18 Breathtaking Water Fountain Landscaping Ideas For You

Water fountain landscaping ideas include the ways you can incorporate water fountains into your outdoor space to enhance its beauty further. It is a wise decision to have a calm and relaxing hideout somewhere in your home where you can unwind after a long, hectic day.

We have compiled a list of ideas to help you add a soothing yet beautiful effect to your outdoor space. Continue reading to know more about these ideas, and then decide what you want to go with. 

18 Best Water Fountain Landscaping Ideas

Water fountain landscaping ideas consist of unique and creative ways to make your gardens more attractive. The ideas chosen are based on factors like cost-efficiency, the vibe you are going with, the amount of available space, etc.

1. Create a Tabletop Fountain

One of the small fountains with an easy-to-put-together, DIY water feature; all you need is a stone or a block of concrete, a basin, and a spout, and you’re good to go. You can amp up this garden fountain by adding your choice of ornaments, like floating flowers!

The fountain can be a focal point of your rock garden or a traditional garden. Like most outdoor fountains, it is low maintenance.

Because of their calming aura, they can be placed indoors and outdoors. They create the perfect soothing ambiance irrespective of where they are placed but are more suitable as an outdoor water feature.

2. Build a Tiered Fountain

What better way to add beauty and relaxing sounds to your garden than a tiered fountain? This water feature is a great choice if you are searching for a fountain idea that will block out unnecessary noise, and it would be an ideal option for a small garden.

A tiered fountain can be seen commonly, especially in the Mediterranean, where people use them in their outdoor spaces and plazas.

The best thing about it is that it looks beautiful, but you can also add ornaments to give your space a more graceful look.

The core of the fountain pumps the water up to the top, from where it comes down to the base and is recirculated, meaning no water gets wasted during the process. You can make it the centerpiece of your garden by simply placing lush green plants around it.

3. Add a Bird Bath

Bird bath fountains are more than just a pot filled with water placed on a stand. Their inclusion will not only make your garden beautiful but will also be a source of additional soothing musical voices of the birds.

You can design your bird bath fountain however you want. The number of tiers depends on how tall your fountain is.

To make your fountain more pretty, you can add stones, pots, rocks, etc., to its reservoir to give it a more natural look. The most important advantage of having a waterfall fountain in your garden is the continuous flow of water and its accompanying aesthetic pleasure.

Another benefit of this fountain is that the water remains clean because it never stays in the same place. They work best in warm regions as their pumps tend to freeze in cooler climates. Also, don’t forget to check the water level as it evaporates quickly regularly.

4. Use a Landscape Fountain Kit

An easy DIY project that you can accomplish within a few hours with the help of a friend. The kit includes all the essential components to get the fountain running.

It includes a sub-surface basin to hold the water and pump it back up to create a hypnotic display.

A single fountain would be sufficient to add glamor to your space but can be installed in groups too.

You can add tiny bits and bobs, like flowers, pebbles, etc., to give it a more beautiful look. Now it’s time to sit back, unwind and witness how this fun project brings life to your garden.

5. Add a Japanese Touch

Fountains symbolize physical and spiritual cleansing in Japanese gardens. All you need is a shallow-stoned basin surrounded by vegetation to catch the water running down from a spout.

From what you can see from the link given above, “less is more” is a key component when it comes to Japanese gardens.

Small elements add value to the water feature; for example, rocks and raked sand are used to give the image of mountains and oceans.

Garden fountains with a Japanese influence are bound to make your garden stand out. They do not require much thinking yet give the impression that you have put in a lot of effort.

6. Koi Pond as a Water Feature

Another way to describe this water feature would be a swimming pool for koi and even a tank for big fish. The pond is safe for fish as it has no stones, aquatic plants, etc.

To save the fish from predators, it is built with straight sides, has a minimum depth of four inches, and can be deepened further. It can be used to give your landscape a more formal look.

These ponds are pretty easy to maintain. They make a great backyard pond on their own, but a little landscaping up till and above the pond would be a great idea too! 

7. Statue Fountains

Traditional fountains look good on their own too. But wouldn’t you want to amp it up if given a choice?

Adding personalized touches to your fountains will make your outdoor space stand out. One example of such would be including a sculpture in your regular fountains.

Statues give your regular fountains a more appealing look. The working of this fountain is pretty much the same as other fountains, where the water trickles down the sculpture into the basin.

There are plenty of ways to decorate the fountain further. You can add more character to the fountain by placing lush green plants around it.

8. Concrete Fountains Can Withstand the Elements

Such fountains look beautiful no matter where you place them; however, a common place where they are found is near patios. The fountain’s relaxing sound will make your patio even more attractive.

Most water features have concrete as a common building material. Whether large or small, plain or decorative, this fountain will certainly add a personal yet impressive touch to your space.

It is an excellent yard water feature if giving dimension to your space is what you are going for. It adds value to an otherwise simple-looking space, as gardens are all about relaxing and unwinding.

Pro tip: Paint your fountains to make them stand out from the rest of the surroundings. 

9. Add a Pondless Waterfall

This particular fountain is also known as the “disappearing fountain.” It is defined by its reservoir built underground from where the water is recirculated back to the top. It is an economical option as it requires low maintenance.

