Trickle treats
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.
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 saucer-shaped 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 t o p re v e n t 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.