How To Add Drama To Waterfalls

June 2nd, 2011 by
For many homeowners, having a small waterfall that dribbles gently into a pond or pool is enough to satisfy their need to watch the interaction of water and gravity. But for others, that’s just not enough drama. Some of us like to make more of a splash. The #1 way to do this is by making the waterfall as high as possible. The ones pictured below aren’t competing with Angel Falls for the title of “tallest waterfall in the world”, but they’re pretty impressive anyway. Reach for the Sky This one’s a full 15’ high. There are highway overpasses shorter than that!

15 foot tall water feature

The open archway design adds a cool optical effect by making it look like the water is just appearing out of thin air. The blend of red brick, river stone, flag stone, and quarried rock gives this hardscape feature the look of a 19th century industrial structure that’s been abandoned and overgrown. Here’s another 15 footer that feeds into a private pond (that those of us who are water deprived would call a small lake). The design here isn’t fancy. It’s just the sheer force and volume of the flowing/falling water that make it impressive:

Huge Man Made Waterfall

Break it Up Another feature you’ll notice in the most dramatic waterfalls is that they are usually multi-tiered. If you’ve got an actual stream on your property, you can really take this to the next level – or to as many levels as you want. Here’s a stair-stepped water feature that connects a stream with a pond full of Koi:

Multi Tiered Waterfall

The final touch for any waterfall is the surrounding landscaping. Foliage should cover up any of the mechanical accoutrements that pump and filter the water. Just remember to leave some bare rock to stand on so you can get close enough to do maintenance as needed. Here’s an excellent balance of plants and rocks:

Natural Waterfall