Water feature - make a bubbling urn | How to | Projects

Overview

The gentle babble of flowing water from this urn water feature helps to create a calm and soothing mood in the garden. A water feature like this is really simple to assemble and is also a safe choice if you have young children as there is no accessible reservoir of water.

Do it:
all year round
Takes just:
an afternoon

How to do it

Place the pond liner in the terracotta pan and push it down flat with your hands to check it fits evenly. Keep it flat by pressing out any folds.
Using a pair of old scissors, cut the liner so that it fits just under the rim of the pan with as few folds as possible. The liner shouldn't be visible once the feature has been completely finished.
Fit the length of hose to the output of the pump. Dipping the end of the hose into very hot water will help it to slip over the nozzle easily.
Place the pump on the base of the pan. Trail the flex out over the back so that it will be concealed once the feature is completed.
Place two house bricks on each side of the pump, ensuring that their upper level is slightly higher than the top of the pump. Fill the pan with clean water, to just below the level of the trimmed pond liner.
Lay the plastic-coated grille on top of the four bricks, easing the hose through it. Cut the hose so that it's the right length to insert into the base of the urn.
Put the urn on the top of the grid and push the hose through the hole in its base. Switch on the pump to check the water flows correctly.
When you're happy with the flow of the water, arrange pebbles on top of the grille to disguise the liner and pump.
Position a few pebbles in front of the feature and some plants behind for a more pleasing effect. Don't forget to top up the water during warm weather.