I think the 2 most common misconceptions with water features is that they are 1) high maintenance and 2) are expensive to install and maintain. I’ll admit, it is true that some ponds and waterfalls can be fairly expensive, especially if you are having them professionally installed. Additionally, a poorly designed/built water feature can be a maintenance nightmare.
However, this month I want to talk about affordable low maintenance options that are readily available for even those on the tightest of budgets. In fact If you have a small vegetable garden I will show you ways to get a beautiful water feature that will cost you less money and time to install and will be lower maintenance than your garden is. Think I’m pulling your leg? Then just read on…
Patio Ponds
Let’s start with Patio Ponds or as we like to refer to them “Aquabowls”. These are really simple little ecosystems that will provide hours of enjoyment for adults and kids alike. Even though we have a fairly elaborate pond at our house we absolutely love our Aquabowl (and spend ~2 minutes a week on maintenance adding water). THEY EVEN HAVE FISH & FROGS!!..That’s correct these neat little bowls consist of Plants, Fish and Water to create a micro working ecosystem with crystal clear water and absolutely NO STRING ALGAE!! I kid you not I literally only add 5 gallons of water to mine per week and at a total cost of less than $200 you simply cannot beat the value of this wonderful little ecosystem.
Details
Aquabowl Cost: $159.98
Aquabowl Cost: $159.98
Plants Cost: ~$30.00
Installation/Maintenance Time:15 Minutes/2 Minutes per week
Small Fountains
There are literally hundreds of different options out there for incorporating a fountain feature into your yard. We have just got in a new complete fountain kit that comes in 4 different styles and costs only $140. Click Here to see a short video on how simple these fountains are to install . If you are looking for something a little larger then you will want to consider our aquabasin kit with a decorative fountain installed on top of it. These systems take a little longer to install. To put it into perspective, just last weekend Austin (my 7 year old son) and I installed a small bubbling urn on an aquabasin in just under 2 hours start to finish. Check out some of the photos we took below and Click Here to view an aquabasin installation video.
Details
Small Aquabasin Cost: $259.98
Fountain Cost: $29.98 and Up
Installation/Maintenance Time: 2 hrs/2 minutes per week
There are endless opportunities for adding water to your landscape and outdoor living area. In particular there are several low cost/low maintenance options available for you to enjoy the relaxation that only water can provide you. You can Click Here or visit us at our Pond Store to see some of the many options we have available for you to take home today. Until next month Happy Pondering….
Sincerely
Jeff Duggins