Remember those times when people went to city squares or parks to admire the beauty of the fountain? Today everything has changed and you have a real opportunity to equip a structure that is magnificent in all respects on your suburban site, and you do not need to hire a team of expensive specialists to carry out installation work. This is only at first glance, it seems that arranging fountains in a dacha with your own hands is difficult and beyond your capabilities, but once you delve deeper into the essence of the task, you will understand that everything is not as expensive and scary as you thought.
fountains are a great addition to landscape design
Don’t rush to grab a shovel and run to dig a pit. In the construction of fountains, the preparatory period is important, including:
- Creation of a design project.
- Selecting the shape of the future fountain.
- Selection and purchase of materials and components.
Knowing what these structures can be like and what their main differences are will help you do everything right.
Near the rest area
The fountain is best placed next to the seating area. This could be a gazebo or patio. It is advisable that this place be viewed from the windows of the living room, so that you can once again admire such beauty up close.
The pond in which the fountain splashes will look more natural in the lowest part of the site.
It should not be placed entirely in the sun, where water may bloom, or in deep shade, where it is less decorative. The best place for a fountain will be partial shade.
You should not build this object under deciduous trees; the leaves will pollute the fountain bowl, and the roots can damage it.
The fountain should be positioned so that it reflects other decorative garden objects or beautiful plants.
Fountain dimensions
“At first glance, it seems that arranging fountains in a dacha with your own hands is difficult and beyond your capabilities, but once you delve deeper into the essence of the task, you will understand that everything is not as expensive and scary as you thought”
Before building a pond, you will decide on its appearance, style and, of course, dimensions. The size of the bowl should be commensurate with the area of the yard. Agree, a grandiose structure will look, to put it mildly, ridiculous in a small area. For such courtyards, it is preferable to equip small stone fountains, the water in which does not rise to the sky, but gently flows down the uneven slopes of the hill with a sweet murmur. Compositions in the spirit of country, stylized as a windmill or fountains in which water flows from a tilted jug, will be good.
the base is made in the form of an amphora
To build mini fountains in the country, it is more rational to purchase ready-made bowls. Today they are made from composite or durable plastic and are offered in a variety of shapes and colors.
Experts recommend giving priority to composite models. They are more practical and are not subject to temperature deformation, so you do not have to seasonally install and dismantle the bowl.
stone fountain
If you want to decorate a pond at your dacha with fountains, then you will have to remove the reservoir yourself. This way you can give the container the intended shape, rather than adapting to the proposed ready-made standards for synthetic bowls.
Soothing noise
Any water project suits the garden. There don't have to be large bodies of water or streams with cascades. Water is good in any size. This especially applies to moving water. The sound of flowing water attracts attention, creates peace and comfort.
The fountain, this unusually expressive element of landscape design, is the most impressive decoration of the entire yard.
The photo of a garden fountain with water fireworks amazes with its sophistication and beauty, emphasizing the extreme sense of taste of the owners and the filigree workmanship.
We light fountains in the country house with our own hands
Exotic plants, colored fish, unusual stones - all this is great, but the decor of the fountain will never be complete if you don’t take care of its lighting. It should be as cheerful and colorful as the sun. Lighting fixtures must be designed to withstand constant exposure to a humid environment. Solar-powered lights can be installed along the perimeter of the zone, and bottom or floating lights can be lowered into the tank itself. Such a lighting decor will look incredibly impressive.
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LED strips are suitable for design purposes. They are good for emphasizing the contours of the fountain bowl. Small light bulbs provide unobtrusive light of low intensity, but it is enough to see the beauty of the structure.
Conclusion
As you can see, building beautiful fountains at your dacha with your own hands is quite a feasible task. So the eyes were afraid in vain. Having the desire to become the owner of such a magnificent element of landscape decor works wonders. And beauty, in this case, is not at all synonymous with high cost, so let’s get to it!
Full bowl
The container with water for the functioning of the fountain can be made of any material. Her choice depends on the desires and financial capabilities of the owners of the site.
Buy a plastic bowl of the required size in a store or construction market. For a fountain container, you can use an unnecessary bathtub, a barrel, a car tire, or even a basin.
The bowl can be made from a cement mixture or using durable reinforced film. The main thing is that the container where the water will circulate is sealed, durable and resistant to temperature changes.
To install such a container you need to dig a hole or pit. This will depend on the size of the container. A layer of fine gravel is poured onto the bottom of the recess, then sand is added and compacted tightly.
A bowl is installed in this recess so that the ground level is several cm below its edges. The fountain pump with installed nozzle is installed in the center of the container.
A submersible pump with a flow regulator, from which a plastic or rubber tube with a spray nozzle extends upward, is lowered to the bottom.
Pumps must be equipped with special filters. Do not fill the bowl with water all the way to the top.
Selection of necessary equipment
To make a fountain with your own hands, you will need to prepare the following materials:
- Decorative stone for frame construction.
- A ready-made plastic installation, if you decide to use such a model.
- Fountain pump to circulate water.
- Decor elements.
- A set of tools for mounting the system.
There are methods for connecting a fountain to a central water supply, but this method is not financially profitable. Therefore, it is best to use a pump: a submersible or surface version (each has its own characteristics, so the choice is up to the master).
Merry Pond
The presence of a pond on the site already charms and pleases. But the fountain for the pond is its special decoration. This motor revives the motionless surface of the water, makes it move, play, reflecting glare from the sun's rays.
If there is already a pond on the site, then installing a fountain will not be difficult. The fountain pump runs on electricity, so power points should be provided.
