A Fountain Transformed Into a Planter

Interesting fountain

I often take my camera with me wherever I go, because I never know when I will see something that I want to share with all of you.

So, I was spending the other evening looking through my pictures on my laptop, while my kids were watching a DVD (the Pixar movie, “Cars” – which I admit, I like too).

Well, I came across a photo that I took last year at a local nursery.  I had accompanied my mother to the nursery to help her select 3 pecan trees for Double S Farms.

I must admit that whenever I visit a nursery, I am rather like a kid in a candy store and I spent a lot of time looking at plants and taking pictures.  I’m not sure how much help I was to my mother, since I was so distracted 😉

Well, I saw a very interesting fountain.  Now, there wasn’t any water in this fountain.  Instead, it was full of plants…

Interesting fountain

Interesting fountain

I just love this….don’t you?

(If you look closely, one of the resident chickens is looking for insects for lunch).

Flowering annuals would be best for the top two tiers since the amount of soil they can hold is rather shallow.  Can you imagine how beautiful it would look, overflowing with flowering annuals?

The base looks great with flowering perennials.  You could also plant some herbs as well.

So while I am very inspired by this idea of transforming a fountain – I don’t have one.

But, maybe you do….

Teak Bowls Make Unique and Beautiful Planters

Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."
7 replies
  1. Ginny
    Ginny says:

    I planted a fern and some impatiens in a firebowl – kind of like one layer of the fountain. And I like "Cars", too – watched it not long ago with my grandson 🙂

  2. Bernie
    Bernie says:

    It's been such a long while since I popped in to visit … just not enough hours in the day to visit blogging land … and I'm so pleased I did today. What a fabulous idea you've shared in this post. This would be something I would like to try in a particularly tricky spot out in my courtyard garden.

  3. Toni - Signature Gardens
    Toni - Signature Gardens says:

    My pond guy says sooner or later most people turn their fountains into planters because they can be so temperamental and difficult to change out the pumps. I did this for one client and we planted sedums in the different layers. Must have good drainage for sedums, though, so might have to drill additional holes in the fountain.

  4. Pam's English Garden
    Pam's English Garden says:

    Dear Noelle, Sorry I haven't left a message lately, but I have stopped by to read your blog from time to time. I am enjoying your Birds & Blooms posts, too. The fountain as a planter is a great idea. Now I want one. P. x

  5. Arlie
    Arlie says:

    I have a fountain that quit working and the estimate to fix it was through the roof. I like the idea of turning it into a planter very much. Mine has three tiers like this one. My only concern is will it drain properly when the monsoon comes? (I live in southern, AZ, too.) – Arlie Jarels

Comments are closed.