Muneer sb, drip irrigation is a good idea. It is more economical in the long run.
Farhan sb, the whole setup can be made quite economically. In my view, water fall is not needed and neither there is a needs to make a complete wall of expensive rock stones. It is difficult to maintain a water fall in a house in the long run. In fact I consider it a short cut taken by most of our landscapers. Actually, they can earn better by doing these fancy things.
In this atrium, water falls were already there. If I had to do this atrium from the scratch, I would have advised my friend not to get a water fall made. It raised the cost of project many times. Believe me a very decent atrium can be made without all these fancy things. One just needs an area which is enclosed so that plants are protected from heat / frost and required humidity level can be maintained, has enough light and air circulation. These are the basic and essential requirements, rest all is a matter of choice but not essential. Once basic requirements are met, from there on it is all imagination / creativity and sky is the limit.
You would have seen many atriums in / around our offices and other public bulidings where lot of money is spent on these fancy things but one or more of the basic requirements are overlooked. The result is either a failure or a shabily maintained rockery with inappropriate plantation.
