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The next phase of the development of what was going to be the biggest water garden in the Caribbean was to build a stream linking the two enormous ponds at the site in Buccament Bay in St Vincent. This was essentialThe site of the proposed stream.: First the pipe that was meant to take the water was dug out. It was sloping in the wrong direction anyway. since it was to carry away the water from the torrential rain that hits that part of St Vincent virtually on a daily basis and particularly during November throught to February. Two inches of extra water could easily be added to the surface of each pond in as many hours, so a rough calculation of what width of stream was required was about 2metres. This would allow for a 4ft waterway once the facing stone on the inside of the stream was taken into account. The length was ordained by the position of the giant ponds. We had a length to cover of about eighteen metres between the ponds and a fall of only just over 18cm. 1 in 100 fall is a bit tight to play with (1 in 80 is better), so we would have to ensure it was plenty deep enough.

It was my idea to make the stream an ornamental feature. The original scheme was to have the water disappear under ground into 'outfalls', basically sumps that were sealed to a massive pipe, which would carry it to the next pond or out to the river. These were already installed as part of the initial groundworks of the site, but using these would mean cutting and stretching the liner that was lying on ground that was very variable and unconsolidated in places. Settlement was bound to occur. There was a finality to the decision to get rid of the underground pipes when  we discovered the pipes had been installed sloping in the wrong direction, so they would not been able to carry any water away anyway.

SUBTLE STREAMS WITH LINERS

If you think that to create a stream all you need to do is cut a sloping trench in the ground and line it with butyl or PVC and disguise it with a few stones or pebbles, then read on.  What you would have reinvented is the ditch, or with pebbles in it - a ‘French Drain’.  These are engineered devices to shift as much water as quickly as possible from an area that needs draining to an area where it can be dispersed. Here function rules over aesthetics, we want the reverse.

TIPS FROM YER MAN UPSTAIRS

A stream has a timeless quality that makes you feel as though it has always been there. In fact it is ever changing with the seasons and the years and in that time it would have etched itself into the landscape, deeper and deeper.Janet's Foss up in near Wendsleydale in North Yorkshire: An oasis of natural serenity amongst the harshness of a predominantly rocky landscape. So even if the simplest concrete or plastic performed stream unit is set down in a valley or a cleft it would instantly look right.
Streams always lead to somewhere, preferably from somewhere. Where they go to and when they arrive there is usually something of a visual treat. Where your stream emerges into your pool, it should widen out and enter with a flourish that is a fitting focal point for the whole of your water garden.

PLANTS AND STREAMS

The stream the wends its way round Dunster: Note the natural beaches.In nature, we see streams that have evolved from vast, unbridgeable valley wide rivers, to quiet wending backwaters cut into a rich sediment deposited from a former majesty. The surrounding undergrowth is lush, and if not food for grazing animals, hides a treasured atmosphere of blissful calm. So plant up your stream edges, paying as much attention to them as you would the marginal zones in the pool. There is a whole host of plants adapted to stream sides designed even enjoy the occasional flood like Iris ensata, Saponaria ocymoides and Veronica beccabunga to name only three.
Plant up the stream itself too. This is an ideal opportunity to do a little bit of extra biological filtration and oxygenation. Grasses like Acorus gramineus and Carex Bowles Golden always look happier out of the flow, but oxygenators like  Ranunculus aquaticus, Crowfoot – the true water buttercup, and Potamogeton crispa with its ruddy crinkled leaves, waft and sway dramatically, adding extra movement to the action of the water.

MOVING WATER FEATURES

For those of you that have been fortunate enough to visit the sensationally atmospheric water gardens of the General Life at the Alhambra Palace in Granada, southern Spain, you will appreciate the extra dimension moving Chenies and Brian Tom produced these clattering birds at Hampton Court many moons ago.water lends to a Garden even if it just gently trickling. The Alhambra was the summer residence of the Moorish Islamic sultans of Granada. The gardens, designed for contemplation in serenity, are in fact a series of 'patios' through which the flow of water leads you. Water is never concealed and never still in Islamic gardens, busily moving from its source to the exit of the garden, refreshing the atmosphere and murmuring through the vaulted interiors.

