DIY Life

This has been a summer about fountains in our home. Earlier this summer I created a water feature mostly for birds, then I created another one for my three year-old son to enjoy. I did this mostly so that the birds could bathe and drink in peace without being subjected to my son's daily mawing of them. After a few setbacks with his fountain, I finally had a creation that was safe and enjoyable for him. However, I have learned a thing or two about the best placement for a fountain.

The following points might come in handy if you are currently planning a fountain for next summer or if you have one that is not quite working and needs some revising.

One of my favorite aspects of a summer patio, other than colorful flowers, is the sound of trickling water. My family happens to live on a mesa in the landlocked Rocky Mountains so naturally occurring water is hard to find. To combat this problem we have created small water features that offer the tranquil sound of water without wasting this precious resource.

When we first began our effort to create a water feature we looked at kits in home improvement stores. Unfortunately, the kits did not suit our needs. They were either too deep, too complicated or too expensive. After looking at the kit contents it became apparent that they were basically a pump, a container and something decorative. Since I am notoriously cheap and resourceful I decided we could create a better water feature on our own and for a much more affordable price. The process is as follows: