Build a Garden waterfalls

Step 1: Overview

1 of 1 Garden waterfalls

Completed stream

Placing rocks

We've all stopped, gazed and listened upon encountering a rippling brook or waterfall—to soak up the serenity that nature provides. But where is that spot when we need it most? Since you probably can't drive and hike to a tranquil location after a hard day's work, you can use this project to help you recreate these all-too-fleeting moments in your backyard. And you can build your stream in two weekends.
We designed this stream to eliminate the filtering and cleaning maintenance that comes with ponds. The trick to low maintenance is to let nature (layers of gravel and stone) filter the water, using an underground sump at the lower end to catch the filtered water before pumping it back up to the top of the stream. All you have to do is occasionally add water to replace what evaporates—and rainfall may handle this task for you. In this story, we'll show you how to slope the stream, lay the liner and install the pump and the catch basin as well as landscape the stream. We'll help you plan the ideal location and size of your stream, and tell you how to select liners, pumps and stone. We won't get into kits that are available either on-line or at home centers. We chose to build our system with parts and components that are readily available and less expensive than kits. They'll give you more flexibility to design the stream that best fits your yard.
You can complete this project successfully even if it's your first water feature. But it's heavy work. The only special tools you'll need are a strong wheelbarrow (one with pneumatic tires is best) and a two-wheel ball cart for moving and placing heavy boulders.

Caution!

Although these pools are shallow, they can be a drowning hazard for small children. Check with your local building department for local regulations. And be watchful of toddlers.

Step 2: Select a location buid a Garden waterfalls

Sit in a favorite spot and visualize where a stream with waterfalls would fit into your landscape—perhaps near a patio or deck.
Planning elements to consider:
Foundation
If your soil is easy to dig, then excavate the entire project. If digging is difficult, build your stream above ground with stones for the base.
Slope
Very little slope is needed (minimum 2 in. drop per 10 ft. of stream). For faster moving water or taller waterfalls, make the grade steeper (which also adds more sound).
Size
Plan your stream size first to determine how much water the lower basin and upper pool must hold when the pump is off. Figure 5 gallons per linear foot of flowing stream (2-1/2 ft. wide x 3 in. deep). Our lower basin (40 gallons) and upper pool (240 gallons) easily held our 75-gallon stream capacity.
Sound
For a babbling brook sound, use a waterfall height of 2 to 4 in. To drown out street noise, use 10-in. and greater waterfall drops. More waterfalls equals more noise.
Location
Waterfalls should be visible from your favorite deck, patio or inside-the-home chair. Consider a location near the bedroom if you like the sound of running water at night; you can always turn it off if it's too loud or distracting. Make sure your pump location (lower basin) is close to an electrical source, and that you can reach the stream with a garden hose to add water as needed. For our site, we wrapped an S-shaped stream next to a ground-level deck built into an existing perennial garden. We varied the height of the four waterfalls and the width of the stream to give it a more natural look and sound. Plus we added a ball valve to the return water line so we could speed or slow the flow rate, and control the sound level.

Figure A: Stream layout Garden waterfalls

Figure B: Upper pool

Figure C: Lower basin

Figures A-C: Stream and Waterfalls Layout

Use these illustrations to help you plan your water feature.

Step 3: Order Stone

When you start your stone search, look under “Rock,” “Quarries” or “Sand & Gravel” in the Yellow Pages or online. Call to check prices and types of stone available. Go visit dealers to get exactly what you want, plus you can select specific colorful accent boulders and flat stones for the waterfalls—then have it all delivered. Some quarries will even bag the stone by type and size (for a fee), and these palleted bags take up less space on a driveway, as opposed to piles of gravel and boulders.
For gravel (3/4-in. to 2-in. stones), figure you'll need 1/2 ton per 10 ft. of stream, plus we used 1 to 1-1/2 tons for the upper pool and lower basin. For basic field boulders (6 in. to 24 in.) to line the stream banks, figure 3/4 ton per 10 ft. of stream. Add 1-1/2 to 2 tons more of larger 12-in. to 24-in.boulders for the upper pool and lower basin. Because we built the top half of the stream above ground, we used 3-1/2 tons of extra boulders.
If you want specialty colorful accent boulders, expect to pay premium prices. Avoid limestone, as it can encourage algae growth.