For the Moors, the moving water and the fountain jets all had their significance and symbolism in the meaning of life. In the west moving water was later used in entertainment as in awesome loud gushing fountains or waterfalls or used in a 'theatre' to drive automata - or literally moving water features, perhaps creating sound and power for whistling chirping robot birds in a metal tree: natural power for technological innovation. These started in Italy and the fashion moved to France and many of the English landed aristocracy copied some of the ideas in theri grand gardens in England. The power to all these aquatic fantasies was derived from the 'head' of a reservior or lake from land much higher up on the estate piped down to the fountain or waterfall.

These days we have made certain moves 'back to nature' and try to create something of the natural world in our back gardens now that we are so far from it in our day-to-day existence. Instead of employing the natural resources of the countryside (i.e. lakes and flowing streams) to power the technology that illustrates our fantasies, we create a fantasy of nature powered by our modern technology.

POWER TO OUR FANTASY- ELECTRICAL SUPPLY TO THE PUMPS FOR GARDEN PONDS AND WATER FEATURES

A professionally installed electrical supply to a large pond and fountain installation: Note the trip switches and timers. There is also an automatic lighting for the display as dusk approaches.Whether we have in mind to create a fountain, a waterfall, a stream or even to pump pond water to a biological filtration unit,  I would suggest that the first thing to consider is the electrical power to the site. This should have been considered and planned for This was the fountain feature: It required three pumps capable of supplying 8,000 gallons per hour at ground level.before any part of the water garden project was started. Therefore having reached the waterfall/fountain installation or creation stage, there should already be a 13 amp armoured cable running to the side of the pool. This will have its own RCD trip and be on a separate circuit to the household electricity. OK? Good, I just like to make sure.
You will have planned as if you were going to include all the possible accessories and features even if it hadn't crossed your mind to have a pool heater, a pump for an ‘inpool’ fountain, filter and filter pump, u/v lamp, waterfall, rockery lights, underwater lights and squirting frog (?).

PUMPS FOR FOUNTAINS or WATERFALLS?

Choose a pump for its (a) guarantee (Is it continuously rated? That is, does the guarantee cover it for use 24 hours a day 7 days a week? ).  
(b) Availability locally from a retailer you like and get on with.
(c) Its performance. This includes its suitability for its purpose. You dont want a pump that needs the protection of a thick foam pre-filter if it is meant to be supplying water to a filter system before it cascades down a stream or supply water full of organic debris to a biological filter.

INSTALLING PREFORMED WATERFALL AND STREAM UNITS

Preformed waterfall units come in all shapes and sizes. Shop around.These allow you to create a gentle waterfall almost instantly for any distance that you may dare to go or can afford. Although they seem unsympathetic with the environment to begin with, a bit of a roughing up with some emery or sand paper will soon help to 'weather' them in. Milk, honey, cow muck or a concoction of all three sloshed on will speed that up as well.

But talking of the environment, this is where these products really win out against natural stone. When you consider that the stone for even a modest waterfall might come to the best part of a ton in weight, it has to be remembered that some hillside has to be ravaged to obtain that stone. As far as you are concerned there is all that heavy lifting and carting of the materials and then the time consuming cement work. For the owner of a small inaccessible garden, these are things that definitely weigh heavily in the balance for the easier option, especially now these preformed streams and waterfalls look so good.

Using a framework or skeleton to make your stream or waterfall a permanent feature

This is a technique to be used in made up, or unstable ground, or loose sandy soil. You will be using all the techniques in the BEGINNER'S GUIDE To BUILDING STREAMS: PART 3 ,  but you will be stabilizing the rockwork and holding it in permanent position by using a blockwork skeleton.