July 7, 2016
Kansas City has more fountains than any city in the United States. Worldwide, we’re second only to Rome. KC truly is the City of Fountains, and water features are part of our culture.
It’s easy to think of fountains only in terms of the public displays throughout the city. But there’s no reason why we can’t enjoy a fountain in our own yards. And for every fountain we install in Kansas City, we’re one step closer to Rome, baby!
Of course, Good Earth Water Gardens owner Dan must have a fountain in his yard. After purchasing a home in 2016, he and the team got to work. We marked the plan out in the yard and got busy digging the basin. This is probably the hardest part of any job, but it’s important to get it right. We dug this basin to hold about 500 gallons of water just to have a large reservoir. The wind right here can be brutal in winter and that can create a lot of splash. So, we wanted to give ourselves a big cushion.
It would have made a nice wading pool. It was a hot day and we were ready!
Once the basin was completed, we evened the floor. Then, we put in a layer of sand in to make sure the Aquablox would fit together tightly. Aquablox are plastic cubes that help manage water in water features, reducing evaporation and the need for a huge reservoir. Each large Aquablox is equal to about 30 gallons of water and can support thousands of pounds.
For this project, we used a variable speed 4,000-8,000 gallons per hour AquaSurge pump. You can see the pump inside the vault.
Then, we turned our attention to plumbing the three fountains. These beauties are made of molded fiberglass, and the largest is almost five feet tall. After we made sure the fountains were level, we added smaller gravel to cover the Aquablox. This also helps keep the fountains stable.
A water feature without lighting is like a room with no place to sit – not quite right! We have seven LED lights so that these fountains can be enjoyed at night. We also incorporated the element of fire. There’s an insert that goes over the opening where the water is pumped out. We can place a container there that contains citronella oil or diesel fuel. It creates a very cool effect.
Once the fountain installation was complete, things still looked a little rough. That’s why we landscape! This is the fun, creative part. Stone selection and placement are important to make any fountain project pop. Missouri River driftwood pieces and the right landscaping really put the finishing touches on our display.
When you’re ready to add to the number of fountains in Kansas City, Good Earth Water Gardens can help. We’ll work with you to design the fountainscape that fits your space and your lifestyle. Give us a call at 913-749-8090.
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