How to Install Water Features & Fountains

For centuries, English Gardens have been built around grand centre-pieces. Traditionally, these centre-pieces have ranged from bird baths, to sundials. One thing that has always caught the imagination of the traditional gardener, and they eye of the enthusiast is a fountain.

Water Feature

Most water features are self sufficient. They use a reservoir of water that is stored out of site. Alternatively you may want to chose a water feature that has a pool of water in view. Both are very easy to install but give dramatic effects.

Dig a hole where the feature is to go, insert the reservoir and fill with water.

Attach one end of the hosing to the pump and lower into the water, keeping hold of the other end.

Thread the hosing from the pump through the lid of the reservoir (or steel mesh) and close the lid covering the reservoir.

Attach the loose end of the hosing to the inlet at the bottom of the water feature. Lower the feature onto the lid of the reservoir.

Turn the feature on briefly so you can adjust the flow rate from the pump through the water feature, until you’re happy with the level of water flow.

If you don’t have an outdoor electricity socket, and want to plug in the unit indoors and trail the wire outside, you’ll need to cover the wire in a conduit or use armoured cabling, plugged into a RCD.

Expert Gardening Advice

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Hanging Baskets

• Use a range of summer bedding plants to suit your chosen colour scheme, and change them throughout the year to reflect what’s in bloom.
• Prepare compost by mixing controlled release fertiliser granules and water-retaining gel with peat-free multi-purpose compost.
• Unhook a chain from the basket and add the basket liner. Cover this with the bin liner and cut off the excess.
• Put a 2.5cm (1in) layer of compost in the basket. Make three slits around the sides and add trailing plants.
• Fill to three quarters with compost and plant three more plants around the side.
• Continue to fill with compost, leave a 3cm (0.75in) gap between the top of the compost and lip of the basket, and plant the top.
• Water well and hang outside when all risk of frost has passed.

Garden centres stock a variety of liner material. Avoid sphagnum moss that has been gathered from the wild as it’s not a sustainable crop.