RHS Chelsea Flower Show - Get The Look!

As many of you will know the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is well underway displaying many stunning garden exhibits for visitors to see. If you’re not lucky enough to get down to the event this time, we bet you’ve been able to keep up date with all the goings-on via the wonders of the internet!

And that’s where we spotted it! One of this year’s Artisan Garden exhibits displays a water blade water feature, very similar to the ones we stock here at UK Water Features!

‘Pro-Corda Trust – A Suffolk Retreat’ is the exhibit in question and offers a secluded space where young people with special educational needs such as Autism, can enjoy the garden space and musical elements. It features a pastel planting palette that creates a calm and stimulating environment for visitors and is also inspired by local artisan crafts.
It celebrates the work of the charity Pro Corda Trust, which has been running since 1969. It is a Suffolk based musical and educational charity which provides training across the UK for talented musicians and children with special educational needs.

Designer Frederic Whyte has installed a wonderful looking Water Blade water feature into his exhibit, one just like the ones available from our store! If you’re wondering how you might recreate this look at home, you’ve come to the right place!

We have a range of different sizes of water blade features on our website suitable for any kind of garden. Placed on or built into a wall you can create your very own waterfall, and sizes start from 15cm of length so anyone can enjoy a feature just like this!

So once it has been purchased, installing a beautiful feature like this is easier than you think! It can be set up in two ways, inside a wall or on top of, see the diagrams below to help you choose which version would be better for you…

Here are a few tips on how to install your new water blade successfully…

1. Place the blade at the height you require. (We recommend between 1m to 1.5m in height or distance away from the pump, take into consideration the depth of the reservoir here as well).
   
   
2. Sit the blade on a level surface, either a course of bricks or a frame using wooden decking.
   
   
3. If you are placing a light in the blade, place a 25mm pipe into the wall, so you can route the cable to the back of the light without cutting the connection to the transformer. This will be in the top corner of the blade at the end near the top.
   
   
4. Screw in the hose tail for fittings of the pipe work later.
   
   
5. If you are planning on building above the blade use a flat bar or lintel to support the wall above the blade. DO NOT REST THE WALL DIRECTLY ON THE BLADE.
   
   
6. Dig the reservoir in at the bottom of the wall, making it as tight and compact as possible to fit the shape of the reservoir, back fill as you go this will ensure you do not get distortion and will ensure a better fit.
   
   
7. Make sure you have a hole at the bottom of the wall to run the water pipe up the back or drill one into the wall if the wall is already built (this applies to rear entry blades only).
   
   
8. Place the pump into the reservoir and route the cable through a conduit to the electric point. Connect the pipe to the pump and install up the back of the wall.
   
   
9. If using 2 or 3 feeds to the blade inlet place the flow control valve between the manifold and the blade, leave sufficient pipe work for water restriction to take effect.
   
   
10. If using a light, push into the gap at the top of the blade, route out the cable over the edge of the blade and bend over the clip over to secure inside the blade.

So, once your new feature is all set up, make sure it is running smoothly to ensure you get the most out of it. These hints can help you…

• Fill the reservoir with water when all connections have been made. Switch on the pump and you should see the water filling up in the back of the blade.
  
  
• If the water looks like it is breaking up, check the flow is not too fast by adjusting the flow valve.
  
  
• Watch the water rising in the blade, if it looks like it is bubbling you need to correct the flow, it should be calm with the same amount of flow form each inlet (if using a larger blade.)
  
  
• Make sure the drop of water is not falling directly on the pump, the pump should be placed in a corner away from the wall.
  
  
• Also check when you are installing the blade it is not in an exposed area as weather conditions such as wind and drafts will affect it and make wet areas around the blade and reservoir, in some cases this is unpreventable.
  
  
• Water from the blade should fall into the reservoir to re-cycle, always check water levels on a regular basis

We love the look that was created at the Chelsea Flower Show exhibit, the water blades are a wonderful feature that will give your garden a real tranquil atmosphere. Make your garden a designer garden this year with a Stainless Steel Water Blade Water Feature from UK Water Features!