19 Gorgeous Garden Fountain Ideas to Add to Your Yard (2024)

Outdoor fountains are a great addition to any landscape. Find ideas here for what style, size, and design of fountain would work best in your landscape.

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Three-Tier Outdoor Fountain

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A tiered model is a perfect backyard garden fountain idea for a patio's focal point. Here, the Spanish-style courtyard's centerpiece is the white marble fountain. Potted ferns and hydrangeas give the area life and soften the formal symmetry of the patio. With a tiered fountain, the water softly flows downward, making a soothing sound.

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Moorish-Style Tiles Finish a Wall Fountain

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A breathtaking backdrop is an ideal way to add beauty to a fountain. Here, hand-painted and glazed Mexican tiles cover the area in Moorish style. The water trickles softly into a semicircular pool finished with the same cobalt and yellow tiles. Add extra flair to your fountain with a fun accent piece, like this sunflower mounted on the tiles.

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Small Fountains Bring Big Character

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Small fountains are the perfect fit for many landscapes. The sound of running water produces a calming effect for guests while offering a visual treat. Here, blue-tinted bricks form a circular pattern around the fountain's base, making the blue-gray water feature the focal point. The cool hues fit in beautifully with the blooming plants surrounding the area.

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Japanese-Influenced Concrete Fountain

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Fountains come in many different shapes and designs. This Japanese-influenced concrete fountain blends in beautifully with the stone-lined pond. The sheet of water that spills over the edge catches the sunlight while adding the soothing sound of running water. Supported by a central pedestal, water erupts from the center of the stone and then spills into the shallow pond below.

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Victorian Appeal for Your Fountain

Using a statue as a base is a creative backyard garden fountain idea that personalizes the design. This fountain boasts a weathered metal statue of a woman clinging to an ornate obelisk, giving the fountain a Victorian appeal. Terra-cotta pots filled with small-leaf boxwood surround the round brick basin. Create symmetry with a focused pattern, such as the many circles that make this design cohesive.

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Traditional Tiered Spill Fountain

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Create charming appeal and add relaxing sounds in your garden with a traditional tiered fountain. The many plants surrounding this water feature make it the centerpiece. Lush foliage contributes to the cool scheme.

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Concrete Fountain to Withstand the Elements

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Fountains made from concrete, such as this tiered variety, easily withstand the elements and can be found in many sizes to ensure that one will fit in your landscape.

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Tabletop Fountain

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Create a tabletop fountain for a simple twist on the traditional backyard garden fountain idea. This can be easily crafted with a pot and spout. Here, water bubbles out of a little bronze frog prince into a brilliant cobalt blue pot. Add interest by floating flowers that move in the basin as the water gently flows into the pot.

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Statue Fountains for Formal Appeal

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Statues can be an ideal starting point for a more formal appeal for your outdoor fountain. Water trickles over a cherub and into the basin below in this fountain. Add character to the landscape by surrounding the fountain with blooming plants and lush greenery. The fountain's soothing sounds and aesthetic appeal beckon visitors outside.

Asian-Theme Water Fountain

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Asian-themed fountains add a simple and appealing style to your landscape. This pedestal fountain features straight lines and a bubbler nozzle from which water falls into the two basins below. A fountain made of concrete ensures durability while creating a beautiful focal point for your yard. In keeping with the theme, this fountain is surrounded by Asian-influenced plantings.

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Contemporary Cast-Stone Fountain

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A simple fountain is often the perfect addition to an informal garden. Here, the fountain is made of cast stone and offers clean lines and a natural shape. Water flows from a disk on top to the basin below. The simple water feature creates an elegant setting, enhanced by the sound of running water. Decrease the water level in the basin for a more pronounced sound, or increase it for a softer tone.

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Hanging Fountains as Pretty as a Picture

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When space is limited in your landscape, wall fountains are an ideal solution. This fountain hangs on a wall just as a picture would. But the simple fountain adds the soothing allure of running water that a picture could not offer. This Arts and Crafts water feature fits in perfectly with the traditional setting. Ivy and budding plants surround the fountain to make it the focal point of the wall.

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From Water Trough to Fountain

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With a bit of creativity, you can craft an outdoor fountain from an unusual item. It will delight guests and make them wonder what other surprises are in store in your yard. Here, a galvanized-tin water trough is transformed into a fountain ideal for a country setting. A stone frog adds a fun twist while water hyacinths soften the lines of the tub.

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Mix Shapes for Contrast and Beauty

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For easy maintenance, use a hidden reservoir with your fountain. Water cascades over the sides of this sphere into a basin below. For contrast, square pavers surround the round focal point.

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Glazed Pot with Bamboo Spout for Meditation Garden

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Ensure that your water feature meshes well with the decor of your landscape. Here, a tall, glazed oval pot is a perfect addition to the meditation garden. The sound of flowing water creates a tranquil atmosphere, while the bamboo spout adds to the decor. Surrounding greenery hides the tube that the water flows from, enhancing the aesthetic appeal.

