How to Incorporate a Fountain Feature in your Landscape

Have you been thinking about adding a fountain feature to your landscape, but you just aren’t sure where to start?

Fountains can be a beautiful, soothing feature when added to any landscape, but picking the right one can be stressful and overwhelming.

What are your options? Where should you put it? How much maintenance do fountains need?

No need to worry. We have the answers you are looking for! Here are answers to common questions about incorporating a fountain feature into your landscape.

Where should I put it?

The best place to put your fountain feature will depend on a couple of different factors. For example, are you planning on using an electric pump or a solar pump?

A fountain with a solar pump will need to be placed in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. A fountain with an electric pump will usually fare better in the shade.

You also need to consider the size of fountain you want. Since water will evaporate from your fountain, small ones are best kept in the shade to help reduce the amount of water that evaporates every day.

Larger fountains will need less refilling and will be more tolerant of evaporation, so you can keep them in sunnier areas.

Keep in mind where and how you plan to enjoy your fountain.

Do you want to be able to see it from inside your house?

Is there a place you’d like to set up chairs where you can hear your fountain and relax?

Do you want to keep your fountain out of the reach of your pets in order to attract birds?

How do I decide what type of fountain I should get?

There are tons of fountains to choose from, especially at our Sarasota Big Earth Landscape Supply location, and it can be difficult to decide where to start. Obviously, the desired location of your fountain will help limit your decision between a large fountain, a small fountain, or even a wall-mounted fountain.

How long do you want it to last? Stone fountains will survive for generations with very little effort.

If your tastes are more fleeting, you will be able to relocate a fountain made out of a lighter material such as fiberglass, whereas a stone fountain usually needs to stay in place and can’t be relocated.

What’s your budget?

Fountains can range in cost from a relatively cheap do it yourself option all the way up to a custom-built stone fountain that may cost thousands of dollars. Luckily, there are a ton of fountains to choose from at every price point!

The style and theme of your garden and home should also influence what type of fountain you get. You don’t want the beauty of a fountain to be offset by the fact that it seems to clash with the rest of your landscape.

What is your general sense of style?

What is the color theme of your garden?

What color is your home?

Will the fountain be among colorful flowers, green grass, or a brown patio?

How much maintenance do fountains need?

Since the water in your fountain will evaporate, you will need to refill it periodically. Algae may grow on your fountain and need to be scrubbed off.

You need to keep the pump clean, clear, and constantly immersed in water – failing to refill your fountain in a timely fashion can ruin your pump!

Water expands when it freezes and can burst the pipes in your fountain and pump, so if you live in a cold climate, you will need to empty your fountain every fall and bring the pump inside to protect it.