Mixin' it up ....

Well, I have been moving things around in my yard and found a good deal on a cheap fountain. I added the new fountain to the front. It's made out of resin and is cheaply made. We'll see how long that baby lasts! But I like the look. It seems to blend in more with the garden. If it stops working, it becomes a bird bath! lol

I moved the more expensive fountain to the backyard where I'm thinking seriously about making it into a planter for some red Petunias. It kept getting green fungus growing all over it when it was a fountain. Looked awful. I just didn't like it at all as a fountain. But it might make a nice plant stand.

Here's the fountain that I "used" to have in the front. What do ya think? Bird bath or plant stand? lol

I still have plants sitting in pots around my yard. Just can't decide whether to put them in a container or plant them in the ground. The red petunias have been sitting there in their flats for several months now. lol I guess I should do something with them. I thought they might look good in a pot that I could sit down inside the fountain as a plant stand and then let them drape over the edge of the fountain. Might look kinda cool?

I think it would look great!!!! Love the look of your gardens.
Louanne

Thank you, Louanne! I am constantly switching things up until I get the look/atmosphere that I want in any given area. I'm no gardening artist/landscaper, but I know what I like! lol

Love the new fountain! Where did you find it....I've been wanting a fountain, cheap would be good.
Yes, those red petunias would look fantastic in that birdbath!

Online of course! Go to this website:
simplyfountains.com
and the sale on the fountain is on this page:
http://www.simplyfountains.com/outdoor-fountains/garden-fountains/products.cfm?action=view&key=ALP058

They have this fountain on sale as well:
http://www.simplyfountains.com/outdoor-fountains/garden-fountains/outdoor-fountains/tiered-fountains/products.cfm?action=view&key=ALP059

I think there is a special $5.00 or FREE shpg. charge today as well.

Happy shopping! Again, these are CHEAPLY made fountains. So I don't know how long the pump will last, but I got mine because I can put a couple drops of bleach in it when it gets algae growing in it. Being resin, it can handle bleach without fading out.

This message was edited Jan 13, 2007 5:02 PM

Thanks Becky, if the pump goes out, they can be replaced easy and cheap.

Not this one, I don't believe. It has a wielded metal pipe running up through it. The pump, the tall pipe, and the pump mounting frame are all one piece. Something else, my pump is rather strong and tends to splash water out of it, so after 24 hours the water level is low and the fountain isn't functioning properly because of that. There is still water in it, but not enough for the fountain to work. Which is why I said that it may not last. It's cheap. Unless, of course, I can find something to slow the water flow down so that it doesn't lose water so quickly.

This message was edited Jan 13, 2007 5:47 PM

Oh, drat, so you can't get to the pump from the bottom either?

Possibly. But I don't know. I just put it together and hooked it up and it worked!

Edited to add: There is a one year factory warranty on it.

This message was edited Jan 13, 2007 5:58 PM

I went to the site, I didn't think it was THAT cheap, maybe it will last. Is that the one that has a strong pump ot the other one?

fly_girl - I have the one with the "fish" spouting water out of it's mouth. It has a strong pump flow. My other concrete white fountain was about $150.00 (including the pump I had to purchase separately). It was a Mother's Day gift from my family a couple years ago. Now ..... it has been converted to an expensive plant stand. LOL! This new one is "cheap" compared to that. Fountains are usually quite expensive. Starting at $120 and going up from there. That's why this one looked like a good deal! I guess you get what you pay for. But it is still functional and looks good in my garden bed.

I guess I need to hit garage sales for stuff like this .... lol. It's just not something I usually see for sale except at retail stores. :-S

There is a clamp that you can buy to lessen the flow but you'd have to be able to get to the tubing. I have a concrete birdbath and was thinking of getting a solar fountain that sits in the birdbath, but they are about the cost of your new fountain.
I think the resin does fit in with your garden and looks pretty. I rubbed mud all over my concrete one so it wouldn't look new. It worked, now it looks old like it's been there a while.

They put a 120 GPH pump in there and that does seem to be too big.

Tell me about, fly_girl! (sigh) LOL about you rubbing mud all over your new fountain. That's one way to make it look aged. Good idea! :-)

I received a number of those Visa debit gift cards for Christmas. (No one ever knows what kind of gardening stuff I need, so I always get gift certificates instead! lol) Which is why I bought the fountain. But I also bought the floating solar lily pad for one of my ponds. I like it, but it only works if the sun is shining. It doesn't store the solar power or operate on rechargeable batteries. Which is a bit disappointing. Though I knew that when I bought it because they tell you that on the website next to that product. I will say that this company's pumps are pretty good. Rather powerful..... much to my surprise. Too bad the fountain pump is too strong for that little fountain. Maybe I can partially plug up the fish mouth hole to slow the flow down? I don't know. (sigh)

This message was edited Jan 13, 2007 9:43 PM

This is my fountain/birdbath. My husband hooked it up to a solar panel that he got on-line from a great guy in Canada who gave him all the directions. It only works when the sun is out, but that doesn't bother me.

Oh duh, it is an old percolator coffee pot that spills into an old enamel basin. It is mounted on driftwood and there are three little "houses" on the top that the anoles just love.

fly_girl - I just re-read your post. Unfortunately, with this fountain pump, there is no plastic tubing running up the inside of the fountain. It's metal, so there is no way to add a clamp to cut the water-flow down. But I am going to call the company tomorrow and see what they suggest. I'll let you know.

Karen - From what I can see in the photo (too light to make out details) of your fountain/birdbath, it looks very unique. Would it be possible to post a closer photo of it? I'd really like to see it in more detail. It looks kinda neat from what I am able to make out.

I'd love to Becky but my digital camera is an oldie that lets in too much light. I will try as the sun goes down. I got it at a craft show and just love it!!

Well, I finally finished my bird feeder set-up! My dh helped A LOT! What a chore. And I am broke now. So this is the newest thing that I have added to my backyard. I have to laugh because now that I am looking at it, it looks like a lamp post with an arm for the house address to hang from (instead of the bird feeder hanging there). LOL! Thank goodness all this stuff is in my backyard. I just know that my neighbors would have me committed to the funny farm. =:-O

Becky, that looks great! I especially like the squirrel baffle. If they are going to commit you, it won't be for the feeder setup........gardening at night with your PJ's on...now that might give them just cause heehee

fly_girl - ROFL! YOU are RIGHT! :-D :-D

This message was edited Jan 15, 2007 10:13 PM

Becky I like your fountain! Looks great in your garden.. My birdbath out front is concrete and it is pretty old. I use a birdbath wash spray that I apply once a week, scrub it with a really stiff brush, let it sit..then rinse it out. It seems to work good, but it is work...lol!
Birdies particularly like the sound of water going.. Like Roxanne, I would like to have a fountain too.. Maybe when I get to the water elements I will put one in. It would probably be best in my front yard though, to attract the birds there in Spring & Summer. Will probably feed them in front too, as I always have. My neighbor next door feeds lots of birds in her back yard..
I am a teeny bit concerned about them eating the Cats, but some of the ones I am hosting this year will make a bird sick if they eat them... (not dead, just sick). Thank God!
So far it has balanced itself out...

OK, I caught the fountain in a cloudy moment....

And one more....

Karen - Somehow I missed your newest photos. Was skimming this post again and what do ya know .... ya posted more photos!!! That birdbath/fountain is really cute! Thanks for posting more photos! Very unique indeed! And how do the birdies like it?

The birds LOVE it! I watch a mockingbird and blackbird bathe every day. They are so cute and will stick their heads under the stream.