When we have children running around the house, we tend to go overboard with preventive measures.

Pondless water features only a few inches of depth and does not contain fish, making it easier for people to have small kids and even pets.

Like all fountains, it will look good on its own too. But, just for a pro tip, it would look aesthetically pleasing when placed near a stoned walkway.

10. Beautiful Bubbler Fountains

Like the other water feature ideas mentioned above, this fountain also has charm. It will be the quietest addition to your water garden as the water does not tumble down the sides.

The courtyard fountain provides a calming vision to the eyes and attracts butterflies and birds.

It is wind tolerant, meaning no water gets wasted from the top, relieving you from refilling duties.

This DIY project is a fun way to get your kids involved, as all you need are two different-sized stones or pots and one in a smaller size. You can ask your kids to help stack the smaller stone or pot on top of the larger one while you do the drilling work.

11. Wall Fountain

Wall fountains are compact, yet they somehow make your space feel complete. They do not shoot or spray water; rather, they send a fine stream into a flat surface basin at the front.

Common materials used to make this fountain include stone, fiberglass, concrete, and resin, with stone being the most expensive and resin the least. Such types of water features can be designed in both traditional and contemporary ways.

This water wall might not be as dramatic as the rest of the fountains and might not even add instant calm to your space, but it will surely add aesthetic value to your surroundings. It does not require much water to get going. All you need is a fountain pump and an impeller.

12. Stepping Stones Fountain

If you want a unique idea to design your fountain, you have landed in the right place. This outstanding design is going to take your outdoor space to another level.

Although it might seem like the design would be quite a task, it is not! All you need are leftover stones from another project or purchased separately.

You can make the fountain as small or as big as you like. All the design requires is your aesthetic sense! 

13. Self-Contained Fountain

Who doesn’t love an easy and simple-to-install water feature idea? This small fountain can be made from various materials like ceramic, metal, fiberglass, etc.

It has all the essential instruments, like the plumbing and the pump, and does not require additional parts. They have their water reservoir, meaning you don’t have to place them near a water source; however, it requires power resources like solar energy, batteries, or electricity to operate.

Its all-in-one water feature is low maintenance and, like we said, pretty simple to install, meaning you do not have to bear the additional labor cost. An ideal place to place them would be on a patio or decorated areas of your garden.

Its types include Pondless, wall, and tiered fountains. Pro tip: Make sure the installation place should be leveled and compact.

14. Egg-Shaped Fountain

Accent pieces make your outdoor spaces look more radiant and attractive. Fountains are a favorite everywhere- homes, schools, and even offices.

An egg-shaped fountain is something most of us haven’t even heard of, making it all the more unique. This is another option to consider if you want a budget-friendly design.

You will need an eggshell, a pump, and a small planter to get the fountain running. It is a great way to get your kids involved.

Because of their small size, we recommend placing them on a high pedestal or deck. You can even paint the eggshell for a pop of color.

15. Ground Level Fountain

A ground-level fountain is the best option if you want to give your outdoor space only a soft focus. Like regular fountains, it is low maintenance.

This particular idea does not require more effort than any other fountain design.

The only thing that sets it apart is that it is built in a way that the basin is placed below the ground level, giving it a more pond-like feel.

To further enhance the look, you can add evergreen plants to its outline or however you may like. Adding pebbles to the basin is always a good decorative idea too.

16. Install a Millstone Fountain

A millstone fountain is a simple yet attractive fountain design that has a vintage vibe to it. Millstones are a symbol of harvest and hospitality.

This kind of stone water fountain is relatively inexpensive and is pretty easy to maintain.

They are self-sufficient and require no additional space for water sources.

Millstone fountains add a great character to your patios, gardens, and courtyards. The simple yet classic design will surely bring value to your outdoor space.

17. Moorish-Style Tiled Fountain

Add beauty to your fountain using a breathtaking backdrop. If you are someone who wants to add a pop of color to their gardens, then this design is made for you.

It includes hand-painted, glazed Mexican tiles covering your fountain in a Moorish style. The water trickles gently into a shaped pool finished with a mesmerizing shade of blue.

The colorful fountain is going to blend in nicely with whatever garden scheme you have going on. You can always use an accent piece to add a personal touch to it.

18. Go Bronze

A bronze fountain will add a traditional yet contemporary look to your garden. A simple two-tier bronze fountain will give your patio a very high-end look.

There are multiple options available today according to the vibe you are going with. Such fountains come in not only different shades of bronze but also an ample amount of shapes.

Bronze fountains can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be. You can opt for something as simple as a two-tiered bronze fountain, and you can even get ones with sculptures like the one shown in the link above.

Plenty of stores out there have customized front yard fountains for sale. They would be the best choice to help you design a personalized bronze fountain. All you have to do is take a rough fountain landscape drawing to them, sit back, and watch your idea come to life.

Conclusion

This guide has gathered some of the best landscape water ideas to help you add beauty to your gardens. The ideas chosen are cost-effective and beautiful and allow you to challenge your creative side and bring your dream water fountain garden ideas to life.

The internet is full of ideas that might make the task feel very overwhelming. But we are positive that after looking at our list of ideas, you will feel more sure about which fountain design to go with.