Caution!

A few days before you plan to dig for your stream, call 811 to have underground utilities in the area located and marked.

Step 4: Map the stream and start digging

1 of 2 Garden waterfalls

Photo 1: Design the stream buid a Garden waterfalls

Haul in your boulders and stones and place them around the worksite. Outline the location of your stream with a garden hose, then paint a line around it. Also use paint to mark waterfall locations and ideal spots for large decorative boulders.

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After all the stone and gravel arrive, map out your design and mark it with spray paint (Photo 1).
We built the upper half of the stream and two waterfalls above the ground, then carved the lower half of this 15-ft. stream out of the soil (Figure A). Pick whichever technique works with your soil and go with it. Either way, keep the ibuprofen handy to soothe those sore lifting and digging muscles!
Next, dig the lower basin for the sump basin and surrounding stone and gravel. Dig a square hole at least 2 ft. wider than the basin diameter and 6 in. deeper than the height. It should be at least a foot wider than the stream.
Simultaneously, build a ring of stone for the upper pool foundation and the stream banks (Photo 2). Place 12-in. tall stones flat side up (if possible) so the next layer of stone will fit more securely on top (Figure B). Use a rubber mallet to pack dirt and gravel tightly around the stones to hold them in place.

Step 5: Complete the lower basin first

1 of 2 Garden waterfalls

Photo 3: Prepare the basin and pump buid a Garden waterfalls

Drill holes in the basin using three different size hole saw bits (see Figure C). Prime, cement and attach the hose adapter to the pump.

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Use a 2-in. hole saw bit and drill holes every 4 in. in the bottom third of the pump basin (Figure C and Photo 3). Repeat the process with a 1-in. hole saw bit for the middle third, then use a 3/8-in. bit for the top third.
Remove sharp objects from the bottom of the basin, then lay in the underlayment and liner. Calculate the size carefully and cut the underlayment first. Then cut and fit the liner so it is tucked in all corners and extends about 2 ft. out of the hole in all directions. With the pump basin in place, insert the pump, connect the water line and lay it in place to ensure it will reach the top of the upper pool. Add layers of stone around the basin and top with the lid (Figure C and Photo 4).

Step 6: Dig out (or build) a long staircase

1 of 2 Garden waterfalls

Photo 5: Dig the streambed buid a Garden waterfalls

Carve a winding stream bed 6 to 8 in. deep, 2 to 3-1/2 ft. wide. Dig the channel so it stair-steps down at waterfall No. 3, and dig 3- to 4-in. deep pools below waterfalls No. 2 and 3 (Figure A).

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First, at each waterfall location, dig down to the approximate depth of the drop you desire or build up the fall if you're working above grade. This gives you a streambed depth target. Now move to the bottom of the stream and carve a 2 to 3-1/2 ft. wide streambed 6 to 8 in. deep, sloping upward as you dig upstream to meet that streambed depth target at each waterfall (Photo 5). Then dig out shallow pools below waterfalls as needed (Figure A) to slow the water flow.
Since we built above ground for the upper section of the stream, we next added a level row of stones for waterfalls No. 1 and 2 (Photo 6). Pick the height you desire. Use 6- in. tall stones to frame the banks. Also finish compacting a gravel and dirt mixture to the inside and outside of the upper pool stones. Then tamp down the upper pool area and the streambed.

