11 Backyard Water Features To Spruce Up Your Outdoor Space

Water changes a place. It draws in birds, insects, and the kind of quiet that helps you settle. The air feels cooler. Outside noise fades. And even if you’re just having a coffee in your backyard, there’s something to look at that keeps you there a little longer — away from the daily hubbub, away from screens.

Now, back to the practical side of things. To enjoy a serene, water-anchored backyard, you’ll need to roll up your sleeves, head to your storage unit to grab your tools, and get ready to dig in — literally and figuratively. But with a bit of time and vision, you can create a backyard water feature that feels like it’s always been there — tucked between the hydrangeas or settled near your favorite reading chair.

We’ve already done some of the digging for you and rounded up 11 backyard water features that bring calm, beauty, and just a hint of wildness to your outdoor space. Check them out below.

1. Backyard pond (your own little lake)

⏱️ Time: 1-2 weekends | 💲 Cost: $$–$$$

A pond doesn’t have to be grand to be beautiful. You can carve one into the earth with a shovel, line it with flexible pond liner, add a pump, and surround it with stones and native plants. In a few weekends, you’ll have a small body of water that reflects the sky and invites frogs, dragonflies, and stillness.

Keep the shape organic, like something shaped by nature. Also, avoid perfectly round or square outlines — they look out of place. And think ahead for autumn: netting can help keep falling leaves out.

How to do it:

1. Pick your location: flat-ish ground, partial sun, away from tree roots.
2. Outline your pond with a hose or string. Go for an irregular shape.
3. Dig 18-24 inches deep, with shelves for plants if desired.
4. Tamp the soil, remove sharp rocks, and line the hole with underlayment.
5. Add flexible pond liner, smoothing out folds.
6. Place a pump in the deepest part, run tubing to the future waterfall or fountain spot.
7. Cover edges with large rocks, and hide the liner.
8. Fill with water and plug in the pump.
9. Add aquatic plants like lilies or anacharis. Let water sit 3-5 days before adding fish.

2. Pondless waterfall

⏱️ Time: 1 weekend | 💲 Cost: $$

If you love the soothing patter of running water but don’t want to deal with a full pond, this one’s for you. A pondless waterfall recirculates water from a hidden underground basin, giving you the look and sound of a waterfall without the open pool of water.

It’s cleaner, safer (especially if you have pets or little ones) and easier to maintain. Plus, the babble of water tumbling over stone can make your whole yard feel cooler and more alive.

How to do it:

1. Choose a sloped area or build one with soil and rocks.
2. Dig a basin at the bottom, large enough for a pump and water reservoir.
3. Line the basin with underlayment and flexible pond liner.
4. Place a reservoir tank or plastic crate system inside, cover with a sturdy grate.
5. Run tubing from the pump up the slope to where the water will spill.
6. Build a rock stream or cascade, hiding tubing behind stones.
7. Cover grate and stream bed with decorative gravel.
8. Fill the basin with water and test your pump.

3. Container water garden

⏱️ Time: Under 1 hour | 💲 Cost: $

If you’ve got a patio, porch or a small yard, this is one of the simplest ways to bring water into your life. Fill a large container with water — a ceramic pot, a half-barrel, even a watertight metal tub — then add floating plants like water lettuce or dwarf lilies. Drop in a small solar-powered fountain or air bubbler to keep the water moving.

It’s easy to make, affordable, and endlessly customizable. You can change it with the seasons or even bring it indoors when the weather turns.

How to do it:

1. Find a waterproof container at least 12-18 inches deep.
2. Place on a stable, sunny spot.
3. Add a few bricks or inverted pots for plant staging.
4. Fill with clean water.
5. Add a solar-powered fountain or air bubbler.
6. Float aquatic plants like water lettuce or add marginal plants in pots.
7. Change water or top off as needed.

4. Bubbling rock fountain

⏱️ Time: 1 weekend | 💲 Cost: $$

Part sculpture, part soundtrack. A bubbling rock fountain is a stone with a hole drilled through it, allowing water to bubble up from a pump hidden in a basin below. It’s quiet, elegant, and perfect shady corner where nothing wants to grow. It would work great in a spot that needs a focal point but doesn’t want to be fussy.

How to do it:

1. Buy or drill a stone with a center hole (use a masonry bit).
2. Dig a basin hole and insert a plastic fountain reservoir with grate.
3. Run pump tubing up through the stone.
4. Place the rock on the grate and adjust.
5. Surround with river stones to cover the mechanics.
6. Fill the reservoir with water and start the pump.

5. Stacked watering can fountain

⏱️ Time: 1 weekend | 💲 Cost: $-$$

Here’s one with charm and imagination. If you’ve got a few old watering cans, you can turn them into a cascading fountain by drilling holes and threading a hose through them. The water flows from one can to the next in a playful series of spills. This works best when you lean into the rustic look. Think galvanized steel, antique brass or enamel painted in soft pastels. Let it look like it’s been there a while — it adds to the magic.

