Garden water features planned into the layout
A water feature works best when it is part of the garden plan from the start, not an afterthought. Taylored Gardens designs and installs water features in Surrey, including garden ponds, water walls and fountains, and builds them into the layout so the water, the paving and the planting sit together.
We start with how you use the garden: where you sit, which windows look onto it and where the sound will carry. Those answers decide where the feature goes and which type suits. We then check the practical side, including levels, drainage, access for machinery and the route for power, so we can build what we draw. Where the feature sits alongside new paving, walling or lighting, we plan the water and electrics before the hard landscaping goes in, which avoids digging up finished work later.
Water feature design and installation in Surrey
The work starts with a garden consultation, so we choose the feature for the space rather than pick it from a catalogue. From there we plan where the water sits, how we build it, and how it connects to the rest of the garden design.
What a water feature changes in a garden
Moving water gives a garden a sound of its own, which helps where a road or neighbours are close by. Still water reflects the planting and the sky, and adds depth to a small space. A pond can also bring birds in. However, none of this happens on its own: you need to place the feature where you can see and hear it from the house, and build it so the pump and the water level are straightforward to look after.
Fitting water features into an existing Surrey garden
A feature can go into a garden you have already built, or we can plan it from the start of a new design. In an existing garden the limits are usually access, levels and where the power can run to. We look at those before recommending a type. A self-contained feature, for example, needs little groundwork. A pond or a cascade, however, usually means excavation and edging, and works better when we plan it alongside the hard landscaping.
If you’re not sure what suits your garden, book a garden consultation and we’ll look at the space with you.
Sound, planting and upkeep
The main reasons to choose water features in Surrey gardens are the sound and the look. Both, however, depend on placement. For example, a cascade near a seating area masks traffic; you will barely hear the same cascade at the far end of the garden. Planting around the edge softens the stonework and, for a pond, gives cover for wildlife. The RHS has advice on making a pond wildlife-friendly if you want to go further.
Upkeep depends on the type. A self-contained feature needs the reservoir topping up and the pump checked. A pond, by contrast, needs more: leaves out in autumn, the pump cleared, and a watch on the water level in summer. We explain what each option involves before we build anything, so the choice suits the time you want to spend on it.
We design and build water features across Surrey and south-west London. For garden design in a specific area, see our pages for Richmond, Kingston, Esher and Cobham.
Examples of our water feature work
The photographs on this page show water features from our projects: a slate water wall, a natural stone feature, a pebble pool and a bubble fountain. See more completed gardens in the portfolio.
Each feature suits its garden in a different way. A slate water wall gives movement and sound where ground space is limited. A natural stone cascade settles into the planting and works best as part of a wider landscaping scheme. The pebble pool and the bubble fountain are smaller and need less groundwork, so they suit patios and courtyards. If one of these is close to what you have in mind, tell us at the consultation and we will adapt it to your space.
Garden design and landscaping services
Frequently asked questions
Water features in Surrey: common questions
A self-contained fountain can sit on an existing patio. A pond or a cascade needs ground to excavate and an edge to build, so it takes more room and we usually plan it with the paving. We measure the space before recommending either.
Yes, we can add water features in finished Surrey gardens, if there is access and a route for the power. A self-contained feature is the simpler addition. A pond or waterfall, however, generally means lifting paving and re-laying it, so it costs more to add later than to plan in from the start.
A self-contained feature needs topping up and an occasional pump check. A pond, however, needs leaves removed, the pump cleared, and the water level watched in hot weather. We set out what each option involves before you decide. Our garden FAQ answers other common questions.