Step 7: Lay the liner and position waterfall stones

1 of 2 Garden waterfalls

Photo 7: Spread the liner in the streambed buid a Garden waterfalls

Lay the underlayment and a rubber liner into the streambed. Leave 3 to 4 in. of slack in the liner at the base of the waterfalls, extend about 2 ft. up each bank and overlap the basin liner by 2 ft. Place decorative boulders at waterfall locations.

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Position the fabric underlayment and liner to extend from the lower basin to the upper pool, with slack at the base of each waterfall, because placing boulders can stretch and rip a tight liner (Photo 7). Place decorative boulders at the side of each waterfall, and add an extra piece of rubber liner underneath each heavy stone to protect the base liner. For stable, above-ground stream edges, backfill the edging stones with a gravel and dirt mixture and compact it (Photo 8). Next, lay the final piece of underlayment and liner in the upper pool so it tucks in at all corners and extends 2 ft. out in all directions. There's no need to tape the liners to each other; just make sure the top liner overlaps the liner underneath it by 1-1/2 to 2 ft. Then add the top layer of stones around the upper pool.

Step 8: Add spill stones and foam the gaps

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Photo 9: Buid a Garden waterfalls

Set decorative boulders at each side of waterfalls No. 1 and 2. Then coat the bottom of the flat spill stones with foam sealant so they adhere to the liner. Wedge stones into cracks between the spill stones and the sides of the stream bank.

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Once you place the decorative boulders at the waterfall locations, place all the flat spill stones. Apply black expanding foam sealant, designed for ponds and waterfalls, to the underside to adhere them to the rubber liner. Now fill all gaps with stones to force water to go only over the waterfall (Photo 9). Then apply foam sealant to all sides and to the underneath of each spill stone to create a good seal (Photo 10). After the foam has dried for 30 minutes, take your garden hose and run water down the stream. Look for any water trails (leaks) along the spill stone edges and underneath. Fill any leaks with more foam and repeat until all water goes over the top of the spill stones.

Step 9: Add gravel and clean the stream

1 of 2 Garden waterfalls

Photo 11: Add boulders to complete buid a Garden waterfalls

Add a top layer of small boulders to complete the upper pool and streambed. Place steppingstones in the middle of the stream and the stones below the waterfalls. Cover the rest of the streambed liner with gravel.

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The final construction step is to place steppingstones in the middle of the stream to make it inviting for people, birds and pets. Then carefully layer in gravel to cover any exposed liner (Photo 11).
Spray down the entire stream area with a garden hose nozzle until the water level rises above the gravel in the bottom basin. Now power up the pump and direct the pump hose away from the stream. Keep washing down the stream and rock until the water from the pump hose runs clear. Then insert the pump hose into the upper pool (make sure it is hidden), and finish your stream by trimming and covering any rubber liner that shows (Photo 12).
Now it's time to take that favorite seat, with a cold beverage in hand, and relax to the soothing sounds of your new stream.

Envision a Backyard Waterfall

This picture is great example of a garden waterfall easily built, by using the excavated dirt taken from the pond site and creating a gently sloping berm.
Please note that the berm was not totally covered with rocks, just enough to line the falls.
The plants that you choose to plant around the garden ponds waterfalls will soften the impact of the berm.
What you don’t see in this picture is the deck that wraps around the home.
This water garden is very close to that deck allowing a spectacular view of not only the pond but the garden waterfall as well.
Adding a waterfall will oxygenate your pond naturally. The steady turbulence created by the falling water will draw oxygen from the air and infuse it into the pond water.
To prevent water loss between the rocks, use a waterfall foam to seal the spaces between the rocks, allowing the water to flow over the rocks only. A liner placed underneath the rocks will also help to keep the water in your pond. The liner should be placed in such a way as to create a trough, so that if water does seep in between the rocks, it will be re-cycled back into the pond. This liner should also overlap the pond liner so that it will shed water back into the pond.
For more information on building a waterfall, see our page on waterfall construction. This page shows how to build a waterfall using a "filter fall".
You can find more helpful information at Water Garden Waterfall, along with some design tips.
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Visual effect and audio effect are a big part of a successful waterfall!

