Even though the idea of garden fountains being made from pots is not new, I happened upon a method of building one that I hadn't seen before. I think this fountain would make a wonderful addition to any garden and its so easy to build that anyone can do it. The first thing you need to do is choose the appropriate pots. One will be used as the basin to catch the water coming down. The next is a base and then the largest pot is used for the main fountain. When you are choosing the shape for this pot, keep in mind that the function is just as important as how it looks. A slightly tapered pot that is smooth will be very quiet as the water tends to cling on to the sides of the pot as it falls. Pots having ridges or rings will cause the water to splash into the basin causing more sound. 
Start with a large stone or terracotta bowl for the foundation of your fountain. This is the pot that catches the overflowing water from the large main pot. Turn the pot upside down and drill a hole in the bottom center (if necessary). Turn it back over and run the cord from your pump out through the hole. Now cover the hole with duct tape and seal it with a body filler used for repairing cars. Once its dry, fill in around the cord with silicon. Next, use a water sealant to coat the inside of the basin. Its now ready to place in your desired location. The basin should be somewhat level, but this is not crucial.
The base is a pot that is turned upside down and houses the pump. Choose a pot that has a base diameter the same as the base diameter of the main fountain pot. Soak the pot overnight in water. This helps make it easier to cut notches around the top rim of the pot. These notches allow water to come in that gets pumped up through the fountain tube.
Cut a piece of tubing about a foot longer than the height of the fountain pot. Attach this to the pump. Now feed the base pot down over the tube through the hole in the bottom of the pot. Seal the gap around the tube with more silicon. Now you should have your basin with an upside down pot sitting in the middle of it with a pump inside and the tube sticking out the top of the base pot.
Now things should start taking shape. Take the fountain pot and test fit it down over the tube by placing it on top of the base pot. Don't glue it down yet. If it looks good (with the pipe sticking out past the top of the pot) you can take it back off and run a couple of thick beads of silicon around the top of the base pot. The bead around the outside diameter helps hold the two pots together and the bead on the inside closer to the hole will keep water from running in between the pots.
Once everything has dried, fill with water and test. Now you will have to adjust the height of the tubing to get the desired effect you are looking for. Finish by filling in the basin with rocks.
Start with a large stone or terracotta bowl for the foundation of your fountain. This is the pot that catches the overflowing water from the large main pot. Turn the pot upside down and drill a hole in the bottom center (if necessary). Turn it back over and run the cord from your pump out through the hole. Now cover the hole with duct tape and seal it with a body filler used for repairing cars. Once its dry, fill in around the cord with silicon. Next, use a water sealant to coat the inside of the basin. Its now ready to place in your desired location. The basin should be somewhat level, but this is not crucial.
The base is a pot that is turned upside down and houses the pump. Choose a pot that has a base diameter the same as the base diameter of the main fountain pot. Soak the pot overnight in water. This helps make it easier to cut notches around the top rim of the pot. These notches allow water to come in that gets pumped up through the fountain tube.
Cut a piece of tubing about a foot longer than the height of the fountain pot. Attach this to the pump. Now feed the base pot down over the tube through the hole in the bottom of the pot. Seal the gap around the tube with more silicon. Now you should have your basin with an upside down pot sitting in the middle of it with a pump inside and the tube sticking out the top of the base pot.
Now things should start taking shape. Take the fountain pot and test fit it down over the tube by placing it on top of the base pot. Don't glue it down yet. If it looks good (with the pipe sticking out past the top of the pot) you can take it back off and run a couple of thick beads of silicon around the top of the base pot. The bead around the outside diameter helps hold the two pots together and the bead on the inside closer to the hole will keep water from running in between the pots.
Once everything has dried, fill with water and test. Now you will have to adjust the height of the tubing to get the desired effect you are looking for. Finish by filling in the basin with rocks.
About the Author:
Donald Rickerby has been working in gardens since his early childhood and has always been interested in educating others on garden pot and landscaping techniques. If you would like to know more about container gardening, visit AllGardenPots.com
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