How To Make A Simple Patio Fountain With Pots You Have On Hand

How to make a simple patio fountain with pots you have on hand may not be on your radar right now as summer comes to a close, but why not give it a try, especially since you may be able to enjoy it year round, or at the least for a few months before disassembling it for winter. All you will need to purchase is an inexpensive aquarium pump, and maybe some tubing and a fountain head of some kind. The rest, two pots, and rocks or bricks, you hopefully have on hand. Friends, this fountain has been one of the highlights of my summer, as it is so very refreshing and relaxing! And, if you really want to go all out, why not combime your fountain with a small outdoor fish pond that can be used for Tashlich this Rosh HaShana? Because of the numerous young children who are tempted to play with the fountain, I will be making my small fish pond in a separate container, but that too may have a small fountain, stay tuned!

A fountain like this can also be made in just one pot, and there are a myriad of ways to make a fountain, but go for the simplest idea first and then expand on that later.

You’ll Need:

• a large pot, mine is 60cm in diameter, with hole sealed with silicone

• a smaller urn shaped pot, or whatever you have on hand

• rocks and bricks to hide the pump and to prop up the second pot

• a 15W water fountain pump, or lower wattage for slower, more relaxed water flow

• black plastic pipe that fits onto pump and is desired height (mine came with the set below)

• plastic garden fountain nozzle set, this is a “mushroom” fountain head

Simple Patio Fountain Instructions:

1. Place pump in large pot, attach black pipe to pump
2. Slide black pipe through the hole in the bottom of the smaller pot, and let the pot sit directly on top of the pump, propped by rocks and bricks
3. Adjust height of black pipe, and add fountain head if desired.
4. Fill large lower pot with water and plug in the pump, and voila!
5. I did not seal the hole in the urn pot so it is not water tight and thus the upper pot never fills up with water. If you want a fountain where the upper pot fills up and spills over the edge to the lower pot, once you thread the black pipe through the hole of the smaller pot, seal around it with silicone, but be very certain this is your set up! I am planning to possibly change this fountain, so did not want to commit to sealing it all together.
6. Try to hide your electric cord as much as possible, and add some plants that can grow in water to the lower pot.
7. Enjoy!