In landscape architecture and garden design, a water feature is one or more items from a range of fountains, pools, ponds, streams, culverts, rills, cascades, and waterfalls. A water feature could even be a dry, stone riverbed that is spanned by a bridge.
A pool is a body of standing water. Concrete in-ground swimming pools, ponds, and waterways involve masonry coping, decks, pavers, steps and possibly boulders to incorporate water features such as waterfalls. Masonry spas are often incorporated into pools and decks.
Masonry waterfalls in residential yards are generally created from boulders and are designed to look natural as in a river spilling down into a pond or pool. A waterfall can also be a stream of water that spills down the vertical face of a masonry wall.
Fountains include water enclosures built with masonry materials. They may stand alone or be secured against a wall. Fountains may also be prefabricated masonry forms placed to stand on a patio or within a masonry water enclosure. Large fountains must be placed to be centered and level so that the fountain operates properly.