Trickle treats

the water and its very presence will encourage wildlife.

First, some basics to bear in mind when you are looking around your garden for the right location.

For water plants to grow well, they need a decent spot with at least six or seven hours of sunlight.

Try to avoid a sun trap – you will lose too much water to evaporation. Don’t go for fast-moving water if you want to grow plants as they won’t thrive.

Frost pockets are also out and try to keep features clear of overhanging trees whenever possible. You will save hours dredging out leaves. Poisonous plants such as yew and laburnum should also be avoided if you want fish.

When it comes to containers, the larger the space, the more water it will hold and the wider the range of plants you can enjoy.

And adding a dark lining, paint or pebbles into the bottom of a shallow water feature will add shadow and also give the appearance of depth.

Even five ordinary dishes running on a downward incline along the back or a border with a pump to send the water back will delight. Or a simple fountain from a battery-operated pump can be added to a small container or ornamental pond. If you are strapped for space, a s a u c e r - s h a p ed container would make a brilliant fountain base because it contains the spray. And sunlight reflecting off the droplets looks amazing.

But keep the fountain in scale with the container, otherwise your patio will be permanently wet and you will encourage moss as well as slime.

Keep the pump off the bottom of the container to prevent it silting up or clogging with leaves and other debris.

Placing it on a tile or brick should suffice but secure it so it doesn’t move as it vibrates.

Containerised water features can be prone to freezing over the winter because they do not have any soil to insulate them. Any moving parts should be cleaned – and possibly drained – in later autumn to avoid damage.

Add dark lining or stones to the bottom to make it look deeper