In the old days, people equipped street fountains as sources of drinking water. Today, designs of various types play a decorative role. Creating and decorating a garden fountain with detailed instructions is further in the article.
Types of decorative fountains
Decorative ponds have different designs and shapes, depending on the desires and capabilities of the owner of the site. The main types of structures according to the type of water flow:
By the type of device, the following options are distinguished:
- submersible - a small bowl (planter, old trough) with one pipe with a spray that delivers a stream directly from the water, a mobile option;
- stationary - set in one place, the type of supply can be any, there is a decor (artificial and / or vegetable).
Choosing a place to install
In many styles of landscape design, fountains and pools, ponds occupy one of the central places. Ideally, the pond should be visible from all sides of the garden. If this is not possible, then choose a corner near the gazebo, recreation area.
Undesirable location surrounded by tall trees. The root system of plants can damage the base of the bowl. The location of the bowl under direct sunlight will have a bad effect on the purity of water for most of the day: this will cause the rapid evaporation of moisture and the growth of bacteria, and the surface will bloom. It is desirable that the pool was in partial shade.
The distance from the house or the construction of household purposes in order to avoid dampness is recommended from 4 m. If the garden is uneven, an artificial pond will alleviate this problem. Thus, the fountain is not only a delight for the eyes and a source of moisture, but also the elimination of landscape defects in the country. When choosing the location of the street structure, you must also take into account the proximity of the power source for the compressor.Did you know? One of the highest fountains is the construction of King Fahd in Saudi Arabia. A stream of salt water (supply from the Red Sea) hits a height of 312 m.
Preparatory work and necessary materials
Before determining the necessary materials, a design for the future design should be developed. You need to plan taking into account the area of the plot, the overall design of the garden and the house. It is desirable that all objects in the territory were made in the same or similar style.
These moments are important, because against the backdrop of a large mansion, the mini-fountain can be beaten with decor, and it will look. But in a small courtyard, where a modest-sized house is located, a bulky structure with intricate accessories will look extremely ridiculous.
Did you know? The most expensive water feature is the Dubai Fountain. For the construction of more than 120 thousand m², consisting of several separate components with jets dancing in different directions, 220 million dollars were spent.
The fountain assembly instructions described below need these elements and tools:
- stone for paving the bowl;
- gutter for power cable outlet;
- shovel;
- decorative round, flat stone for the base;
- drill;
- pliers;
- PVC pipes;
- copper tube;
- hoses;
- compressor with nozzles;
- accompanying decor.
You can buy a ready-made fountain, but in the country you can only assemble and connect it. In the online store you can choose a budget, simple model, and expensive with complex elements.
Installation process
The selected area is cleared, old roots and plant debris are removed. Then they start digging a pit under the bowl of a country reservoir. For the construction to be solid, its bottom is paved with stone.
Important! The substrate is especially important when using a submersible pump, because when working in the lower layers of water, it is very dirty. The natural bottom, which is not covered by anything, will require frequent cleaning of the pump filters.
The sequence of steps during the assembly of a stone structure:
- For the power cable, you need to make a gutter around the tank with a depth of about 10 cm.
- A PVC pipe with a cable is placed in the ditch.
- In several stones of different sizes with the help of a drill, holes are carefully drilled, approximately in the middle.
- At the bottom of the bowl reinforce the feed pipe.
- Fasteners that are in the water must be carefully insulated.
- Stones are strung on the tube, a nozzle is put on the upper end.
- Pour water into the tank.
- Decorate the tank and the shore.
- Connect the pump - done.
Assembling a finished purchase model:
- A bowl is placed in the prepared pit so that its edges are slightly higher than the surface.
- Crushed stone or gravel is poured between the walls of the tank and the hole.
- A pump is placed inside the tank, it is attached by suction cups.
- Next, you should decorate the bottom if you want to give naturalness.
- Then water is poured, it should cover the pump.
- The final step is surface decor and network connectivity.
Fountain decor
Illumination from LEDs or projectors of this type can serve as decoration elements. They consume a little power up to 24V, and are mounted easily. It is good to design a pond or waterfall in a natural style with the help of stone, pebbles, snags of a fanciful shape. Moisture-loving soil protectors and decorative low bushes are planted along the coastline.
The use of various figurines, both inside the bowl and next to it, has become a classic technique. Tubes made of bamboo, shells, preferably large sizes, go well with water. Old metal tools or household items can also serve as a decorative installation. Forged elements look beautiful, for example, figures of birds living near the water.
Fountain care
It’s easy to take care of your own made pond. From time to time, water needs to be drained completely, filling the tank with fresh. The replacement frequency is easily determined by the surface condition of the surface.
Clean the pump filters regularly. No matter how clean the water is, small particles of dirt still come across. In addition, there is a sediment of natural elements contained in the water supply.
Decor items in the font itself also need cleaning. Bacteria can accumulate on them, forming a thin, slimy film. The elements are removed and washed with clean water, you can add a little potassium permanganate for disinfection.
With the independent arrangement of artificial reservoirs, the main thing is a competent project. With a small amount of imagination, a beautiful and extraordinary design is obtained that pleases the eye and brings freshness on a hot day.