Adding a Water Feature to Your Yard

A water feature on your property serves as beautiful focal point, transforming your yard from garden to oasis.

Each type of water feature requires varying levels of investment, space, and maintenance. Bird baths, fountains, reflecting pools, fish ponds, and water gardens establish a calming atmosphere and attract welcome visitors, such as our favorite local birds.

Birdbaths cost relatively little yet greatly increase a landscape’s aesthetic. A simple stone or metal basin placed in view of a window allows for hours of birdwatching and enjoyment. Water-circulating birdbaths will keep the water fresh for longer and add the appealing sound of trickling water to your yard.

Depending on the material and whether it bubbles, birdbaths can cost anywhere from $25 to $200+. You can find beautiful items for any price range – or upcycle old household items such as decorative bowls.

Fountains provide soothing sounds with endless designs to choose from. Some popular types include self-contained fountains, disappearing fountains, and wall fountains.

Self-contained fountains, as the name implies, contain all required plumbing within the structure. They are popular due to their ease of installation and the fact that they are low-maintenance. Water bubbles from the top, collects in a basin, and is recirculated within the fountain.

Disappearing fountains flow onto a stone or gravel area where water “disappears” as it percolates through the stones and collects in an underground basin. It then recirculates through a simple plumbing system. These are also easily-maintained systems—the greatest difficulty is excavating the area for the underground collection basin. This type of fountain is popular for those looking to install a DIY water feature as opposed to hiring a technician or purchasing a self-contained fountain.

Wall fountains have a small footprint, and thus are excellent if you have limited space. Some are wall-mounted, while others are free-standing with flat backs to be placed against a wall or fence. Fountains also vary widely in price—you can get simple self-contained fountains for less than $100, while larger wall fountains can cost you 10 times that amount.

Reflecting pools, fish ponds, and water gardens are gorgeous, large water features that are relatively similar in installation—excavate the area of the pond, cover the soil with rubber liner, then add stones around the perimeter to stabilize the liner. Design and use dictate the specifics of what your feature needs.

Reflecting pools are geometric with straight edges and often have stepping stones. So long as you don’t have fish or plants, you won’t need a pump and can simply treating algae if it appears.

A water garden is meant to display a gorgeous variety of aquatic plants both in and around the pond; while plants can cost a fair amount of money up front, most are perennials and will bring a new level of beauty to your yard year after year! Fish ponds delight people of all ages, and their presence will help keep your yard’s mosquito population in check. A good filtration system, water agitator, and frequent water quality testing are required to maintain the health of these water features. They are large and beautiful, and you will not regret these gorgeous additions to your backyard oasis!

Big Earth Landscape Supply carries a wide selection of natural and beautiful fountains, birdbaths, supplies for koi ponds, as well as gravel and decorative stone to surround the water feature you choose. Be sure to browse our online shop, where you will find all of the inspiration you need to create a unique backyard setting.