If your garden or patio is in need of a makeover, you may want to consider adding an outdoor fountain to instantly improve the look and feel of the space.

Garden fountains can be incorporated into practically any garden design, and the sight and sound of moving water they produce can be marvelously relaxing. Even in a small city garden, the gentle trickling sound of water has the power to soothe and inspire, creating a tranquil escape from the noisy world outside and helping to wash away our worries.

Outdoor water fountains come in all sorts of designs, from those with cascading waterfalls to those that include a bird bath pool, from those that spout jets of water into the air, to decorative wall fountains. There is a huge range of themes to choose from, depending on the style you're after for your garden's new image. Classical, Oriental, Southwestern-inspired and contemporary fountains are some of the many options available. A well-chosen water fountain can become a stunning feature of your backyard or patio, attracting the eye and soothing the senses.

Outdoor fountains are made from durable, weather-resistant materials that can stand up to the elements, such as cast resin or brushed copper. They are easy to set up, most simply requiring you to plug them in and add water. Solar fountains are a popular alternative to those that run on electric pumps. These come with a solar panel attached, which needs to be placed in a sunny spot in order to power the pump using the power of the sun. A bonus of solar powered fountains is there are no running costs, as they rely on a free natural resource.