YOU can make your backyard or garden more inviting with a water fountain.
Building your own fountain is relatively a simple job and you have the advantage over the design for a more personalised touch.
The first step is to find the right location, especially one with an electrical outlet nearby. If there is none, get an electrician to install one with a ground fault interrupter.
Next, prepare the area. This is where you use a shovel to dig a hole deep and wide enough to fit the basin that you plan to use. Once you are done with fitting the basin, the next step is to create a grid to keep water flowing properly. Once you are done with that, place the water pump.
To decorate the fountain, you can use natural or artificial rocks, complementing with exterior landscape.
According to the managing director of La Revvie landscape and florist Nick Woo, people prefer to use natural rocks for their water fountain but he would recommend artificial rocks to his customers for a few reasons.
“When using artificial rocks, we can minimise the gaps between the rocks, whereas, for natural rocks, when we put them together there would be a gap.
“To close the gap we have to add cement and it can look very unsightly. It doesn’t serve the purpose of having a natural look. That’s why I prefer to use artificial rocks instead of natural ones.
“Many of my customers were initially sceptical on using artificial rocks. But after advising them and when they have seen the finished product, they are very pleased,” said Woo.
He said in the current market, preformed ponds made of fibreglass were the trend.
He said although installing them would be easier, they were less durable than custom-made concrete pond.
“There may not be a problem with leakages for the preformed ponds but the shapes and sizes that are available in the market are very limited. A custom-made concrete pond can last a very long time if properly built,” he said.