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A Fountain for any Garden

By Marge Snow

Garden fountains make a great addition to anyone's backyard décor. No longer reserved for the wealthy, fountains are finding their way into backyards around the country. Modern building materials have made fountains more affordable than ever. Depending on the style, you'll find smaller fountains for under $100 ranging to several hundred for larger ones. These fountains will usually be made of fiberglass, but look like stone or cement. I want to tell you about the different types of fountains available, so if you're in the market for one, listen up.

Birdbath Fountains

If you don't have a backyard pond, don't despair. You can still enjoy a backyard fountain. One option is to use a birdbath style fountain. They look like a typical birdbath with a bowl on a pedestal. But there's a difference. They have a small fountain built in. Most come with their own pump, so there a ready made fountain. All you have to do is decide where to put it, fill it with water, pug it in, and enjoy.

If you already have a birdbath in your yard, you can find small fountains that will fit in its basin. This is a great alternative to the all in one birdbath fountain, and gives you some advantages. You'll have more freedom to choose the style of fountain that will go best with your backyard décor. You don't have to rely on an all in one product that might not be exactly what you're looking for. Even if you don't already have a birdbath in your yard that you want to use as a fountain, you can always purchase a birdbath and small fountain separately. That way you get exactly what you want.

Freestanding Fountains

These are your larger self-contained fountains. Like the smaller birdbath fountains, they have their own water reservoir and are don't need to be placed in a water pond. But these fountains are quite a bit larger. They really need to be the centerpiece of your backyard décor. If you're totally redoing your yard or if you're looking for that signature piece, one of these fountains could be what you're looking for. Some of the more popular styles are the multi tiered fountains, wishing well, and statuary fountain.

Waterfall Fountains

Waterfall fountains are another type of freestanding fountain. But they are so popular that I thought they deserved their own section. They come in so many different styles, it would be impossible to go through all of them. All of these fountains, though, feature a pond at the top where the water is allowed to spill over a rocklike fall to a lower level. Some only have one waterfall, others have a series of two, three, or even more. You can find large waterfall fountains and small ones. Personally, these are my favorite outdoor fountains.

Wall Fountains

Wall fountains are especially nice where you don't have a lot of room. Most are made to look like fountains you would see on buildings while touring some of Europe's capital cities. They may look like stone, but most are lightweight fiberglass, so you shouldn't have any problem mounting it. Some of the more popular styles are lion, angel, and child. You'll even see some very contemporary styles. You'll find wall fountains that have their own reservoirs and those that don't. So they can be used if you have a pond or not.

Pond Fountains

For those of you lucky enough to have a backyard pond, you'll have the widest selection of fountains. You can choose one of the self-contained fountains I talked about above. Or you can incorporate your fountain into your pond. Using your pond as the water supply, you can bring your statuary to life by using fountains instead. Frogs, alligators, ducklings and more can adorn your pond. Because they keep the water moving

Bronze Fountains

No discussion of fountains would be complete without at least mentioning the bronze fountains. The ones I talked about earlier are mostly made of fiberglass made to look like stone. Fountains made of bronze are the largest most expensive you'll find. They range anywhere from around $1000 to tens of thousands of dollars. But if you have your heart set on bronze, well there just isn't anything else that will do.

We've talked about different types of fountains, but one thing we haven't covered is what type of fountain is right for you. That's something you'll have to decide for yourself, but try to find something that will fit in with what you want your backyard garden to look like. If you have an Asian motif, there is a wide selection of fountains that will fit right in. Likewise if you want a country feel for your backyard, you'll find wash board fountains, old timey pump fountains, watering can fountains, even an outhouse fountain. Contemporary to old fashioned to classical. You might even want to mix and match décors for an eclectic look. Remember the important thing is that you enjoy it.