure. Silicone caulking works well to secure the tubing. When caulking is dry, submerge the pump and hook up the tubing. You now have your own bespoke water feature.

Choose decorative rocks or a sculpture that appeals to you and you will create a work of art that is uniquely yours.

Maintaining water features throughout the year with the change in weather and season is challenging task. Water can soon get clogged up. It is important to maintain your landscape water element properly for its running. There can be countless problems that can be a result of water features, especially when someone utilizes dirty or contaminated water. Special measures should be taken to solve problem and to avoid trouble.

Basically, two types of algae, string algae and notorious plankton algae affect the pond by making its water green. Sunlight and nutrition are two factors behind their growth. Providing shade to the pond by using above or besides the growth of plant can provide cover to the surface and reduces sunlight to get into it. Use of these covers can stop sun light to get into and thus reduces algae growth. Cleaning of the water timely will reduce the presence of nutrients.

Winter protection covers for fountains are available for outdoor fountains and in ground swimming pool. These covers help to protect these pools from the effect of cruel weather. They are made up of durable material and also have additional feature such as weather resistant surface coating which increases their durability and strength. Algae stopper anti algae treatments are very effective in reducing algae growth. Fountain cleaning products prolong the cleaning period of the fountain and ponds and make cleaning faster to provide fresh water.

Garden furniture can be quite expensive, and it would be a waste to see it ruined by the cold winter months. Taking precautions and following the care instructions are key steps to keeping your furniture looking new. If you have a garage or shed, it would be best to store your garden furniture there for the winter months. If this is not possible, consider purchasing a protective canvas made of waterproof material to keep the worst of the weather off.

Many pieces of furniture come with detailed care instructions. If you follow these carefully, they will help keep your furniture looking new even through the worst of winters. If you want low maintenance furniture, choose powder cast aluminium pieces as they are water and temperature resistant; simply store the fabric materials such as umbrellas or cushions. Wood, on the other hand, takes a bit more work to keep in better shape, such as scrubbing or oiling.

With the right measures, your garden furniture will weather the winter well. Move what you can indoors; provide waterproof covers or temporary shelters for what must stay outdoors. Heed the instructions that come with the pieces carefully to prolong the life of the furniture. Above all, remember that this furniture, like any furnishing, is an investment -- taking care of it simply makes sense.

With the coming of cold weather, we all wonder what Mother Nature has in store for us come spring. There are several things we can do to keep the plants we cared for over the past year to come up healthy as warm weather approaches.

First, start by raking up the leaves around your plants and pulling out the weeds, as this will give you a head start as your plants pop through the dirt come spring. Dig up tender bulbs and store them over the winter.

Get rid of dead plants and trim perennials leaving about a one inch stem above ground to prevent rot and to keep away insects. Add a two inch layer of mulch to keep roots warm and to protect them from sudden temperature changes allowing water to flow, keeping the roots hydrated and prevent tissue damage. Cover plants and shrubs with a cloth fabric to prevent damage from an overnight frost. Do not use plastic, as it restricts air flow. Remove covering during the day to give them needed sunlight and fresh air. If some of your plantings are in small containers, bring them indoors storing them in a basement or garage for the duration of the winter. Larger container plants could be dug up and re-potted, then put back in the warmer weather.

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Ponds bring a new dynamic to any piece of property that other landscaping objects and arrangements can't touch. A body of water opens up a landscape in much the same way that softer colours open up a room. Something that can add such beauty also requires a level of responsibility, and one aspect of that responsibility is properly preparing your pond for the colder months so that it doesn't freeze.

The first step is to trim back any large plants in the area, and checking to try to remove as much dead plant matter from the water as possible. It's also recommended that you drain at least some of the water out and replace with fresh, this step helps to avoid having rotting plant material that stays soaking in your pond until spring.

Once the cold air starts to roll in during the winter, make sure that your pump continues to run, as moving water is more difficult to freeze than still water. A pond heater or de-icer will provide enough extra heat to keep the water from reaching freezing levels, and depending on where you look they aren't incredibly expensive.

Following these practices it's not difficult to keep ones pond from freezing, and before long you will have a healthy and vibrant addition to your landscape again come springtime.

Christmas tree lights add warmth, intimacy, intensity, drama, and beauty to any decor, holiday, or artistic display. They are analogous to icing on a cake; the cake itself may be delicious, but the frosting, when it is artistically applied, completes the confectionary delight

Actually, a plain and uninspired display can be easily changed with the addition of a few, or in some cases, hundreds of tiny, sparkling, and glowing Christmas tree lights. For example, a simple oak mantle, adorned by a few family portraits, will be attractive. However, adding strategically placed Christmas tree lights will illuminate and highlight the photographs. Christmas tree lights unequivocally capture the observer’s attention and interest. They become critical and essential in the transformation of the display into a riveting focal point.

Because of their size and low wattage, Christmas tree lights are perfect and ideal accents for indoor displays. Another example, found in many homes is a simple ficas tree; alone it simply is another ornamental decoration: no one notices it. By creatively utilising ingenuity, a little imagination, and weaving a few strings of tiny, clear, Christmas tree lights around the trunk, or within the leaves and branches, will transform the tree into a romantically enchanting display that everyone will notice, especially at night.

Many creative and artistically talented decorators and fashion conscious homeowners have discovered that Christmas tree lights are not only ideal for the holidays; they are a valuable tool that can be utilised throughout the year to create excitement, energy, and illusion throughout the home. For example, they can be used on a mirrored wall to give an illusion of space and depth, or to illuminate a poorly lighted area for security purposes. Manufacturers offer these little pieces of starlight in a myriad of colours, shapes, sizes, and price ranges to suit every taste and budget.

