Fountains and spouts add a sense of movement and sound to a garden, and can range from a spectacular jet in a formal garden pond, to a slow trickle from a wall-mounted water spout in an informal courtyard.

Fountains in ponds contribute additional height to the overall design, whilst their splashing action also introduces oxygen, benefiting any fish. Gardens without ponds may use smaller fountains that bubble up over stones at ground level. This style is ideal for smaller gardens or where it may not be possible or desirable to have an area of open water, especially if there are young children.

Another idea for smaller gardens is to install a water spout. These are often fixed to a wall, where a hidden pump circulates the water from a reservoir to the rear of the spout and then out through the front where it trickles back to the reservoir.

In this section, we take a look at how to tackle these projects, with detailed advice on installing and fitting a fountain or water spout in your garden.