Building A Grecian Fountain

Figure A

The yard already had large-scale architectural features but the planting beds that surrounded them were devoid of smaller ornaments, such as pots and sculptures. Grajeda says that focal points should be placed in areas where they can be appreciated and have the most impact. Water features near windows allow you to enjoy the sights and sounds while inside or out. So he chose a bare 6- by 12-foot planting bed (figure A) between the patio and kitchen window to add a classic Grecian urn fountain and Mediterranean-style plantings.

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.

Figure B

Step One: Building the Basin

Determine the center point of the area in which you plan to place the fountain and mark it with landscapers' spray paint. For the basin of the fountain, use a preformed plastic tub (figure B), available for about $100 at garden centers. Measure the diameter of the tub and mark an outline for it on the ground using the spray paint.

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.

Figure C

To build a pedestal for the urn, notch a hole in the bottom of a cinderblock, large enough for a water line to go through. Set the notched cinderblock into the basin. Put 3/4-inch PVC piping (cut and attached to form a "J") through the notch so that the long leg comes up through the cinderblock and the short leg comes up the outside of the cinderblock (figure C).

Figure D

Fill the center of the cinderblock with concrete to hold the pipe in place. Stack more cinderblocks on top of the first one until you reach the height you want for the pedestal (for this project, about 16 inches). Fill the cinderblocks with concrete to the top (figure D) and allow to cure for a few hours.

Figure E

Step Two: Installing the Fountain

Grajeda has chosen a classic hand-painted Grecian urn (figure E) as the centerpiece of the fountain.

Figure F

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.

Figure G

Step Four: Accessorizing the Yard

When working in a large yard, there are many opportunities to inject small-scale garden elements, such as sculpture, art objects, and pottery. For instance, while the pool is a beautiful focal point, it is large and flat, and the empty planting bed beside it calls for something dramatic. Grajeda added plants with bright Mediterranean colors and placed a classic urn (figure G) to add dimension and complement the style of the existing features in the garden.

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