Water feature
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In landscape architecture and garden design, a water feature is one or more items from a range of fountains, pools, ponds, cascades, waterfalls, and streams. Before the eighteenth century they were usually powered by gravity, though the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon are believed[by whom?] to have been supplied by an Archimedean screw.[citation needed] Other examples were supplied with water using hydraulic rams.
Since the 18th century, the majority of water features have been powered by pumps. The power source was sometimes a steam engine, but in modern gardens it is almost always electricity. There is an increasing range of innovative designs as the market becomes more established and people become more aware of the advantages of using solar power. These advantages include environmental benefits, no mains electricity in the garden, and free energy.
Modern water features are often self-contained, meaning that they do not require water to be plumbed in; water is recycled from a hidden reservoir, also known as a sump. The sump can either be contained within the water feature, or buried underground (in the case of an outdoor water feature).
A water feature may be indoor or outdoor and can be any size, from a desk top water fountain to a large indoor waterfall that covers an entire wall in a large commercial building, and can be made from any number of materials, including stone, granite, stainless steel, resin, and glass.
[edit] History
In early modern Europe, fountains were found in the elaborate gardens of the mansions of the wealthy, and in modern times can be an element in urban design provided by the municipal authorities or public subscription.
A notable modern example is the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in London, England.
[edit] See also
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