A backyard waterfall is a fantastic way to enhance the ambience of your Long Island, NY outdoor living area and create a soothing backyard haven that you can enjoy after a hard day’s work. The benefits of a waterfall extend from psychological and financial to nurturing your area’s indigenous wildlife, making it a great all round addition to your landscaping.
Visual Appeal
Aesthetically, natural rock and flowing water give a garden an earthy character that can liven up static areas. With endless design possibilities, you can add a waterfall to an existing rock feature or create a custom design to suit your tastes. Whether it be an elaborate waterfall filtration system for a swimming pool or a more discreet feature for your garden patio, a waterfall feature will add the visual je ne sais quoi to enhance any outdoor area.
Cost Effectiveness
Water features require very little maintenance in order to keep running effectively. Depending on the size and surrounding areas, a few minutes every two weeks in the summer and once a week in the fall is normally sufficient to keep your water feature gurgling happily. Pump issues that might arise long-term are also easy to handle for the household handyman. The low maintenance and added value a waterfall feature can bring to your property make it an excellent investment. Waterfall features are also quick to set up, taking no more than a couple days to build (depending on the size, location, and complexity). Related: Is a waterfall worth the cost?
Environmental Benefits
Birds are drawn to the sight and sound of flowing water. A waterfall feature provides the perfect reason for timid foliage dwellers to come out into the open to bathe and drink. Whereas bird feeders containing seeds only appeal to a small portion of birds that might be attracted to your garden, a waterfall feature attracts not only seed-eaters, but indigenous birds across the spectrum. Birds aren’t the only wildlife seduced by an attractive water feature, endangered wildlife such as butterflies and frogs may also seek sanctuary. You can populate a waterfall feature even further by adding your own selection of freshwater fish to create a well-balanced, self-contained ecosystem.
Health Benefits
The serene sound of a waterfall in your garden soothes the mind and can be an excellent remedy for stress and insomnia. Cascading water also releases negative ions – tiny molecules that are inhaled and produce an antidepressant effect in the body, lowering cortisol levels, improving concentration and lowering blood-pressure. Whether or not your personal wellbeing or the wellbeing of your family plays a part in your decision to install a waterfall feature, the blissful sound of a bubbling fountain is sure to be enjoyed by all.
The Perfect Focal Point
A waterfall feature catches the eye and can be used to elegantly draw together the elements of a garden area. As a central feature, a waterfall works well because of its dynamic nature, and with an interesting design, can be a great conversation starter. Because the filtration system of a waterfall feature takes up so little space, one can easily be added to small gardens or outdoor partitions. A small waterfall feature in a minimalist Zen garden style setting, for example, provides the perfect attraction without breaking from the subtlety of the theme, whereas a larger waterfall filtration system for your pool area captures the imagination and enhances the pool as the focal point.