If plants live in the pond, then the water stream should be located 50 cm from them. The shoreline of the pond must correspond to the overall landscape design of the entire site.
Enchanting effect
Fountains are decorative in appearance, especially during the day. With the onset of dusk, their undeniable beauty hides in the darkness. But this can be corrected with the help of underwater and surface lamps.
Under artificial lighting, streams of water become magical, bewitching threads. With the help of LED waterproof lamps, the fountain turns into a fairy-tale object.
The stream of water in the fountains near the walls flows freely, gravity helps in this. The appearance of springs originating at the bottom of a reservoir can be created using nozzles that should be immersed in water.
Classification of garden fountains
a small fountain is installed in small areas
Creating a garden highlight should start with choosing its type. There are an incredible variety of such architectural delights. You will decide which composition will appear at your dacha, relying on your taste and taking into account the nuances of the landscape. The most acceptable fountain designs for arranging them at the dacha with your own hands are:
- Classic.
- Geyser.
- Avant-garde.
- Mounted.
- Flowing.
fountain decorated with natural stone
The former are characterized by the presence of sculpture in the composition. Secondly, the water jets are saturated with air, which causes the flowing streams to bubble and foam. Thirdly, water smoothly flows down a transparent glass wall, and the stream seems to float in the air. In mounted versions, water flows like a film, creating wide stripes and gentle waterfalls. In the last category - fountains, springs, streams, cascades, in general, all types with water moving into the distance.
Based on the method of construction, fountains are divided into:
- Submersible.
- Stationary.
example of a submersible fountain
Submersible structures
If you look at the degree of complexity, then submersible fountains are the easiest to build in the country. Their main feature is that the jet will shoot directly from the water. In such structures there is no need to install additional technical equipment. The main point here will be the choice of the shape of the nozzle that supplies and forms the jet, which is connected to the pump hose without any extra wisdom. The level of water rising into the air and the number of jets will be determined by the power of the pump. We will talk about this part of the home fountain separately. Experimentally, using several nozzles, you can create different options for the play of flows, thus, the pond will harmoniously fit into the design of the site, no matter how intricate it may be.
fountain sculptures
Stationary structures
Such fountains are the prerogative of parks and squares.
The concept of stationary is associated in them with the presence of global decorative elements that play the role of a water supply source. When arranging fountains in your dacha with your own hands, it is not at all necessary to spend money on purchasing any sculptural compositions or statues . Any items used in landscape decoration can be entered.
The fountain's container is made of a bowl
To design such a fountain, you will have to work hard, but it will look like a masterpiece. It will produce a special effect if the composition fits perfectly into the stylistic design of a country estate.
Combined designs
They should be considered as an alternative option. In such fountains, the gushing jets do not just fall back into the water, but end up on stone slides, along which they flow in streams into the main reservoir. Bringing such an idea to life won’t be technically difficult; there will be more hassle with aesthetic harmonization. A waterfall and a fountain should not exist separately, they need to be made one.
classic fountain in the garden
The proposals considered are not a complete list of how fountains can be made in the country. You have the right to fantasize and create them at your own discretion. You can arrange a whole group of fountains, combining them compositionally into an ensemble that will become a key element of the landscape of your site.
If there is not enough space
It is not worth constructing a global water feature on a small area. A small fountain on the site can also be a worthy decoration.
Such a structure will not require large expenses. The container can even be an old basin. The pump should be selected with low power.
The tube that is attached to the pump can be a piece of a regular garden hose. Prepare flat stone slabs in advance and drill in the center of each hole. They must be larger than the diameter of the pipe itself.
The pipe attached to the pump serves as a frame for stringing stone layers with holes. The result will be a pyramid of stone that resembles the surface of a rock.
To prevent the water from overflowing, you need to make a drainage system, which should be located lower in level and go into the garden or drainage. This fountain can be located wherever you want.
Such a miniature fountain will be safe in the area where small children frolic. Such an object can have two designs: stationary and portable.
A portable fountain can be arranged in a large clay flower container or in a wide vase. They can be decorated with gravel and pebbles. You can decorate them around them or hide them completely. In any case it will be beautiful.
Gift - to the studio
Aren't you scared by the front of work? For those who find a significant amount of work burdensome, the current market can offer a ready-made solution, and at a very low cost. Garden and country fountains made of polystone just need to be installed on a flat area, pour water into the container and turn on the power.
Just add water.
Perhaps an unfamiliar term needs clarification. What is polystone?
The origin of the term is obvious: poly - from “polymer”, stone - a transcription of the English “stone” (stone).
The exact composition of the material is not widely available and is probably a trade secret of the manufacturer, the Chinese company Acrilica; however, since it is marketed as an acrylic stone, it is not difficult to guess the main components.
- Aluminum trihydrate Al(OH)3 (more precisely, white clay consisting of a little less than entirely of it).
- Acrylic resin (in solid form, better known to us as plexiglass).
- Mineral pigments that give artificial stone a natural appearance.
Since our material is a typical thermoplastic that can be cast (as well as glued, cut and sanded), it can be used to produce products of any complex shape. How is it different from natural stone?
| Property | A natural stone | Polystone |
| Pores | Eat | No |
| Pollution | Inevitable | Practically do not accumulate; dust and lime deposits can be easily removed with any detergent |
| Frost resistance | Limited (water freezing in the pores leads to cracks) | Not limited |
| Chip resistance | Absent | The viscosity of acrylates allows them to withstand impact loads |
The cost of products starts from approximately 1,500 rubles.
Please note: many manufacturers supply garden and country fountains of the lowest price category without a pump.
