A simple garden pond in the back yard can offer relaxing beauty all on its own – but when you add a fountain to your water feature, you’ve taken outdoor living to the next soothing level. The sights and sounds of a fountain breathe new life into a water garden, patio or bare garden corner. They bring a new focal point to the yard, help oxygenate the water and attract wildlife. The best part: You don’t need to get too fancy with your water fountain – even the plainest of models can create stunning results.
A two-level spray fountain adds a beautiful focal point to a garden pond – in sight and sound.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
While electrical service cords for fountain pumps may be run over their wall, it’s more aesthetically pleasing to install them through the base of the unit. Choose a fountain with a preinstalled chase for the wire, large enough to fit its plug without splicing.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
For in-pond fountains, choose a pump-fountainhead unit with a spray pattern that fits your pond’s scale and design. (Remember that high spray patterns are deflected by wind.)
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Even a simple fountain, like a bubbler spray fitting, can turn your garden pond into a whole different feature.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
A wide choice of spray patterns and fountainheads are available from many garden centers, water garden nurseries and home improvement stores.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Basically, all fountains operate identically: A concealed recirculating pump designed to deliver a low volume of water at a high pressure is attached to one of the various styles of nozzles or fountainheads, creating the desired effect. Waterspouts – also called bubblers, simple sprays and splash boxes – have a water reservoir buried underground. The reservoir contains the pump that pushes water through tubing to the waterspout, replicating a natural, bubbling spring.
Fountains either have an integral, dedicated pump or are connected by a delivery pipe to a remote pump fitted with other components. The size of the pump dictates the height and intensity of the spray, so it’s important to select the proper-sized pump for your desired pattern. (Even so, the flow rate on many pumps can be adjusted within a range, allowing you some control over the fountain’s pattern.) Generally, keep the height of the spray less than half the width of the pond.
Your fountain or waterspout choice is governed by your imagination and compatibility within your design. Fountains are generally best suited for formal water features at the center of a pool. Waterspouts do well in more casual settings. These easily created features are great for contemplative viewing from a deck, patio or balcony and add the sensual qualities of moving water and its bubbling music to small-space gardens.
Fountains exist in a host of patterns, from dramatic rotating jets and geysers to tiered domes, rings, bells, tulips and arching streams; fountains contained within statues or other decorative ornaments add new design elements to your garden. Match the scale of your fountain and its water display to the intended site and its surrounding plants and structures.
There are a few other considerations to keep in mind when choosing your fountain or waterspout. If you plan to include fish or plants to your pond, avoid fountains with lead fixtures. (Lead leaches toxins into the water that are a hazard to plants and animals.) Remember, too, that while fish can tolerate moving water, some deep-water plants, surface floaters and oxygenating plants prefer still water with little current. Choose fountains with deep reservoirs if you intend to plant them with aquatic plants – the greater water volume will help keep the quality of the water pure and healthy.
No matter what type of fountain you buy for your garden, inviting the gentle sounds of water into your yard is an easy – and peaceful – way to enhance your outdoor living experience.
