Flowers & Water Fountain Centerpieces

Water Fountain Centerpieces

• When a fountain is included in the landscape, it commands attention visually, as well as aurally. Plus, moving water has intangible qualities that most humans find appealing. Garden fountains can be striking vertical features with water gushing loudly over formal statuary or subtle, ground level installations with only a slight murmur of water to be heard. They do have several functional requirements -- regular cleaning is necessary, they need access to electrical power and they must be drained and decommissioned each winter.

Flower Beds

• Flower beds may be composed of either annual or perennial species. Annual flowers offer the most exuberant floral displays and are usually rotated at least twice each year so there is always something in bloom. Warm-season annuals are planted in spring after all danger of frost has passed and cool-season annuals are planted in fall. Perennial flowers tend to grow larger than annuals and are generally planted in the back of flower beds so they don't block the view of the smaller species. All flower beds should be raised for good drainage and given the best possible soil conditions -- adding fertilizer or a layer of compost on a seasonal basis is customary practice. Pansies (Viola spp.) and sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritime) are two cool-season annuals that offer an array of flower colors to choose from. In the warmer months, try some of the different varieties of marigold (Tagetes spp.) and zinnias (Zinnia spp.) around a fountain centerpiece. For long-blooming perennials, phlox and coreopsis are noteworthy choices, both of which are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, depending on the variety.

Formal Design Ideas

• Formal gardens often utilize a fountain and flower bed combination at the center of a symmetrical layout of paths and beds. The paths and beds are typically formed by straight lines and right angles with a circular or oval water feature for contrast. In this style, it is typical to plant a bed of annual flowers at the base of the fountain and separate the planting area from the pathway with formal edging, such as brick or cobblestone. Often, the entire focal point is surrounded by a wide path with a surface of pea gravel or crushed rock. The tradition is to use flowers with "warm" colors around a water feature -- pinks, reds, oranges and yellows.

An Informal Approach

• Fountains and flower beds can also be used as centerpieces with other forms of garden design, from the most sleek and modernist styles to wild and rangy cottage gardens. With this approach, symmetry is less likely to be used, opening the door to creativity in the materials, form and presentation of the centerpiece. A small recirculating pump can transform almost any object that holds water into a fountain, from an old bathtub to a fancy urn. Bamboo, copper tubing, sculptures or any object that can be drilled through to make a hole from one side to the other can be used to convey water in a fountain. Plantings of perennial or annual flowers can be used to accentuate the water feature, in conjunction with shrubs, trees and ornamental grasses. There is no reason to have a path on all sides of the water feature, so taller flowers could be planted in the rear and allowed to grow up to where their petals will cascade down into the water, making a particularly lovely effect.