How to Design Garden Cascades and Waterfalls

Moving water is always a joy in the garden, but while gentle streams satisfy the needs of many gardeners, the thrill of faster-moving and tumbling water excites even more. Both waterfalls and cascades really come into their own in large gardens where they can be exploited on a grand scale, but they can also form excellent focal points in small gardens.

Waterfalls can be built into streams, a series of which form cascades, or they can consist of water falling from one pool to another. If built into a stream, a waterfall should look as natural as possible and be constructed so that water actually tumbles over rocks and does not just drip down behind them along the butyl lining. Select smooth, regular rocks with flat faces that will fit snugly against the vertical face of the lining and fill in any gaps with waterproof resin. Arrange the waterfalls so that they match the lie of the land or, conversely, re-landscape the surrounding garden in order to make the waterfalls appear as natural as possible. If your garden does not have a natural slope, you will have to construct an artificial mound out of heavy soil.

Use a pump that is strong enough to produce a good flow of water, as water gushing down a waterfall is much more impressive than a lacklustre trickle. Narrowing the part of the stream that contains the waterfall will make the flow seem stronger, but do not use this trick too often otherwise it will become obvious. A series of waterfalls with white, frothing, tumbling water will make an exciting cascade and create an excellent centrepiece.

In a small garden, it is very easy to construct two pools at different heights, either with a liner or preformed units, so that one drops water into the other. They can be connected by a short channel, curved to contain the water, or they can be left as separate units with a rockwork wall between them, allowing water to pour over the slightly lowered rim of the top pool into the pool immediately below.

Pools are not necessarily needed for waterfalls. A delivery hose can be placed at the top of a wall or rocky outcrop so that the water cascades down the face. Alternatively, a rock, real or otherwise, can be carefully positioned and firmly fixed to a vertical face so as to form an overhang, with a delivery hose bedded above it. In both cases, a collection tank with a pump in it is placed at the bottom of the feature, hidden among rocks and foliage.