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Japanese-Inspired Water Feature

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Japanese elements can be the perfect backyard garden fountain idea for a design theme. Here, water pours from a long spout into a small stone basin. The sound of running water adds a sense of tranquility to the landscape. The simple stone basin fits in beautifully with the decor and requires little maintenance.

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Match Fountain Materials to Landscape

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Be sure to choose a fountain that will fit with your outdoor decor. The contemporary style of this fountain is complemented by a curved concrete basin that captures the overflow and matches the steps and concrete walls found throughout the landscape.

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Simple Fountains for Simple Pleasures

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Simple fountains add soothing running water while not overpowering the landscape. Here, a sturdy, rustic bucket provides a perfect basin for streams of water. Surrounding greenery softens the lines and ensures the fountain fits beautifully with the landscape.

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Millstone Fountain

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A beautiful fountain will be the focal point of your landscape. Water spouts from a millstone in this garden. The uneven top of the millstone provides interest, and the small stones atop the fountain match those below.

19 Gorgeous Garden Fountain Ideas to Add to Your Yard (2024)

FAQs

What to put in an outdoor water fountain? ›

If your fountain doesn't have any water plants, you can always add a small amount of chlorine to your fountain. We'd only recommend using one to two tablespoons, every two to three weeks during summer and the warmer spring weeks of the year. Ensure your pump is turned off when adding the chlorine.

How to make a cascading water feature? ›

The waterfall cascade is a very effective attractive water feature for almost any garden, basically there is a reservoir of water normally located at ground level, a pump is submersed in this reservoir and the water is then pumped via tubing (connected to the pump), up to a higher level, the water then spills out of ...

Can I put vinegar in my outdoor water fountain? ›

Vinegar does not hurt your fountain pump! There is nothing left to worry about if you decide to use vinegar. You can remove stains and discoloration easily. The basic idea behind cleaning most water fountains is understanding the system inside and knowing how to clean.

How do I keep my fountain water crystal clear? ›

Remove Leaves and Debris

Much like pools, fountains can harbor algae and mineral buildup if not cleaned out regularly. Skim the water's surface 1-2 times per week with a small net to remove any leaves, bugs or other debris that could clog the water pump.

How much does it cost to install an outdoor drinking fountain? ›

The average cost of water fountain installation is $2,300. Most people spend between $1,000 and $6,000. The main cost factors for installing a water fountain are type and design of the fountain, location, and labor. Most units cost between $500 and $3,000, but can also be as high as $5,000.

How do I choose an outdoor fountain? ›

You should consider the style of your house or garden when choosing a design. A very ornate statue fountain will not suit a house with a very modern design. Rather look at fountains with a more contemporary design. If you don't have a lot of outdoor space available, you could consider a corner or wall mounted fountain.

How to make a simple water feature? ›

Place Pump in Container

Set a submersible pump in the bottom of the container. Using a pot that is at least 24 inches in diameter makes a splash and requires less water refilling than a smaller pot. Pull the pump electrical cord through the drainage hole of the pot.

How do you make a water feature look natural? ›

This is what will really make your water feature so make sure you choose the right stones! If you've used Rockery or Boulders, you can get matching decorative stones which make the whole feature look really natural.

Where do you put a small water fountain? ›

The best place to install a water fountain is in the north direction of your home. Northeast and east are also compatible with this water element. However, it would be best never to choose your home's south, southeast, or west zone to install the Fountain. Doing this can create problems for members of the household.

How do backyard fountains work? ›

The majority of water features work in the same way: the water is stored in the reservoir which contains the water while it's not moving through the feature, and a pump is necessary to move the water, usually against gravity. Next you'll see it flowing down as gravity brings it back down to the reservoir.

What can I put in my outdoor fountain to prevent algae? ›

Oxygenators can help prevent fountains going green and prevent algae build up. Oxygenators, as in the name, add oxygen to your water which will balance out any excess of nitrogen which causes the algae. As well as causing more movement of the water which also helps to prevent algae growth.

What to put in a fountain to prevent algae? ›

Using distilled water in your water fountain will help reduce the amount of algae that grows due to the water being more pure. Distilled water has the sediments and minerals removed, which helps reduce mineral buildup and algae growth.

How do I keep my fountain water clean naturally? ›

A mix of half white vinegar and water or even apple cider vinegar (although this is a more pricey option) can be a natural cleaner for your fountain water. There is also the option of emptying out your water regularly to avoid the need for any harsher chemicals.

How do I keep my outdoor fountain algae free? ›

Change the fountain water every month.

Changing the water every month helps eliminate any already present algae and prevents buildup in the pump system of your fountain.

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