Water has fascinated us for centuries and this lavishly illustrated book celebrates water in all its breathtaking forms, from formal pools and rills to cascading streams and waterfalls, and from wet gardens to swimming pools and hot tubs. For anyone wanting to bring this most exciting of elements into the garden, this book will provide a wealth of inspirational design ideas for using water with style and flair. The book is divided into three main sections and presents a range of examples of how water can be used in the garden, emphasizing that the key to a feature's success is incorporating it sympathetically into an existing design. Pools and ponds, canals and rills, and wet gardens are all discussed in Reservoir, followed by streams, waterfalls and cascades, wall-mounted features, fountains, jets and spouts, and small water features in Outlet. A section on Elements looks at those all-important special features that can be used in association with water, including bridges, islands and stepping stones, sculpture and lighting. Each chapter contains two case studies that look in detail at a specific, real-life garden, such as Seaside Bathing and a Rooftop Waterfall. There are also eight easy-to-follow projects, devised by leading water garden designers, for an array of water features, including a Caribbean Cascade and a tropical Mosaic Bowl. These are combined with a selection of cross-sectional illustrations, explaining how each of the main types of water feature is constructed.

No water garden would be complete without the addition of a host of spectacular water plants. In Key Plants, Gilly Love indulges her passion for water and bog plants, showing how they can be grown to create brilliant visual effects and providing invaluable advice on their cultivation requirements. A final section on Practicalities answers all those vital, technical water garden questions. With its stunning photography and inspirational design ideas, Water Effects in the Garden is perfect for every gardener who is keen to introduce a stylish, contemporary water feature into the garden. Book jacket.