Water features for the Cheap! Like ME!

You can't walk through any garden nursery, home improvement store, or major retail store without seeing water feature paraphernalia. "It looks so easy" you might think. Then you start imagining your garden with the soft tinkling of water as a background. Thats when you say, "Honey, what do you think of..." Then reality sets in (usually in honey's voice). "First we need to dig, then place good construction sand in the hole, then we'd need one of those black pre-formed things...look at how much they cost! Then we need a fountain, which means we'll have to run electrical out there. This is gonna cost a small fortune! Maybe, next year." And you sigh and nod your head.

But water features don't need to be a huge backyard production or a huge drain on the budget! Featured in this month's issue of The Family Handyman is a 1 day pond & fountain that is simple and inviting. This article helped me to think a bit more creatively about water features. I guess in my mind I thought that you needed to get the biggest water feature available to really have a "beautiful" pond to rest by. While that would be nice if I ever win the lotto I really don't want to wait that long and so I've begun my search for all things water and budget friendly.

I am a true DIY'er. I love to find images in magazines, online, even from TV and then figure out how to make it myself for way less money. That's Why I've compiled a list of Cheap & Easy Water Feature Tricks:

1. If it's waterproof it's a water feature in waiting! Cheap plastic pots, galvanized tubs, even buckets. Go wild but stay cheap! Use rocks, plant material or even mounds of dirt to "hide" the ugly part.
2. If you don't want to dig a hole for anything...That's even better. Above ground water features offer even more flexibility. If you change your mind about placement it's easy to drain the water and move your feature to a brand new home. This can provide a whole new atmosphere in your garden...instantly.
3. Solar Powered pumps. If you're electrically challenged or you're really craving a water feature at the far end of the garden solar powered fountains can be very useful. However, these must be in the sun to work. And prices vary but if you're saving money by using cheap plastic pots then you'll have a little extra to spend on pumps.
4. Get Whimsical! Nothing adds interest to a garden more than the unexpected. NO, I am not insisting that you get a pink flamingo with water shooting from it's nostrils! Instead re-purpose other garden items such as the birdhouse seen below.
5. Don't be afraid to wing it! Buy a pump and some tubing. Go home. Look at your favorite garden spots. Have a birdbath that needs some pizazz? Or a trellis that would look wondeful with some water cascading down one side? With a few simple changes anything can become a wonderful water feature.

Gardening: My Wannabe Style

Everybody who gardens has a gardening style. I love the overgrown look of rustic country gardens. The haphazard way the garden seems to grow wild. Every garden bed I plan is intended to have that old fashioned look. I say "intended" because it never actually happens. As I plant I always end up leaving a bit of working room around each plant for weeding and what not. So I'm always left with the feeling of close but not quite what I was dreaming of. I have tons of gardening books and magazines to continually tell me how to get the look I'm desiring but still I just can't crowd my plants. My favorite example of a book that has me continually saying "I want that" is more of a photo archive then a how to book but it's still my favorite gardening book. It's a bit of history, a bit of nature, a bit of exploring, and a lot of gardening inspiration. I can drool over it's photos for hours and I've owned this book for two years! The gardens featured in this book are exactly what I want when I dream of a rustic garden to surrouding my log home. Now, to overcome my crowding phobia.