(In hindsight, we should have done this before we installed the tree or pond, which would have allowed for more elbow room while working). Making the flower bed was the most labor intensive step because we had grass to remove. We didn't want to dedicate our limited outdoor electrical socket to the fountain. We didn't want to run conduit through the yard. *Why solar? We didn't want to add the cost of a continuously running pump, however small, to our utility bill. We plan to add at least one aquatic plant to the pond, and in time, an underwater light. Love grass and creeping phlox were planted pondside, and the area was mulched. When finances allow, we intend to replace the solar panel with one that has a battery backup, allowing the fountain to run after dark. It is decorative, matching the other brackets holding flower baskets along the fence and added an attractive solar light we previously owned to the bottom bracket By using superglue to make this attachment, and only screwing in the top hole of the bracket, we are able to adjust the solar panel throughout the day with a simple nudge. The solar panel* itself is attached to a flowerpot hanging bracket screwed into the fencepost. A rock is placed to provide a connecting point between the pond's center and the edge. We used clean cinder blocks to displace water in the pond, provide a hiding place for any critters that might visit, and have a platform for the fountain, which is gently 'wedged' between two of the blocks in the pond's center. We put ours in the ground to accomodate the toads we've seen (and we're hoping for some frogs and turtles as well). With a rigid pond such as this, you don't have to put in in the ground at all.

Once in, we back-filled around it with the excavated earth, and added enough water to make sure it was settled and level. (We should have chosen a few inches closer to the fence).Īt 18' deep and with a fat base, there was not a lot of digging required to place it at the depth we wanted. We chose our pond spot based on it's proximity to the tree as well as the fencepost, where we wouild mount the solar panel.

Make sure if you go this route and you intend to have fish, that the material is 'fish-friendly' (not all are). The one we chose is a 35 gallon plastic pond (which we ordered online and picked up at our local big box home improvement store). After looking at pond liners, and given our desire to have a smaller size, we decided to go with a rigid pond.

Small corner yard waterfall pond ideas