Fitting nicely with a continual push for low maintenance options is an increase in pondless water features.

In general, water features are becoming smaller and easier to take care of. People still want water in the garden, but don't want to be skimming, scrubbing, feeding, or filling all the time. They don't want to become pond experts, delicately balancing water conditions and the plant-to-water-to fish ratio needed to keep a pond healthy. They want to sit and enjoy their outdoor space and not worry about the safety of kids or pets.

Real estate agents have always cautioned that ponds, like swimming pools, have a low return on investment, and can actually lengthen the time it takes to sell a house. Not a huge deal in good real estate times, but in today's market, every advantage counts.

Here's a copy of some of the pondless water feature photos from the Dogwood Arts House & Garden show. For more pictures from the show, see this thread) For the full article about the show, click here.

You can fit one even in a tiny garden, and properties are getting smaller. A traditional stand alone fountain doesn't always look right in a more casual setting. These water features are a nice way to take a bubbler-type fountain and blend it into the landscape a bit. A nice bonus is that there is no standing water to breed mosquitoes!

I love the natural look of the bottom right photo Red.

We bought this house in2007.The first thing I did was install this basalt colum that has its own reservoire and recirculating pump

Chickadeed love it

Very nice, Jo Ann! That complements your beautiful gardens.

I have this bubbler next to my front walk. Makes a nice sound when you are sitting on the porch. There is about 1/2 of a 55 gal plastic drum buried in the ground under it that holds the water. I can tell from the sound of the fountain when I need to add water.

A project like this can be pretty easy and inexpensive to put in.
We had some real expert help to dig the hole and you can see the 55 gal barrel we used. The top 1/4 to 1/2 was cut off. The barrel was buried with a few inches out of the ground to help keep groundwater and mud from washing in.



Since I have handy sons they made me a custom aluminum top but really any strong metal or plastic grid can be used to support your water feature and you can add cinder-blocks to the center for extra support if needed. I have a submersible pump down in the drum with plastic tubing going up thru the blue ball. There is an underground electric line to the water feature with an on off switch and extra outlet put in but that is also a nice extra that you don't have to have. It is pretty easy to hide your electric cord if you need too. This picture shows the cut out they made for the electric connection to the pump. Mine is wired in and I don't pull it out. After it is all hooked up make sure it is sitting nice and level.




Then start covering the working parts and add your finishing touches.

What an excellent job on your bubbler project! I love it not just for the water feature, but for the pop of color it adds to your landscape. Do you have to take any steps to winterize it?

Wasn't it nice that you took all those pictures of every step of the way!

Thanks, We really enjoy it.
Red, The Blue Ball is a pretty heavy pottery and should be fine out side but I wouldn't want it to break with the freeze / thaw we have in our area so I remove the plastic pipe and store it away before freezing weather. I just let the pump in the bottom of the well since it is hardwired in but if it wasn't I would pull that, too. So far the pump does fine in there.
Hetti, I have pictures of all our projects. I have projects folders in my computer with pictures I take as the projects progress. A lot of before and after pics, too. You might notice in the background of those pictures that the curved stone walkway changes from stepping stone and small bed to a larger curved stone walk and much larger planting.

I just stumbled across this. I love the natural rocks and the bright blue. I guess you you put a few rocks together and have the tube between them. I am not handy so just looking for a way I can do this.

I love it. Would like one for our yard. Where did you buy this from??

I got the ball several years ago from a shop in KittyHawk N.C. while on vacation. Thanks so much for the thumbs up. We get a lot of enjoyment from it sitting on the porch listening to the lovely sound it makes.

Pretty. My son is in the process of converting my preformed pond into a pondless water feature. I'll post before/during/after pics once it is completed.