From a humble birdbath to a tiered waterfall, water undoubtedly changes the character of a garden. It also brings new sensory dimensions to your garden: enjoy unwinding to the murmur of gently cascading water and relax as concentric ripples float across a pond's surface.

Socialise
Don't underestimate the social aspect of a water feature. Children have hours of fun watching and learning as frogs, fish and other pondlife grow (although care must always be taken whenever children are near water). And at a party friends will instinctively gather, drink in hand, around a pond, pebble pool or waterfall.

Which feature?
Selecting your feature isn't easy! Obviously budget, along with the aspect and size of your garden will influence your choice, but also bear in mind the look you want to achieve. An ornamental pond or fountain suits a formal garden setting; a waterfall will work well in a more freeform garden design and a cutting-edge stainless steel dome will complement an urban rooftop or patio.

Simple but effective
The simplest water feature of all is easy and inexpensive to make. A half barrel makes a rustic but chic reservoir and without a pump, the still water's surface will make a perfect reflection of the sky and clouds. To prepare the half barrel, make sure it's watertight by filling with water and allowing to rest for two days. This allows the wood to expand and also ensures there's no leaks.

Plant it up
It's important to keep water fresh with oxygenating plants with specimens such as Water Starwort (Callitriche palustris), Water Violet (Hottonia palustris) and Eurasian Water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). If the moving water is only a small bubble, you'll still be able to grow water lilies. Recommended varieties include the deep red Pygmaea Rubra or the beautiful miniature Pygmaea Alba. For greater water disturbance you're better off with marginal plants such as the Mermaid (Myosotis scorpioides), Pleno (Caltha palustris ) and Red Stem (Myriophyllum aquaticum).

Get started
So now you've got the basics, get busy! For advice on using a basic pump in a sink or pebble pond feature, see Simple Water Features. And if you fancy getting your hands a bit dirtier, read our practical guide on Building a Pond. Be inspired by the lady herself in Meet Charlie Dimmock.

And for advice on designing your garden a la Titchmarsh check out Starting from Scratch and for ideas on hard landscaping Tommy Walsh-style see Structured Gardening.