New Water Feature

bmor

I had big plans to make a tsukubai or similar water feature for my future inlaws. For various reasons, I ended up making this bubbling stone type pondless water feature. I did not have access to the dig camera until the after pics--sorry but here's how i made it....
SUPPLIES---
I bought a scrap piece of 6x10 45mil liner (~$30.00). I also purchased 4 bags of river rock 2 1/2 inch (~$32.00) and a plastic 4 shelf storage rack (~$32.00). I bought some weather worn rock (about 9 pieces) for ~$50. Pump ~$150. All prices are in Canadian Funds.
METHOD---
I dug the hole to the size of the shelves (~ 2 1/2 feet)as they will keep the stones from falling in. the depth i dug is about 1 1/2 feet deep. i layed the liner in and placed the shelves on bricks for support and placed the bricks on some small pieces of landscape fabric to protect the liner. The liner extends under the rocks, even the river rocks to catch any spray and return it to the reservoir.

I basically, surrounded the reservoir with weather worn rock and the water bubbles up out of one of the stones that has some depressions. I placed a smaller rock over the tube which puts out the water from the pump (i went with a 300 gph pump which was perfect for a bubbling rock effect). the cool thing is, if you move the top rock (cap rock) the effect of the cascading water changes so you can really alter the flow and cascade in immeasurable aesthetic ways not to mention the sound as the water falls through the rocks and grate to the reservoir below(a meager kind of Suikinkutsu -water harp chamber). I have placed some river rock stones over the plastic grate that covers the reservoir and have an access point to remove the pump in the fall and clean when necessary.

I planted the porcupine grass, procumbens nana and hosta which surround the feature. Later in the fall, I'll transplant some of my Siberian and Japanese Iris to the area. The owners (future inlaws) have started to accessorize, but in their own style and less with the Japanese Garden style i had in mind. Nonetheless, a fun project.

Attached Images

07720014.jpg (69.5 KB, 160 views)

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bmor

a close up of the bubbling rock

Attached Images

bubbling rock.jpg (61.0 KB, 113 views)