Water has featured prominently in garden designs for thousands of years; hardly surprisingly - it can captivate the senses, creating visually stimulating light and movement and soothing splashing and bubbling sounds. In its many forms, water can be used as the focus of anew garden or to add an exciting fresh dimension to an existing one. Encompassing every aspect of water in the garden, this beautiful - but also eminently practical - book is full of ideas for incorporating water into a garden design. Ponds, watercourses, waterfalls, fountains and small water features - from pebble fountains to troughs - are illustrated with inspiring photographs, and their construction explained in detailed text and ,where applicable, step-by-step diagrams. There is also a section devoted to bridging water - using stepping stones, timber decking and islands as well as a variety of bridges. But the book doesn't confine itself to the water features; comprehensive chapters on water garden plants and pond fish are no less important and give advice on choosing suitable species. How to care for both plants and fish is explained in a chapter on water garden care, which also contains essential information on water quality and filtration, pond care and a seasonal guide. The final chapter looks at how to design, build and plant a wildlife pond that will attract a variety of creatures - birds, amphibians, aquatic insects and microscopic waterlife - and help to improve the environment as a whole.
