When I shared that the outdoor landscaping at my house was complete HERE it was actually a bit premature because we still needed to add an outdoor fountain. We had a hole in the ground that was a pond-type fountain, but in reality, it was a trap that was waiting for a delivery person to fall in, break a leg and sue us. During the remodel we had a piece of plywood on top to prevent just this outcome but with the addition complete we were ready to finish this out.
The original plan was to build a wall with a spillway similar to this fountain that we have in the backyard. Odin the dog loves this fountain and I think that he believes that it is some type of clapper contraption that turns on when he barks at it. Unfortunately, our landscaper told us that the cost to build this out would require the destruction of most of the pond and it just was not cost-effective.
Plan B became to fill the hole and set a self-contained fountain on top to avoid previously shared fear of injury. Fortunately, I found one that complimented the look and design of the original plan and it also is a low design so it does not obscure too much of our landscape. We are very happy with the design but surprised that it does not make more noise as we were hoping to be able to hear it a bit more in the house when the Dutch door is open which is basically all the time.
In my search for the fountain I came across many winners and losers and thought I would share some of the winners for you. These are all quite easy to install as you really just need a flat surface, the ability to run an extension cord with a timer to a power source and a hose to fill it up and keep it filled. A few things to keep in mind then off to the fun part, shopping!
- Make sure there is enough room and the fountain will not obstruct a walkway
- Chose a style that compliments your house – my style is generally modern and streamline so you will not find any ornate French design here
- Find a power source for the pump and the timer near the fountains planned location and think about how you will disguise the cord
- Maintenance – evaporation will happen to make sure to keep your water-filled to avoid destroying the pump
- Material – stone and ceramic fountains will not work well in areas with severe temperature fluctuations, so consider resin or rock and consider draining or turning off during the cold winter months.