My husband loves a water feature.

Our first project when we moved into our house was to dig out a large pond.

He’s always out there tending to his koi carp fish, which seem to need a fair amount of attention.

I’m quite happy with my smaller, low-maintenance, natural pond with no fish but lots of newts and other wildlife.

Still water is very tranquil and has good reflecting qualities, but moving water has a delightful sound, which I find very therapeutic.

Even if space is limited and pond construction is not possible or perhaps you have safety worries there are still options.

A wall fountain, or a waterspout will fit in even the smallest garden; there are many styles available from the classic gargoyle or simple bamboo pipe trickling water over stones.

These only use a small quantity of water, which is continually recirculated by a small pump, which fills a basin or container.

A small bubble fountain where the water bubbles over the stones into a small underground reservoir is ideal in a garden with children.

If space allows for a larger fountain they can add height and make a focal point they also look particularly effective if lit at night.

If you do decide to add a pond, moving water has the benefit of introducing oxygen, which is beneficial for fish.

Also by adding oxygenating plants you will help improve the quality of the water especially if there is a period of long hot weather.

Collect rainwater to use to top up ponds rather than mains water.

If the pond is fairly new and exposed to direct sunlight it may suffer from blanket weed initially until plants are established and the pond surface is more covered.

To remove this you can try chemical control but I find twisting a bamboo stick around removes it just as effectively.