The Importance of Water in the Garden

Why a Fountain, What to Buy and How to Install

My daughter has just built a tiny house in North Carolina to serve as a new office for herself and her wonderful partner.

They have been so sweet in saying repeatedly, “We will do whatever you think for the landscaping, Mom.” I was delighted and then realized what a challenge it would be to find the right plants that will survive in clay-ee rocky soil, keep the maintenance easy and low, and be only from my garden to save money. It needed to be lovely and spiritually uplifting to help their clients heal.

On went my thinking cap. I ran different design possibilities though the visual part of my brain.

I pictured grasses, berms with perennials, woodland plants like ferns, poets laurel and hellebores. I also had tons of liriope.Each plan had it’s drawbacks. Then Meg said she wanted a millstone fountain some day.

I thought Eureka!With a fountain everything else could be super simple. It would be spectacular! The millstone would create a perfect garden focal point with just a few simple plants adding green.

Why a Water Feature?

For this blog, I am reviewing only outdoor fountains with big reservoirs. I am not suggesting you get a pond or waterfall. These are a lot of work and money to put in and maintain.

Artistic appeal and Tranquility

The sound of moving water can be soothing, making your garden a restful spot.It adds to the dynamic of the garden and compliments still garden plants. There are lots of options for outdoor fountain garden shapes.

The saying “every time the same….every time different” captures the marvelous ying/yang paradox of the water which bubbles up from all water features.

Noise reduction

If you live with street noise or hear neighbors talking over the fence, a bubbling fountain can instead be the primary sound you hear. It may not wipe out other sounds, but it definitely helps muffle them.

Wildlife attraction

You create a small ecosystem with moving water. I get frogs, lots of birds always, butterflies, honey bees, deer, dogs, and wild peacocks and cats drinking from the fountains we have installed.

Health and Wellness

Scientific research says the presence of water can have a positive impact on mood and help reduce stress.

Increased property value

Most of our fountains are in the center of a courtyard or in an area that you see from inside and out. I take a long time with clients looking from all angles to find the best spot from which to see the fountain. I think it adds a lot to the house appeal and makes the property more memorable. Our water features are not too complex and don’t scare people away!

Versatility

Fountains come in all sizes and shapes depending on how much money you want to spend. All the features I suggest need a big reservoir or area where the pump sits- more on this later.

Focal point

The focal point in a garden is what the garden centers on and gives it continuity. People are always drawn to the power of water and stone. I’ve seen this. It is in my opinion the premier focal point of a garden.

The fountain below could be seen from inside a big living room window, a traveled walkway, from the back door entrance and of course very close to their beautiful terrace.

Before You Buy Be Sure the Fountain is..

Winter-Proof

Any fountain made of stone, concrete or resin ( as shown below) is great for your fountain-to-be. It has to be able to survive cold winters. If it is not winter proof you have to move it inside or wrap it in plastic or perform some other horrible maintenance. My son has one in his Colorado home and has no problem keeping it running in the winter.

One source I read said that the pump needs to be taken inside in cold conditions. I sometime turn off the pump as the water freezes and forms on top. The pump can burn out if it has no liquid water surrounding it while in use. I have never had to bring the pump inside.

The fountain has to have a big reservoir. The reservoir is where the pump rests. If the pump area can hold a lot of water, you won’t have to keep refilling it.

Avoid a Big Splash

You don’t want a long drop or splash as the fountain comes out of the top spout down into the reservoir. You will get some water loss from hot weather but if you see water splash away from the fountain base you will have to refill often. It can drool over the side but not splash off stones. Sometimes turning the strength of the pump down reduces a splash or digging a really wide hole can catch the splash.

Safety

Be sure the fountain top is not too tippy after assembly. I found my next door neighbor’s 4 year old dancing on my big millstone pictured belowin freezing weather. I’ve had my dogs lay on the gurgling spout, getting the dual benefit of drinking water and cooling off their body.

How to Install

The best way to explain our installation process is to show you photos of the system my guys developed over years of installing our recirculating fountains.

First read any instructions included for your fountain’s installation. We developed the technique I describe below.

• Dig a deep hole depending on size of fountain so you don’t have to fill it too often. Dig a round hole twice as wide as the fountain itself.

• Put 2-3″ of sand in the bottom and flatten that. This prevents the liner from getting ripped.
• Spread a pond liner in the bottom, up the sides of the hole and beyond the top of the hole. The picture below is the installation of a huge fountain I designed at our shop in Scotts’ Addition. This little green space/dog park we made serves the whole community. It is the only green space in the neighborhood and is key to the joy it gives the community.

You can also create a much easier reservoir by buying a heavy duty plastic reservoir and sink it. This reservoir is not as big as the liner technique we use. You may have to fill it more often.

• Make a cement cylinder for the fountain shape to sit on as shown above. Buy a paper sleeve and a bag of cement mix. Pour cement into the form. Let it dry and rip off sheath. Center this to base of the fountain on the pond liner. This cement plinth you make is much cheaper than the basalt plinth you see in the picture to the right.

• Put the pump in the bottom of the reservoir and hook it to a tube which you have stuck in the top hole of the stone and down into the reservoir. Attach the tubing to the pump. You never have to lift off the millstone to clean the pump. You will just pull the pump off of the bottom of the liner and hose it off. Then drop the pump back into reservoir.
• Put a steel edge to hold plastic and a grate over the water if you want stones underneath the fountain. Put the river rock or any pebble like stone on top of grate. I fit cobblestones together on the grate of one of my fountains which worked well. Frogs love it.

• Run an extension cord through a PVC pipe and plug it to an electrical source. Then sink the PVC pipe deep enough in the ground so an aerator doesn’t punch a hole in the PVC. Put stones around fountain to hide steel edge.

This is what you get!

I know my explanation is probably leaving something out or is confusing. It’s tough to explain. My son has made his millstone recirculating fountain. They hear it outside their bedroom window. I think we will help my daughter and her partner sink theirs at their tiny house.

I have never ever had a client tell me they wish they had not done this type of fountain, even when I have had to talk them into it. The comment I most often get from clients is “I wish I had done it sooner!”

Water is powerful element in the garden. It makes you want to be outdoors experiencing another aspect of Nature. Fountains develop their own personality and are wonderful company. I hope I’ve convinced you to get moving water in your garden space soon!

Christie lives in Manakin Sabot , Virginia where she manages a 3 acre garden. Her blogs are written from her 35 years as a personal and professional gardener.