How to do it:

1. Gather 2-3 old metal watering cans.
2. Drill holes at the spouts and bases to allow flow-through.
3. Stack and secure the cans using rebar or metal rods anchored in concrete blocks or large pots.
4. Thread flexible tubing from pump through the bottom can and up to the top.
5. Hide tubing inside cans as much as possible.
6. Add a basin or large tub at the base to collect and recirculate water.
7. Plug in the pump and adjust water flow.

6. Solar-powered birdbath fountain

⏱️ Time: 1 weekend | 💲 Cost: $-$$

A birdbath alone is lovely. But add a small solar-powered bubbler and you give it life and motion. The gentle splash attracts more birds, discourages mosquitoes and adds subtle music to your yard.

The best part? No wires. No plumbing. Just sunshine and water.

How to do it:

1. Place a stable birdbath in a sunny location.
2. Fill with water.
3. Drop in a floating solar-powered fountain pump.
4. Adjust placement so spray stays in the bowl.
5. Clean occasionally to prevent algae buildup.

7. Mini stream with pebble bed

⏱️ Time: 2+ weekends | 💲 Cost: $$$

If your yard has even a gentle slope, you can build a small stream that winds through your garden beds. Dig a shallow trench, line it with pond liner and add river rock and pebbles. A small pump recirculates the water from the bottom back to the top. It feels like something from a woodland hike — a natural thread of water pulling everything together. Here’s a tip: Let the stream curve and bend. Straight lines feel man-made. Nature prefers a little wobble.

How to do it:

1. Pick a gently sloping area of your yard.
2. Dig a shallow winding trench, 6-10 inches deep.
3. Line with underlayment and flexible liner.
4. Dig a lower basin for the pump.
5. Lay tubing from the basin up to the top of the trench.
6. Cover tubing with river stones, gravel, and pebbles.
7. Build up areas with rocks to control water flow.
8. Fill basin with water and test pump.

8. Whiskey barrel fountain

⏱️ Time: 1 weekend | 💲 Cost: $$  

Half whiskey barrel, hidden pump, a few carefully placed stones — and you’ve got a fountain that hums with rustic charm. These barrels are watertight and deep enough to hold a good amount of water. Add a few aquatic plants or float candles on warm evenings and you’ve got a small, beautiful centerpiece. Here’s why we love it: It smells faintly of oak and rain when the water moves. It feels timeless — like something your grandfather might have built, and your kids might one day remember.

How to do it:

1. Purchase a watertight half-barrel or seal it with pond sealer.
2. Place it level on your patio or garden.
3. Set pump inside with tubing leading up to a spout, statue, or feature.
4. Hide tubing with stones or aquatic plants.
5. Fill with water and turn on the pump.
6. Add floating candles or small plants if desired.

9. Wall-mounted waterfall

⏱️ Time: 1–2 weekends | 💲 Cost: $$ 

If you’re working with a fence, a courtyard, or a narrow side yard, this one’s a space-saver with style. A wall-mounted waterfall lets water spill from a horizontal spout into a trough or hidden basin below.

It’s architectural, minimal and can even double as a privacy screen. Add some string lights or trailing vines and it becomes something close to magic. And here’s another design tip: add materials like copper, wood, stone. They age well, and they soften the structure.

How to do it:

1. Choose a sturdy wall or fence for mounting.
2. Install a horizontal spillway (metal, stone, copper) with plumbing access.
3. Build or place a basin directly below to catch water.
4. Run tubing from the pump in the basin up to the spout.
5. Secure tubing behind the wall or cover with trim.
6. Test the flow, adjusting for splash distance.

10. Repurposed fountain (think: teapots, urns, old pumps)

⏱️ Time: 1 weekend | 💲 Cost: $-$$

There’s no rule saying your water feature has to come from a catalog. One of the most charming routes is to take something old — a cast iron hand pump, a ceramic jug, even an antique teapot — and turn it into a small, gentle fountain. Whatever you repurpose, seal it properly and make sure the pump you use can handle the flow.

How to do it: 

1. Choose your vessel: a jug, teapot, vintage basin, etc.
2. Seal any cracks with waterproof epoxy or liner spray.
3. Drill discreet holes for tubing if needed.
4. Set up a basin below or inside the object.
5. Place pump inside and run tubing through the object.
6. Add stones, plants, or other decorative elements.
7. Fill with water and start the pump.

11. DIY rain chain fountain

⏱️ Time: 1 weekend | 💲 Cost: $$

Rain chains are beautiful on their own — delicate chains or cups that guide rainwater down in a zig-zagging, musical line. But if you combine one with a recirculating pump, you can have that soft trickling sound even when the skies are clear.

Pro tip: copper rain chains age into a gorgeous green patina. If that’s your look, it only gets better with time.

How to do it: 

1. Hang a rain chain from a roof edge, gutter, or tall post.
2. Below, place a basin or ceramic bowl filled with river stones.
3. Add a small submersible pump to the basin.
4. Run tubing up alongside the chain to the top (discreetly zip-tie if needed).
5. Let water cascade down the chain and collect below.
6. Adjust pump flow and enjoy the sound of falling water anytime.

Pick one that makes sense for your space. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just something small, something you can put your hands on and see through. Let it take shape slowly. A quiet feature, something that moves a bit — water, light, maybe birds. It doesn’t have to impress anyone.

Just make it yours.