Garden Machinery
Garden Leisure
- Greenhouse Heaters
- Loungers
- Midgeaters
- Gas Barbecues
- Charcoal Barbecues
- Masonry Barbecues
- Furniture Sets
- Benches
- Greenhouses
- Water and Light
- Garden Sheds
- Gazebos
- Firepits
- Wildlife Boxes
- Rock and Stone
- Weather Vanes
- Rabbit Hutches
- Urns & Planters
- Sundials
- Birdbaths
- Garden Swings
- Climbing Frames
- Croquet Sets
- Wildlife Cameras
- Bird Feed
Water feature – stepping stones
Stepping stones should be designed to harmonise with your pond or stream and therefore need to be considered at the planning stage. They should always cross shallow water because of the risk of people slipping and falling into deep water.
Although traditionally stepping stones have been a feature only of informal ponds, in recent years they’ve begun to feature in formal ponds too, both as solid geometric shapes, often made of coloured glass, which are illuminated from underneath to give a night time glow, or as ‘invisible’ stones, which rest just below the surface of the water and allow people to look as if they are actually walking on the surface.
Remember that stepping stones don’t have to be set in a straight line, nor do they have to be of the same material, nor of the same size, and fascinating effects can be achieved by using natural stones to serve as your steps, allowing them to make a random pattern across the surface of the water.
For safety reasons the stones have to be absolutely securely set. They should rest on a bed of concrete or a stable base of stone chippings and in deep water stone or brick columns should be built up from concrete footings with the stones embedded in the top at the correct level.
Allow for how much rain water might increase the level of your pond when planning for stepping stones, and consider how you will clean and maintain them. They very easily get slimy and you need to be able to remove grime, mould and algae without using harsh chemicals that may drip or fall into the water beneath, poisoning both plants and fish.
