May 24th, 2007 - Water features
My dear, dear brother, when one doesn’t know what one wants to put into one’s garden but only knows that one would like something with water, the phrase “water feature” is completely appropriate. I do not, in fact, want a fountain. I wouldn’t mind a small waterfall but do not know if we have the room. It might just be a tiny pond with a circulating pump. Hence, a water feature–the exact features of which to be declared in the future, if declared at all.
And yes, I do still want you to visit!
May 24th, 2007 at 11:17 am EDT
Unless it’s coming from a source renewed by snow melt or rain, that’s a fountain — an artificially powered recirculating water system.
Wikipedia: A traditional fountain is an arrangement where water issues from a source (Latin fons*), fills a basin of some kind, and is drained away. Fountains may be wall fountains or free-standing. In fountains sheets of water may flow over varied surfaces of stone, concrete or metal. Basins may overflow from one into another, or the overflow may imitate a natural cascade. Many fountains are located in small, artificial ornamental ponds, basins and formal garden pools, and often they include sculpture.
(I note with distaste the un-linked and -explicated use of “water feature” later on in the article; however, I now see it has it’s own entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_feature no historicity of usage is given, but it smacks of recent “sales-event” vintage)
Now, perhaps an artesian well could be called a fountain, possibly….
And I also note that a static garden-pond could not be considered a fountain, as there is no movement, no drainage.
Still, “water feature” sets my teeth on edge. It’s pretentious.
And, yes, I’m sure there’s something ironic about me hating pretension….
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I can’t find any historical references to the term; everywhere, it seems to be used as a given, even in this discussion of geographic terms: http://ijcai.org/papers/1187.pdf
*hence, fondue, foundry, fondant, foundation, etc.