How to Build a Simple Grecian Urn Water Feature

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There's nothing quite as relaxing as the sound of water gently bubbling over stones on a pleasant summer's afternoon. You can build your own Grecian urn fountain water feature in just a weekend using supplies you'll find in a good DIY or garden store and a few basic DIY skills.  Read on to find out how.

What you'll need

• large, Grecian-urn-style pot
• decorative stones and pebbles
• barb fitting
• PVC female adapter
• plumber's epoxy
• drill with masonry bit
• waterproof catch basin
• cinder blocks
• sand
• plastic grate
• flexible tubing
• submersible pump
• hose clamps x 2
• flexible screen
• reciprocating saw
• PVC pipe
• black spray paint

How to do it

1. Begin by creating a drainage hole in the bottom of your urn using the drill and masonry bit. If the vessel already has a hole, you may need to widen it slightly, and you can do this by slowly rotating the masonry bit around the sides of the existing aperture.  
2. Next, place the barb fitting through the hole so that the threaded end lies inside the urn. Now, thread the female PVC adapter onto the barb on the inside of the pot.  
3. Finish this stage of the project by placing plumber's epoxy around the base of the fitting so that it's sealed in place. This is very important as it makes the urn watertight.  
4. Dig a hole that's deep enough for the catch basin to sit just above ground level. Place a thin layer of sand in the bottom of the hole. This will allow you to adjust the position of the reservoir easily.  
5. Put a couple of cinder blocks in the middle of the basin for the urn to sit on.  
6. Make a trap door in the corner of your plastic grate that will allow the pump to pass through smoothly.  This is important so that you can get to the pump for maintenance without having to take the whole water feature to pieces.  
7. Make a small hole in the middle of the grate to accommodate the flexible tubing. Fix one end of the tubing onto the pump. Clamp the tubing firmly into place and then push the other end out through the hole in the middle of the grate.  
8. Set the screening into place over the grate and make a corresponding hole to accommodate the flexible tubing.  
9. Now, cut a piece of PVC pipe that's the same height as the urn and spray the top half with black paint.  
10. Put the PVC pipe into the female adapter with the black-painted side uppermost.  
11. Put the urn on its side by the reservoir, twist the flexible tubing onto the barb, and then clamp it into place. Stand the pot upright.  
12. Arrange your decorative stones and pebbles onto the screening so that the reservoir is well hidden.  
13. Fill the reservoir with water, plug the pump into a power source and switch it on. Adjust the water flow through the pump to achieve the effect that you want.

In conclusion

With a few basic DIY skills, you can create your own Grecian urn garden water feature. This simple project is perfect for small gardens where there isn't room for a full-scale waterfall feature or large pond.

16 December 2015