Finding Your Perfect Fit: A Guide to Choosing the Right Backyard Fountain
The sound of trickling water can instantly transform your backyard into a peaceful retreat. If you're looking to enhance your garden or patio, adding a fountain can be an easy DIY project, or you can select a more traditional fountain style. This guide will help you navigate the world of fountains and find the perfect fit for your outdoor space.
Consider Your Surroundings: Size and Style
The first step is to assess your backyard's size and overall aesthetic. A towering, multi-tiered fountain might overwhelm a small patio, while a delicate bubbler could get lost in a vast garden. Here's a breakdown to help you visualize:
Small Patios/Courtyards
Compact bubblers, tabletop fountains, or small wall fountains add a touch of serenity without sacrificing space.
Medium-Sized Backyards
Tiered fountains, flower fountains, or cascading fountains create a beautiful focal point.
Large Backyards or Gardens
More space means more freedom! Explore majestic tiered fountains, a reflecting pools with a central fountain, or a koi pond with different water jets.
You can create a container fountain using your favorite statement planter, bowl, or other water-tight basin. These fountains are great for enhancing your outdoor spaces. You can use fountains as accents for your porch or patio.
Projects to consider:
Matching Your Style: From Classic to Modern
Once you have a good idea on size, think about the overall style of your backyard. Does it have a more a classic European feel, a modern minimalist vibe, or a whimsical woodland fairytale aesthetic? These are popular fountain styles to match your taste:
Classic Elegance
Tiered fountains are traditional style. You can find these anywhere fountains are sold, or create your own.
DIY Two-tier or three-tier fountain
If you want a classic style, a tiered fountain is a great option. In a tiered fountain, the planter or basin at the base will be your biggest. Then, you want to stack smaller planters on top. The pump will take water from the reservoir from the bottom planter and push it through the planters at the top until they fill up and the water cascades back down.
Modern Minimalism
Opt for sleek stainless steel or stone fountains with clean lines and geometric shapes for a contemporary touch.
Looking for a modern fountain and have some tools handy? The Vortex Fountain features a glass cylinder and creates a never-ending water tornado. You can add lights so you can enjoy the fountain at night. This fountain is perfect for patios, porches, or even indoors, as there isn't a lot of splashing.
Rustic Charm
Barrel fountains, natural stone fountains, or bamboo fountains add a touch of organic beauty.
Created a rustic, western aesthetic with water. Whiskey barrels are a favorite garden planter, so why not create a fountain!
Whimsical Fairytale
Cascading fountains with playful sculptures, tiered fountains adorned with birds, or even a little fairy garden enhance the whimsical atmosphere.
The most whimsical fountain is the Fairy Garden. You can get as creative as you want with this water feature. These miniature gardens can use faux plants and figurines or add real greenery and a working fountain. The 80 GPH Premium Fountain Pump is perfect for creating a moving stream in your fairy garden. Kids love this magical water feature.
Materials: Durability and Aesthetics
Fountains come in various materials, each with its own advantages:
- Cast Stone/Concrete: Durable and versatile, these materials offer a classic look at an affordable price point.
- Natural Stone: Adds a touch of luxury and blends seamlessly with natural surroundings, but can be more expensive (and heavy!).
- Polyresin: Lightweight and affordable, comes in a wide variety of styles and colors, but may not be as weather-resistant.
- Copper/Metal: Offers a unique, aged look and can be very durable, but requires some maintenance.
Beyond the Basics: Functionality & Features
Think about how you'll use your fountain. Do you want a gentle trickle for relaxation, or a more dramatic cascade? smartpond fountain pumps feature adjustable flow control, so you can customize your effect. Keep in mind that the taller your fountain is, the more pump power you'll need. Some fountains come with LED lights for nighttime ambiance, or you can add lights. Solar-powered fountains are a great eco-friendly option, small self-contained tabletop fountains or container fountains require minimal setup and maintenance.
Additional DIY Fountain Ideas
You can turn your favorite planter or basin into a beautiful fountain using the smartpond Container Fountain Kit. Ideally, your container should have a width of 12-20 inches. The kit contains everything you need, including the fountain, nozzle kit, filter box, rubber stopper (if needed), and container stands.
This type of fountain is perfect if you have a planter that you want to make into a fountain. The setup takes just a few minutes. It's an easy DIY project.
The Spitter Fountain is the water that feels most decorative. The fountain is actually a spitter. You can choose what type of spitter you want to use. At Lowes, you can find the smartpond Antique Koi Statue. The spitter shoots or pours water into the planter placed below it, which contains the pump and reservoir.
Fully Contained Fountains
You can give a fountain an ornamental upgrade by placing it inside a lantern or birdcage. Find the perfect decorative home for your fountain by upcycling or thrifting. These types of fountains are great choices for walkways, offices, porches, or other areas where you want to add a water feature without worrying about splashing.
The Final Splash: Putting it All Together
Choosing a fountain is all about creating a harmonious and enjoyable outdoor space. Consider the size and style of your backyard, match it to your desired aesthetic, and select a material that complements your surroundings. Don't forget to think about functionality and any special features that might enhance your experience. With careful planning, you'll find the perfect fountain to transform your backyard into a tranquil oasis!