The picture below is a great example of how the surroundings can create an ampitheater to enhance the sound of a garden ponds waterfalls.
Sound is determined by a number of factors:

Volume or flow of water

Distance or height of the fall

Surroundings of the waterfall

Keep everything in proportion.

Don't overwhelm your pond.

Know what you want from your creation.

How intricate do you want to make your backyard waterfall?

Example: 1 or 2 or 3 tiers.

Use of excess dirt taken from the excavation of your pond can be used to create a natural berm or hillside. This works better than a pile of rock-spewing water.

Don't try to create Niagara Falls in a puddle or pre-formed pond.

Pond photograph

Pond photograph, spring landscape art

Pond photograph, spring landscape art, green 8x12 print, reflection photo, zen

Title: Zen Moment, original print

Size: 8x12 inch print
Please note: very slight cropping of the image will occur at this size.

Want this photo in a different size? Please don't hesitate to ask. I'm happy to help!

I use little or no editing in my photography.

This image will be professionally printed for you at the time of purchasing.

Your print will be unmatted and borderless. It will have a glossy finish and will not have the watermark that you see here. It will be signed and dated on the back by me, Bonnie of BlackCatPhotographs.

See more: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackCatPhotographs?ref=si_shop

Purchase does not transfer copyright. All photos are ©BlackCatPhotographs and may not be reproduced without my permission. Thank you for supporting my photographic art and for respecting my image copyright
Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Pond Pictures

We have a large inventory of pictures that we are sure that you would like to view.
To see more great water garden pictures, see the pages below. Garden ponds pictures are very helpful to people who are interested in creating their own pond.

Garden Pond Fish

When and if you do decide to purchase pond fish there are several things that you should know about keeping fish. Understanding the requirements of fish is the first and most important step in keeping them.

Small garden ponds will not support very many fish and once they begin to grow, you will have a problem keeping them healthy. For this reason, it is vital that you decide what type and how many fish you want before building your pond.
Fish are cold blooded creatures and are affected by water temperatures, most active in the spring, thru the summer and into September.
The young ones will double in size in a typical summer and may even eat from your hand, but make sure that they have a lot of room.
Knowing how to keep your pond clean, because fish will pollute it and will take no time at all to create their own distress, will ease a lot of your worries about keeping pond fish. Installing bio-filters and a pump rated for the gallons your pond holds, will go a long way in keeping your fish healthy. Refer to our pond calculator page for information on this.

Stock the pond a bit at a time over several weeks giving the filter time to mature with the beneficial bacteria needed to keep up with the waste produced. Replacing the pond's water with a one third change every month should help freshen the pond and dilute the pollutants.
Live plants are an absolute must because they help keep algae in check and with plants you are making a "natural statement". Keeping the pond as close to nature as possible without using a lot of harmful chemicals, is the ultimate goal.
Feeding your fish is a science in itself. All of it depends on weather and water temperature. In winter, when it is colder, fish will not eat much so over feeding them will lead to pollution of your pond. To put this simply, fish feed more often when the weather is hot and very little when it is cold. Over time you will learn how much to feed them and when to feed.
With all of this in mind, have fun adding a few fish to your pond knowing that you can enjoy them from year to year.

Small Garden Ponds

Total cost for the filter was under $150.00. Adding several rocks found in farmers' fields, and a few choice aquatic plants rounded out the space.
The ease of small garden ponds comes with lower maintenance, coupled with lower electric consumption.
The wow factor comes with the landscaping around the small water garden and the plants within.

People marvel at not only the sound that the cascading water makes, but the beautiful plants that grow in water and on the edge of the pond.

Several considerations should be taken into account before the first shovel of ground is begun.

