Water fountains are a popular addition for both front and back yards. Their benefits are obvious. Besides the beauty of the ornament itself, an outdoor water fountain offers a gorgeous interplay of water and light. What's more, the soothing sound of water music can mask sounds from the street or your neighbors.

Choose the Fountain

Your outdoor water fountain should complement both your landscaping and your home's exterior. If your house has a set style, such as mission, choose a fountain that goes along with this style. Traditional styles, such as tile or statue fountains, are attractive for any yard or home.

A big consideration is whether you want a self-contained or built-in fountain. Self-contained fountains have all the working parts enclosed in a single unit. They also feature their own water reservoirs. Built-in fountains are custom constructions of all the working parts and water reservoir.

Decide on a Location

The fountain will become the centerpiece of your landscaping. First, you need to decide if you want a formal placement or a natural one. With a formal placement, you'll have the fountain at the center of formal landscaping, perhaps including a walkway. With natural placement, you may tuck the fountain into landscaping. This could serve as a hidden gem, something guests happen upon as they wander around your yard.

According to the Landscaping Network, the other main consideration for placement is the water music. You want to be able to hear the music from anywhere in the yard, including the patio or deck. You may even want to enjoy it while you're indoors facing the yard. Likewise, the fountain should be placed so it best masks outside noises, thus creating that relaxing atmosphere.

Add Landscaping

Whether using a formal or informal placement for your fountain, it should feel like a natural extension of your yard. You create cohesion with the landscaping you add around the fountain.

For a formal garden, your landscaping should draw attention to the fountain. You can surround it with pretty flowers or other showy plants. Conversely, your fountain may sit at the intersection of two paths. In this case, you'll still want landscaping around the paths to add beauty to the hardscaping.

For a casual garden, use leafy plants as a backdrop for the fountain. The landscaping will be less symmetrical as with formal placement. For plants that are directly near the reservoir, though, choose those that won't drop leaves or seed heads into the water.

Incorporate a water fountain into your landscaping as a beautiful addition to your yard.