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.