Positioning of the small water garden feature should be obviously where you will be able to enjoy it taking into consideration the amount of shade, crucial if you plan to keep fish.
In addition to this, the elevation of the ground and condition of the soil should factor into location of the pond because you want to be able to dig it, but also see it from your house or deck. Obviously, if your terrain is hilly or rocky, there could be some modifications necessary before the digging begins. If there are no trees to shade the area, then you will need to place plants in and around the pond.
Plants are covered in detail on our aquatic plants pages, but for our purposes here, we will talk about floating plants such as water hyacinths and waterlilies which also provide shade with it's leaves. These species not only shade the water surface, but help control algae growth, act as natural filters, and discourage a common small garden ponds pest from propagating: mosquitoes.
The plants are readily available at any garden store for a reasonable price. Now that we have our location and shade determined, we will look at supplies needed to build that little pond.

Building garden ponds

Building garden ponds

If you so desire, you can purchase small garden ponds kits online or in your local store.
These come complete, making it easy to install in a weekend, after you dig the hole. If you wish to purchase separate components, you will need a liner, or a preformed pond, a filter, a pump, tubing and fittings. Your local garden store should have all of these parts in stock and will be all to happy to advise you on pump and filter sizes. Or, you can check on the sizes needed by just simply referring to our calculator pages.
Regardless of which type of pond you choose, you will need to cover the liner rim or the pre-formed rim with some kind of natural material. You want it to look as natural as is possible. We simply used large rocks as mentioned above, and a lot of mulch around not only the rocks but the small garden ponds plants that set at the edge of the pond.
If you have just a small space, whether it is a yard, or even a patio, consider adding your very own small water garden feature and watch it grow.

Build a Pond

How to build a pond and have it look like nature's own work 

 Use large stones embedded into the edge of the liner.

This example shows the use of large stones around the waterline.
This works quite well with a planting bed behind as a backdrop or leading up to your backyard waterfall.

But if you were to use large stones all the way around your garden pond it may give the impression of a ring around your pond.
Large stones may also hide the edge of the pond making you look over the edge of the stone work to see the pond.
Large stones will also hinder your access to the edge of the pond making it harder to maintain.
If you use this type of edge treatment use smaller stones to fill in the gaps around the larger stones. This will help to hide the liner and give a more natural look.

Use flat stones around the garden ponds edge

In this example flat stones are used with a planting bed as the backdrop.

This works quite well also and will allow you to keep a lower profile of the surrounding earth.
In this picture the surrounding earth does rise above the ponds elevation but I am sure that you can envision how it would look if the surrounding landscape sloped downward or was level.
Flat stone work will also allow for better access to the ponds edge.
If you use several layers of flat stone all overlapping each other there is no need to use smaller stones to hide the liner.

Use pea gravel along with larger stones to retain the pea gravel

This is a stunning example of how to incorporate a garden pond into your patio.

How to build a pond using pea gravel that ties the pavers into the ponds edge quite well and the larger stones retain the smaller sized stones.
Access is also easily obtained at the waters edge allowing for easy pond care and feeding of fish.
Not shown in this photo is the fact that it has a stream originating at the front door and going through a series of small waterfalls before entering this pond.
Also in this pond there were some very large Koi fish adding to the enjoyment of this garden pond.
This in fact is a place of business and this garden pond is intended to create a relaxing environment to all workers and prospective clients who enter the front door.

 

Highest Waterfall

Highest Waterfall

Powerscourt Waterfall is Ireland's highest at 121m (398ft.) and is 5km from the Main Estate. It is set in one of Irelands most beautiful parklands at the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains.

As you drive from the gatelodge towards the Waterfall you are surrounded by Beech, Oak, Larch and Pine trees some of which were planted over 200 years ago. Look out for the Giant Redwoods, which are native to Northern California where they may grow up to 80m high and live for 4,000 years so they are still youngsters!