Gardens are often considered extensions of the home; an outdoor room so to speak. When creating the right ambiance in the garden area one should not forget about lighting which is necessary for enjoyment of this space at all times of the day or night.

Garden lighting illuminates the darkest spaces especially so you can enjoy the darker nights in your garden when the nights draw in but also helps to create an inviting place to bring family and friends. There is a wide variety of lighting fixtures to choose from when planning how you will light this most desirable space.

Since you will be placing lighting in the out doors for your garden, choosing lighting that is designed for outdoor use is a must. Placing strings of lights on trellises provides much needed illumination so that you will be able to see what you are doing and the faces of those who are around you, but you may wish to create a specific feel in your garden area.

If that is the case you may choose to place statuary with embedded lights for the desired effect. This might be in the form of small animals or human figures. Solar lighting is another good choice especially when electricity is not readily available to a specific area of the garden. Candles, lanterns and decorative torches are another great way to light your garden but for safety reasons should never be left unattended when lit.

Most people treat their gardens as a place of beauty, serenity, and life. When you combine all three of these elements, you come up with a slate monolith. While there are many different types of water features you can put in your garden, very few can compare to the beauty and peacefulness of a slate monolith. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colours, so finding one that fits your garden would be a breeze.

Even if you don't use your slate monolith as the main centrepiece of your garden, it will still seem to breathe new life into the atmosphere. Nothing is more peaceful-sounding than running water, and when that sound is combined with the beauty and smell of the life around you it can complete any garden theme. While you can get that same basic sound with any old water feature, nothing quite pulls it all together like a beautiful slate monolith.

While a slate monolith may seem very simply in design (it is basically just a slab of beautiful rock), the uniqueness of such a water feature astounds even the most experience landscaper. You can find one that fits just about any budget, and once you place it in your garden and see it in its majestic glory, you will realize what a good investment it was.  What’s more is that they are sourced from Wales.

People think about pest control usually after they have a problem, but the best solution is to implement a pest control plan to keep bugs and mice out of the home or garden before finding out that they have a problem.

The benefits of using pest control procedures inside the home are obvious. Putting down a barrier of insecticide outside the home and around the baseboards keeps many kinds of harmful insects from entering the home. Similar logic applies to the garden, but it is not possible to keep bugs outside of an outdoor garden entirely. Implementing a plan for the garden can keep away harmful pests. Planting marigolds around the edges keeps many leaf-eating insects away from an outside garden.

The second part of preventing unwanted creatures from getting into your plants is finding a way to keep unwanted mammals out. A fence placed around the outside of the garden is a good start, but it will not be an effective rabbit, mice, and ground hog deterrent unless it extends at least a foot underground to deter most burrowing animals. Other devices to consider are pest repeller plugs which repell rodents and insects from your home but at the same time being safe for your cat and dog

Using pest control ultimately saves a person money, and if he or she grows vegetables outside their home in a small patch, it protects the final crop.

Are you searching for ways to make your ordinary gardening area “pop”? With the use of garden ornaments and solar lighting, you can turn these plain areas into breath-taking views around your home. Simple decorating and lighting additions can turn your gardening areas into a unique, one-of-a-kind sanctuary that defines who you are.

For personalised touches, you can add stepping stones that feature poems and special sayings that may represent a time or person who is in your life. Gazing balls can help to create focal points that allow you to just sit and ponder the special moments that you would like to relive, even if only in your mind and heart. Fountains and waterfalls provide a sense of tranquillity that seems to be missing from the chaos of everyday life.

With the use of solar lighting, it is possible to enjoy your gardening areas during the evening hours as well. Available in many different designs, solar lighting can be used to line pathways to your garden, be installed within the gardening area itself or used to accent your various garden decorations. These solar lights are simply placed where you will get the most benefits from them. There are no complicated wires or electrical hook-ups that need to be installed.

So as you can see, using gardening decorations and solar lighting have many great benefits. The designs and uses are limited only by your imagination. So get creative, and enjoy the visual beauty you can create with your own two hands.

The heat of summer is on its way and the sun is powering your solar fountain in your garden. How do you care for a solar fountain? Does it require any maintenance? Do you have a care guide to looking after a solar fountain or you completely on your own with its care?

When caring for a solar fountain remember to check the solar battery that the sun charges. Sometimes the solar battery inside a solar fountain can have a loose connection and the battery will not store the suns energy which in turn will make your solar fountain run sluggish or even stop working. Make sure you clear away any leaf debris from the solar charging area so the battery can keep charging during the day so it runs at night also.

With a care guide you can follow simple instructions from most yard solar decorations. Remember to have your solar fountains where it can get at least six to eight hours of sunlight so it work through the night also on the reserve solar battery. Checking the hose connections is a wise idea to make sure that nothing has clogged the water from flowing through the circulation pump.

Solar powered water fountains can be a visually pleasing, cost effective, environmentally friendly addition to any garden enthusiast's yard and offer many advantages over fountains powered by electricity.

Solar powered fountains are just as effective as their electricity-powered counterparts when it comes to creating a relaxing outdoor atmosphere and attracting butterflies and songbirds to your yard, but at a much lower cost and they are much kinder to the environment.

These fountains operate on solar cells that convert the energy of sunlight into electricity, therefore you may run your fountain as long as you like without having to worry about the impact on your electric bill. Another environmentally friendly aspect of these fountains is that they come equipped with self-contained water feature that does not need to be connected to a water supply, which means the water just needs to topped off every now and again.

From a practical standpoint; forget about the incovenience of tangled electrical wires and finding an electrical outlet to plug in a solar powered fountains and they can be used year-round, as long as temperatures stay above freezing(when deep winter hits it may be advisable for you to move your fountain indoors as a precaution).