The brief on this was pretty straightforward. Design a fountain for the Entry Garden that a) matches the aesthetic, b) isn’t a nightmare to maintain, and c) provides a source of water to birds and pollinators. Oh, and it would be nice if small rodents couldn’t fall in and drown.
I've always wanted a burbling garden fountain. After reading your efforts with yours, I suspect I'm too slapdash to carry the project off. As soon as I see your red strings, I know I'm not in your league. Sanding, sealing, and balancing would have me kicking the bowl into next week. Regular old birdbaths it will remain in these parts but I do appreciate your efforts (and writing), Chris.
Well, there are easier ways to go about this and some of the options (the stone ball with water running down the sides into gravel) don’t require very tight tolerances. I just got started down this route and then succumbed to a bit of fixed cost fallacy - “I can turn back now, I’ve invested too much time and energy into the concept”. That being said, I like the result while being unsure about its staying power. Making good “make or buy” decisions is something I struggle with. Also, recent increased raccoon traffic has me wondering when I wake up to find that they’ve used it as bathtub/washing up station. Then I will be forced to make a change.
The basin is very Zen and suits its spot, so I hope the local raccoons don't think there's a new laundromat in town. I have crows leaving me gifts in the larger birdbath. That gets pretty interesting.
As Laura will attest, I dream of having a semi-tamed crow that flies in every morning for some disgusting plate of scraps, struts around for awhile on the terrace, and then gets on with his day. No raccoons in the fountain yet, though last night they tore off the bird netting on the strawberries and had a feast.
You're in luck, Karen. The second-to-last image in this post is a video clip. Be sure your sound is on: while you might see water spilling over the edge, the effect is more auditory than visual. Enjoy!
I've always wanted a burbling garden fountain. After reading your efforts with yours, I suspect I'm too slapdash to carry the project off. As soon as I see your red strings, I know I'm not in your league. Sanding, sealing, and balancing would have me kicking the bowl into next week. Regular old birdbaths it will remain in these parts but I do appreciate your efforts (and writing), Chris.
Well, there are easier ways to go about this and some of the options (the stone ball with water running down the sides into gravel) don’t require very tight tolerances. I just got started down this route and then succumbed to a bit of fixed cost fallacy - “I can turn back now, I’ve invested too much time and energy into the concept”. That being said, I like the result while being unsure about its staying power. Making good “make or buy” decisions is something I struggle with. Also, recent increased raccoon traffic has me wondering when I wake up to find that they’ve used it as bathtub/washing up station. Then I will be forced to make a change.
The basin is very Zen and suits its spot, so I hope the local raccoons don't think there's a new laundromat in town. I have crows leaving me gifts in the larger birdbath. That gets pretty interesting.
As Laura will attest, I dream of having a semi-tamed crow that flies in every morning for some disgusting plate of scraps, struts around for awhile on the terrace, and then gets on with his day. No raccoons in the fountain yet, though last night they tore off the bird netting on the strawberries and had a feast.
It looks beautiful and I look forward to updates! I would love to see video of the fountain in action.
You're in luck, Karen. The second-to-last image in this post is a video clip. Be sure your sound is on: while you might see water spilling over the edge, the effect is more auditory than visual. Enjoy!
Well, so it is! It sounds lovely.