The Waterfall is an ideal location for Summer picnics and bbqs. There is a vast amount of space to keep children entertained. There is also a playground for younger children. But be mindful of the other inhabitants of the parkland! It is a haven for wildlife and children can have fun trying to spot some of the locals – the Chaffinch, Cuckoo, Raven and the Willow Warbler. Some other inhabitants are the Sika Deer which were introduced to Ireland in 1858 and there may be a red squirrel or two.

Don't fret if you forget your picnic as there is a kiosk on site that serves everything from Coffee, Tea, Hotdogs, Sandwiches and of course ice cream. The kiosk is open everyday from the 1^st June to the end of August and year round at weekends – weather permitting. There is ample car parking and toilet facilities at the waterfall. Dogs are welcome but they must be on a leash.

Take time to explore the pathways that meander through the flora and fauna and most of all walk on the grass, hug the trees and listen to the birdsong.

Read about Early Tourists to Powerscourt Waterfall

Special Promotion! Kids Under 12 will get a FREE POPCORN every Wednesday until the end of August at the refreshment kiosk at Powerscourt Waterfall. Simply show your ticket to get some scrumptious popcorn to enjoy alongside the great views at the waterfall.

Opening Times

• Jan/Feb/Nov/Dec 10.30am - 4.00pm
• Mar/Apr/Sept/Oct 10.30am - 5.30pm
• May/Jun/July/Aug 9.30am - 7.00pm
• Closed 2 weeks prior to Christmas

Entrance Fees

• Adults €5.50, Student/OAP €5.00
• Child (U12) €3.50, Children (U2) Free
• Family Ticket €16.00 (2 adults & up to 3 children)

Annual Membership

• Annual passes allow unlimited entry to Powerscourt Estate, Gardens and Waterfall during normal opening hours.
• Members can also enjoy exclusive access to Powerscourt River Walk featuring 3 km of tranquil pathways and secret woodland trails.The River Walk's main pathway was laid in 1868 by the Viscount of Powerscourt so that his family could enjoy the serenity of the River Dargle. Click here to read more about Powerscourt River Walk
• Individual membership costs €95.00 and family membership costs €160.00 for two adults and up to four children. To purchase your annual pass please call into the reception at Powerscourt House or at the Gatelodge at the Waterfall entrance.

Pondless Waterfall

With this system in place your utility bill will not suffer as much as with a living pond that requires continuous filtration to provide oxygen for the organisms contained within. The best part of all is that you can build one of these pondless waterfalls in limited space without the usual safety concerns associated with a pond.
Where does the water come from or go to? A system of plastic tubing is situated in such a manner to re-circulate the water from the reservoir up through to the waterfall and back down into the reservoir, via a pump large enough to handle the job. To sum it up, if you are looking to add a water feature but have limited space and resources, a pondless waterfall should be considered.
Whatever you decide to do, the environment that you create will give you and yours many times to remember.

Babbling brook with a waterfall

A stream in the backyard is very easy to build and maintain because you can do this water feature without the usual filters and continuous cleaning that a pond requires.

 

The principle involved is to pump the water through rock and gravel in a recirculating mode, replacing occasionally when it evaporates.
As with other water feature installations, you will want to decide where your babbling brook will be placed. To do this, select a favorite place in your yard, sit down and imagine your stream. You can even build the brook above ground especially if your ground is very hard.
For sound, a waterfall height of 2-4 inches is all that is necessary but if you are looking to quell street noise, you will need a larger waterfall, say up to 10 inches or more. You can also add more than one waterfall, doubling not only noise drowning but your listening enjoyment.
As with any back yard, side yard or front yard water feature, be sure to check with your local building code enforcement first and be aware that small children are drawn to water and can drown in a teaspoonful. Also, as with digging a pond, if you dig a little brook, check with your local utilities prior to digging.
Most utility companies are all to happy to accommodate homeowners and will locate underground utilities, flagging them for easy identification.
Whatever you decide to build, you can rest assured that your creation will improve your life in so many ways.