There is something about the last few weeks of winter. The winter chill has passed over, and it’s a time for a bit of relaxation and lounging around – the last little bit before the colourful season of spring takes over.
Your DIY should even keep with the quiet end-of season theme. So take a breather and let’s get to making a mobile terracotta clay pot and saucer fountain to have among your outdoor greenery. When it’s done, the calming sound of the flowing water will have you feeling rested and relaxed – yay for taking some time out!
What you will need for this project:
- 1 x 35.56 cm plastic or terracotta saucer
- 1 x 15.5 cm terracotta saucer
- 1 x 17.5 cm terracotta saucer
- 3 x 11 cm saucers
- 1 x 15.5 cm terracotta flower pot
- 1 x 13 cm terracotta flower pot
- 12v Fountain pump
- Plastic tubing to fit pump’s outlet, around 6cm in length
- Silicone sealant
- Round file
- Drill and drill bit
- A clean wooden block or work bench to drill on
- Decorative stones
- 1 x small plant in its pot
- Water to fill the base
How this activity works:
Before you begin, soak your saucers and flower pots in water for about an hour. This will make your job of drilling and filling much easier.
1) If you are using a terracotta 35 cm saucer, spray with a clear sealant. If you decide to go for a plastic saucer, sealant is not necessary. Leave to dry and spray again. This will become the base of the water feature.
2) Place the 17.5cm saucer over a strong wooden block and drill a hole into the centre of the bottom. File this hole, if necessary, so that the tube fits through with complete ease. Once this is done, then file a single notch into this saucer. Remember to file downwards so that the water will flow easily through the notch.
3) File one notch into the lip of the 15.5cm pot. Ensure the notch is large enough for the wire of the pump to fit through, as well as the water to flow through once turned upside-down.
4) File a notch in two of the 11 cm saucers. Leave the other 11cm saucer un-notched.
5) Attach the pump and it’s time to start assembling!
a) Place the 15.5cm pot inverted and pull the tube through the hole. Connect the bottom of the tube to the pump, making sure that the pump is sitting flat on the bottom of the base saucer.
b) Put the 17.5cm saucer on top of this, right way up this time, and pull the tube through, keeping the pump flat on the bottom.
c) Trim the top of tube and leave about 1.5cm extra.
d) Use silicone to seal the tubing on both the outside and inside of the pot and let the silicone dry very well. Ensure that the seal does not let any water flow between the hole of the pot and the tube. You may also like to do this the day before the activity so that the silicone is dry when you need to turn the water feature on. Once dry, snip off the extra bit of tubing on the outside.
e) Place the 13cm pot next to the first column, upside-down.
f) The first notched 11cm saucer goes on top of the 13cm pot, right way up.
6) It’s time to install the remaining flower pots and saucers.
a) File a single notch into the 15.5cm saucer and place it upside-down on top of the 17.5cm saucer.
b) Set the un-notched 11cm saucer on the bottom of the water feature inverted, and place the second notched 11cm saucer on top of this, right way up. This should be situated to the left of the notched 11cm saucer that is sitting on top of the pot.
7) Fill the base up with water. You can almost fill it up to the top of the rim.
8) You’re almost done! Plug in the pump, switch it on and adjust the flower pots and saucers so that the water flows through the notches and into the saucers in all the right ways, flowing and peacefully.
9) Now have some fun and decorate with stones and plants to add a pop of pretty.