Create a Pondless Water Feature

Gardens and ponds seem to go together. Introducing water, moving or otherwise, into the garden evokes tranquility and a sense of delight.

Full blown ornamental ponds, however, can be expensive and messy – even dangerous. They can also be maintenance headaches. But gardeners have an alternative – the “disappearing water” water feature.

A pondless water feature can be as simple as a rain chain hanging from a gutter over an infiltration basin filled with river stone, or as elaborate as a tiered waterfall cascading into a constructed stream bed, where it disappears almost magically into the ground.

Pondless water features can fit almost anywhere – in a small garden nook, beside an entryway, as a back yard focal point. Pondless translates to adaptability.

Advantages of Pondless Water Features

What are the advantages of “going pondless”?

First, they’re safer. Flowing water usually winds up in a pebble bed, rock basin or something similar. There’s little risk of children drowning in a pondless water feature.

Homeowners can save money. Vanishing water features use less water and electricity. They can be turned off at night or when the homeowner is gone, either manually or by using a timer. And since it’s a pondless feature, evaporation of standing water is curtailed drastically. Some designs can even utilize rain water.

They’re also easy to construct. It’s a great do-it-yourself project for the handy gardener, using a kit or building from scratch with separately purchased materials (it’s cheaper that way – kits can be expensive). Or hire a contractor.

Maintenance is a breeze. Keep leaves and debris from the receiving area, and clean the pump maybe twice a year. Since there’s no standing water in the basin, algae and stagnation won’t be a problem. And no stagnation means no mosquitoes.

Pondless Water Feature Locations

Where a gardener puts a pondless water feature depends on what he wants to accomplish – his design program. A small feature like a pondless bubbler fountain resembles a piece of sculpture and can work almost anywhere – even on an apartment balcony. A feature incorporating waterfalls will need more space.

Site the pondless water feature in a prominent location, where it can serve as a focal point. Building next to an entryway is a fine way to welcome guests. Or place one next to a patio or a private relaxation nook, where family and guests can experience the sights and sounds of splashing water.

Building a Pondless Water Feature

Whether installing a small feature like a bubbler fountain, or a larger one like a waterfall, pondless water features are easy to build – by the homeowner, or by a professional.

If using a contractor, make sure he’s experienced in water feature installation. Obtaining a design from a qualified designer like a landscape architect is critical if a natural look is desired. Some so-called “natural look” waterfalls fit in like a nudist at a church picnic. It takes real talent and artistry to mimic nature, so take design into account.

Of course, designs can run from completely realistic features seamlessly integrated into a slope, to more formal tiered geometrical structures, to small sculptural fountains. Realism is hard to create convincingly, and formal structures may need some engineering, so it may be better to hire a landscape contractor specializing in water features and experienced in interpreting design drawings when considering these type pondless water features.

Generally, however, a homeowner can construct a small pondless water feature like a sculptural-type bubbler fountain himself. This particular one uses a stone as the focal point.

Construct a Stone Bubbler Fountain

• Obtain a large decorative stone from a quarry or other source. Have the quarry drill a vertical hole through the stone from end to end and deliver it to the site. If the stone is too heavy, the homeowner should get help in placing it.
• Next, prepare the basin. Buy a Rubbermaid tub, like a horse trough (don’t use plastic, it degrades over time). These sell for around $40.00.
• Dig a hole and bury the tub, backfilling around it so that 4″ of the rim is above ground. Make sure the tub is level.
• Fill the tub with water. Use a hose to soak the backfill and settle the tub (filling the tub with water first prevents it from floating from the ground).
• Install the pump in the tub in an accessible place (for future cleaning). The pump provider can help determine the size pump needed for the type pondless water feature desired.
• Connect flexible tubing long enough to reach from the pump through the hole in the stone and to the starting point.
• Cover the pump with a section of 8″ x 10″ PVC pipe. The end of the PVC should be just below the rim of the tub.
• Fill the tub with rocks, with larger stones on the bottom.
• Make sure the pump’s cord is sticking out of the PVC; then place a flat rock over the opening.
• Place topsoil around the 4″ of tub rim left exposed.
• Conceal top edge of the tub with more rocks.
• Plant with shrubs, flowering perennials or ornamental grasses, and mulch.
• A periodic application of dry bacteria or chlorine will maintain water quality.

Done right, a pondless water feature can provide the feeling of a cool oasis in a homeowner’s garden, for all to enjoy.

Sources:

Life123 website, “How to Build a Pondless Waterfall”, by Jan Goldfield

Exotic Aquatics website, “Disappearing Pondless Waterfall”; Exotic Aquascapes, Inc.