Don’t Call It A “Water Feature”
Of late, water has been badly manipulated as an element in the garden. With a disregard for natural laws, piles of stone tower over a flat plain to issue a water cascade; contrived “naturalistic” pools reside where it would normally wash away; and fountains produce a din as to preclude conversation. Conversely, water in the garden is excluded, as some feel it does not contibute to a water-wise approach, necessary in a future of shrinking supply.
The gardens of the Generalife in Grenada, Spain show how still reflecting pools and fountains, gurgling and in sprays, can create a rarefied atmosphere; a place of repose and refreshment in an arid landscape.
Today, Tom Stuart Smith and Brandon Tyson incorporate water in their gardens with a similar approach:
