A Grecian Fountain

Homeowner Deborah LaBarbera had a very large backyard with a swimming pool and classic Greek arbor but wanted to add some points of interest, such as a fountain near the patio and house to bring the sound of water into the house. Landscape architect Raul Grajeda of Tierra Linda agreed that a fountain would enhance the yard and add a pleasant ambience.

The cost of this project depends on the price of the central element, in this case a $400 urn. A professional would charge about $1,800 for the fountain and other ornaments, but do-it-yourselfers can buy the materials for only $750 (excluding the cost of plants). This project is rated a 2 on a difficulty scale of 1 (easy) to 5 (difficult ) and can be completed in one weekend.

Step One: Building the Basin

Dig out a hole, about 20 inches deep, to accommodate the tub. Pour a couple of inches of sand into the hole to make it easier to level and maneuver the tub. Place the tub into the hole and check that it's level in all directions. Fill the floor of the basin with one inch of quick-setting concrete and smooth it out with a trowel.

Step Two: Installing the Fountain

To prepare the urn for the fountain piping, drill a hole in the center of the bottom of the urn using a 1-inch drill bit. Be careful not to apply too much pressure, or else the pottery may crack. Slide the urn over the tubing so that it rests on the concrete pedestal (figure F). Be sure that it's stable and level.

Fill up the rest of the basin with more cinderblocks as supports for the rock pool. Attach a 500-gallon-per-hour, submersible pump to the PVC piping at the base of the pedestal. Drill a hole in the side of the tub, just beneath the rim, and pull the pump's electrical cord through it.

Cover the cinderblocks with scrap pieces of flagstone to make a stable base for the rock pool. Leave gaps between stones so that you can access the pump for any maintenance and so that the water will flow down into the basin.

Step Three: Filling in the Rock Pool

Grajeda has chosen Mexican Black La Paz pebbles for the rock pool. The smooth, polished, black rocks contrast well with the urn. La Paz pebbles cost about 50 cents per pound at masonry supply stores.

Before placing the rocks, cut plastic honeycomb panels to fit around the fountain to cover the gaps between the flagstone while allowing water to flow through. Also cut out a piece of the honeycomb over the pump area so that you can access the pump for maintenance without removing all the rocks and honeycomb.

Clean the rocks by filling the bags they come in with water from a hose. The dirt will settle to the bottom of the bag. Cover the top of the basin--and extending slightly beyond it--with the black rocks. Then fill up the basin with water, plug in the pump, and perform a test run to make sure it's working properly.

Step Four: Accessorizing the Yard

Planting: A Grecian Fountain

Because the fountain is in a shady area that is not suitable for most flowers, Grajeda uses plants with interesting, colorful foliage. He adds variegated vines trained up trellises against the wall behind the fountain and tall horsetail, a water plant, inserted between the pebbles and through the honeycomb into the water in the basin, to add a dramatic flair and movement to the area. The planting plan includes:

• Horsetail (Equisetum hyemale), Zones 3-11
• Acorus Gramineus 'Ogon', Zones 10-11
• Bower vine (Pandorea jasminoides), Zone 11