Simple water features with a collecting basin, pump, hose and stone (often made of limestone) can be purchased as a set from around 50 EUR in garden stores. You just have to install this. Alternatively, you can purchase the components individually and drill the desired stone yourself. However, this is usually significantly more expensive and also more laborious. In the following article you will find instructions for installing such a simple water feature.
How to create a simple water feature in the garden?
To build a simple water feature in the garden, you need a catch basin, a submersible pump, hose, pierced stone and decorative materials. Install the catch basin in the ground, insert the hose and pump, place the stone and decorate with pebbles and plants as desired.
Materials needed
You will need the following materials for the water feature described here:
- a tub or similar made of plastic or another durable material (not wood!) and with a lid
- a pierced stone for the water feature
- a submersible pump including a garden hose and power cable
- possibly aquatic plants including plant basket, pond fleece and potting soil
- possibly plants (perennials or grasses) for integrated planting next to the water feature
- possibly paving stones or similar to integrate the water feature into the terrace
- Pebbles, bas alt and other stones of different sizes for decoration
Preparation
Before installation, the first thing to do is to choose the location carefully. This is important simply because this water feature is buried and is therefore difficult to move again later. A spot near the terrace or another seating area would be ideal so that you can see it and really enjoy the calming effect of the water. The floor should also be reasonably level and provide enough space to dig in a water collection tray.
Set up a water feature
Once a suitable location has been found, you can now get to work with a spade, shovel and pickaxe.
Install catch basin
To do this, first dig a suitable hole for the water collecting basin:
- Turn the basin over and place it in the desired location with the opening facing down.
- Now surround it with sand: this way you know how big the opening to dig has to be.
- Dig the hole deep enough so that the basin is flush with the edge of the soil.
- It's best to go a few centimeters deeper to create a secure foundation with sand.
- This is much easier to spread than normal soil and gives the vessel the necessary stability.
- Make sure the level is level using a spirit level.
- This is important so that the water pump does not later become crooked and therefore run out of round.
- Sand foundation and vessel are now in the hole.
- Fill the container to the brim with water.
- This is important because the walls of empty plastic containers give way when the soil around them is filled and tamped down.
- Be sure to put the lid on so that as little sand as possible falls in.
- Now you can fill in the soil on the sides and tamp it down.
- Now integrate the ensemble harmoniously into the surroundings, for example through paving and/or planting.
You can now also cut suitable holes in the lid for stone, plants and cables/hoses. A jigsaw (€46.00 on Amazon) is useful for this.
Install water feature
Any desired aquatic plants are planted as follows: Fill a plant basket with pond fleece and potting soil, place the plants there, fold the ends of the fleece over the soil and weigh it down with pebbles. Water thoroughly. The planter is embedded in the water trough on a base made up of one or more base plates so that they are only about ten centimeters deep in the water. The pump is also placed on such a stone so that it does not suck in dirt.
However, think carefully about whether you actually want to use plants or whether you would rather plant them next to the water feature: in winter the water has to be drained because the installation is not frost-proof due to its low depth. Now place the cover on precisely so that plants and hoses are guided through the pre-drilled holes. Then install the water feature stone: Attach the hose to the pump and run it through the stone. Secure the end protruding from the stone with thick electrical tape to prevent water from running back into the stone
Decorate water feature
Rinse the decorative stones thoroughly before laying so that the dirt stuck to them does not get into the water and thus into the pump. Fix the water feature stone with large stones so that it cannot tip over and cover the lid with decorative stones. This should no longer be visible afterwards. Now the water feature just needs to be connected to the electricity. A test run shows whether it works as desired.
Tip
Do not use a pump that is too powerful, as the water must not be sprayed outside the trough. It must remain in a steady flow, otherwise you will have to keep adding water.
