Backyard Water Feature Projects
A backyard water garden provides a peaceful oasis for you and also for the wildlife it beckons, but occasionally even tiny ponds are labor-intensive. In case you’ve got a little backyard, you may not have the ability to fit a full pond. Try some small water feature projects to add movement without taking up a great deal of room.
Rain Chains
Rain chains divert water more beautifully than utilitarian downspouts while making falling and plinking sounds that are easy on the ear. As rain falls on rooftops, it is collected in gutters, where it conducts toward rain chains you install at the corners of your residence. Some rain chains are built of large chain connections, while other styles feature a string of cupped collection vessels in varied shapes, like flowers. You can boost this water feature by placing decorative urns or basins at the base of rain chains to collect water.
Fountains and Bubblers
Small fountains and bubblers mimic the sounds of larger waterfalls. These projects can be any size, from a tiny tabletop feature to a massive freestanding or wall layout. Ready-made, wall-mounted fountains decorate a fence or boost a patio. If you wish to design your own project, you can transform a large watering can or a glazed terracotta pot into a little bubbler. All you require for an instant water feature is a recirculating pump that’s small enough to fit within your water-filled container along with a nearby electrical outlet.
Pondless Waterfalls
Pondless waterfalls disappear into underground catch basins where hidden recirculating pumps move collected water into the peak of the waterfall. These projects require less maintenance and are easier to install than traditional waterfalls. They are also safer for children and pets because there is no freestanding water to present a potential drowning hazard. You will need to excavate a hole into which you put a tiny molded pond or an aquatic lining to your catch basin. After putting your recirculating pump into the catch basin, then you simply backfill using pea gravel until it is at soil level. After drawing the rubber tubing in the submersed pump into the top of stacked rocks or other waterfall construction, you can tuck it behind the fall or mix it with trailing leaf.
Factors
You have to put rain chains far enough under eaves to store the water and chains off your residence. Wall-mounted fountains require strong support walls and decent hardware to support the burden of a water-filled fountain. You’ll have simpler work digging a catch basin to get your pondless waterfall if you choose an area away from tree roots. Placing your own water feature at a shady place slows evaporation, which means you won’t need to refill it too frequently. You can prevent the additional expense of installing an electrical receptacle if you construct your water feature near an existing outlet or use a solar-powered Water pump.