THE WATER GARDEN HANDBOOK

Surprising as it may seem, it is relatively easy to introduce a water feature inside your home so that the pleasures of small pools, fountains and trickling spouts, colourful aquatic plants and gently swimming fish can be enjoyed year-round whatever the weather. This exciting new book focuses on projects that gardeners can create themselves to bring water into their living rooms. From conservatory pools to planted containers, there is something for every size home.

A well-proportioned formal pool, perhaps surrounded by regular paving and sited to take account of the natural perspectives of its surroundings, can draw the eye like no other feature in the garden. This book reveals how you should go about planning the style, proportion and position of a formal water feature, the materials and techniques to build it, and the correct way to install and maintain pumps and filters.

The selection of your fish and plants is also covered.

You do not need to own a garden to enjoy the pleasure of a tumbling waterfall or a fountain gently playing in a secluded corner. If  you take note of the inspirational ideas for table-top features revealed in this , a whole range of small bowls and containers can be transformed into wonderful miniature waterscapes that will transform any room in the house.

Soaring spout, soft cascade or quietly running trickle – you can add that touch of glamour to a garden with a variety of fountain features or a waterfall over which a stream can tumble. This book is filled with ideas for getting the excitement of moving water into the garden and the simple ways of creating different visual effects with water staircases, wall and pond fountains, streams, canals and rills.

This book includes many inspirational designs for gardens of every size.

There are lots of ways in which a water feature can be transformed by the addition of a decoration or special feature – stepping stones, bridges, islands, paved or timbered edging, decking terraces, planted rafts, submerged or pond side lights. They look fantastic and need not be difficult to build and install.

This profusely illustrated guide is filled with ideas for creating something special in your water garden, and includes simple practical advice on how to build and maintain a decorative feature for year-round pleasure.

The right plants soften the contours of a pond and its margins and introduce contrasting accents into the architecture of a water feature. This guide to the care and cultivation of pond plants includes advice on planting and propagation, suggests ideal plants for marginal, bog and deep-water locations as well as recommending specific varieties for colour and for structure. It will prove an indispensable guide to selecting the right plant for the right location.

In many gardens an informal natural look is the most in keeping with the surrounding landscape, and this handbook shows how best to create a water garden that might almost be borrowed from nature. It covers such topics as ponds for wildlife, bog gardens, water meadows and how to create natural pools, and is crammed with ideas for introducing moving water, plants and fishes into a water feature.