These useful tips will help you to create a beautiful, natural looking waterfall for your property.

Waterfall

Let nature be your guide

Be sure to study natural streams and waterfalls to find ideas and inspiration. That is where the greatest waterfall builders in the world gain their inspiration!

Blend in with your surroundings

If the terrain of your backyard is flat, a waterfall that pops up out of nowhere will not look natural. Keep your new waterfall in scale with the surrounding landscape and terrain by building a berm around the waterfall area.  Several smaller drops of 4 to 9 inches or one drop – no more than 18 inches – will help blend your waterfall seamlessly into your landscape.

“Frame” your waterfall with large stones

Your waterfall will look more natural if you “frame” it with the largest of the rocks that you have chosen. As the water falls, it will hit the larger stones and find its path through the spaces between them – just like in nature.

Keep stones in proportion

The drop of the waterfall is the distance from where the water exits the biological filter to where it hits the pond. Some of the main rocks should be several inches larger than the drop of the waterfall. For example, for a drop of 12 inches, you should use rocks that are 16 inches in order for them to be in scale with the project.

The fewer stones, the better

Fewer rocks are better when building a waterfall. Three large stones are better than 12 small stones stacked up. Nature will provide you with some tips for designing and building your waterfall. You usually will see one very large stone, surrounded by few smaller ones, with the water running between them.

Add a twist

Be sure to twist and turn the waterfall and stream so that there are new views and facets with every turn, which looks better visually. Take your time on this part – designing twists and turns can be the most fun part of building the waterfall.

Soften the edges

The surrounding landscaping will cover most mistakes. The more plant material you can line the falls and stream with, the better. It will soften the hard edges of all the stone. Also, if you create a good, planted backdrop to your berm it will look as though it’s always been there. Make sure it flows into the rest of your yard.

Provide a room with a view

Ensure that you can see the waterfalls from inside different rooms in your house because no matter how much you love the outdoors, you will still spend most of your time inside. People often make the mistake of having their waterfall face the back of their yard. Try a view from the living room or kitchen – wherever your family gathers.