Whether you are a homeowner looking to add an elegant focal point to your garden, or a designer or landscape architect sourcing the ideal fountain for a client, these pointers will help guide your selection. With over 90 years and three generations of experience creating an extensive product line of ornamental garden fountains, Kenneth Lynch & Sons can help ensure that you select the right fountain to be enjoyed for years to come. 1. Assess Your Available Space How much space is available for the fountain? Will the fountain be a focal point to be enjoyed from afar on a large property, or will it be within close proximity to the outdoor living area? If from afar, then you can go for the largest and tallest of fountains to create an impressive visual focus to your garden. If the fountain will be on a patio or close to an outdoor seating area, make sure that there is enough space around the fountain for the surrounding zone that we call the “splash radius”. Traditional tiered fountains have the potential to generate a wide splash radius, so be sure to review our size recommendation for tiered fountains in our client support center. Other factors to consider: Some ornamental features have more controlled water sources, such as spouts from masks or rosettes, and can be used in smaller basins, as the splash will radiate less. Some of our most interesting sculptural fountains, such as rain trees, require a significantly sized basin due to the random and scattered splash pattern. 2. Determine Ideal Positioning Fountains come in many styles and configurations, so be sure to select one that is best suited for your location. Do you envision a tiered fountain in a central location to be enjoyed from all around, or would a wall-mounted fountain or floor trough style add an intimate focus to a patio, penthouse terrace, or veranda? Consider the size of the fountain compared to the space it occupies. Will the fountain fit harmoniously in the allotted space and allow clearance to walk around it comfortably? Try marking out the footprint of the basin to help visualize how it will feel in the space. When determining your fountain positioning, you should also take into account the environmental factors of wind, sun and tree coverage. A few pointers: - A site sheltered from the wind is best to avoid water loss from displaced water - Position your fountain away from trees that drop seeds or leaves to avoid maintenance issues 3. Design Style and Features At Lynch Estate Elements we focus on ornamental fountains that have interesting and unique features, whether they are operating with water flowing through or merely providing a static focal point to your garden. Our designs are mainly classic in nature including Italian, English and mid-century American designs. In each of these genres we have selections for tiered, wall, sculptural and figural ornaments. Some classic features that comfortably straddle design styles are the rosettes, ornamental shells, and acanthus motifs. As with any design decision for your home, select a fountain style that is complementary to your home and garden style, while also appealing to your personal taste. The result will be a focal point that is aesthetically pleasing to you, while enhancing your home’s style and curb appeal. 4. Sound Levels The sound of water running through a fountain is relaxing, refreshing, and a welcome addition to any garden setting. The more free falling water your fountain contains, the louder it will sound in your garden environment. This can be a great benefit when shielding out unwanted environmental sounds such as nearby traffic or street sounds. Wide-open spaces lend themselves to tiered designs with lots of free falling water. On the other side of this spectrum is the single spout wall fountain. Single spouts need to be a full stream in order to create a pleasant even sound. Fountains with low volume trickling streams of water should have two or more sources so that the splashing sound will play off of each other. Our various rain tree designs are a fine example of multi-directional trickling sounds. Also consider these tips: - If your space is in a wide open area without enclosed walls, you will want the more dramatic rush of water of tiered fountains - If you have an intimate niche to fill, consider a wall fountain with moderate flow - A walled courtyard lends itself to a spouted wall fountain or small fountain 5. Choose Your Material We offer a range of fountain materials to meet every taste and site situation: cast stone, lead, copper, bronze and aluminum. To help you select the best material for your fountain, we suggest that you consider the installation process as well as the desired effect. Is the fountain being added to an existing landscape onto which heavy equipment can no longer enter? Is this brand new construction whereby accommodations for the weight of a fountain can be made? When considering a wall fountain, one in cast stone would require significant more planning than one made of aluminum which can be easily mounted onto the finished surface. Review our selection of fountains to get ideas and be sure to read the product descriptions for details. There are many factors to consider when selecting the ideal fountain for your garden. We have solutions for just about every scenario and our experienced team is here to answer any questions you may have.