The design of a site is rarely complete without constructing a reservoir. Water is soothing and cool on a hot day. The good thing is that you can make a waterfall with your own hands, without involving specialists. It is important to have a pump and a place to turn it on. You can do everything else yourself.

Bowl

When building even a small waterfall with your own hands, you will have to move a lot of earth: it all starts with earthworks. It is necessary to dig a pit for a bowl in which water will be collected. Then the container must be sealed. There are two simple methods:

When using a ready-made bowl, you are limited in the choice of shape and depth: only those that are in stock. In the economical version - for a waterfall in the country - you can use any container available on the farm: old bath or a bath. You can even adapt a barrel sawn in half, etc.

Using film, you choose the shape, as well as the depth, arbitrarily. But when working with film you need to be careful: although it is thick, it can be torn.

How to make a waterfall from film: photo report

First, mark the desired shape of the bowl of your waterfall on the ground. The shape depends on the design style of your site. Strict geometric proportions are characteristic of the Art Nouveau style, and can be found in Art Deco. In the rest they try to give more natural, non-linear outlines. Most often, the result is a pond in the form of a bean.

The easiest way to mark is with sand. It is poured into a bag and a corner is cut off. Waking sand outlines the contours. This makes it easier to assess how correct the form you have chosen. If necessary, it can be corrected immediately.

The turf is removed along the contour, and then a pit is dug. Immediately, as you work, you form ledges. The optimal depth of the reservoir is about a meter. How many platforms you will make, and what shape they will be, depends only on your desire.

In the excavated pit, immediately remove all objects that could tear the film: pebbles, pieces of roots, etc. The bottom, ledges, are leveled. The leveled soil is compacted. A tamper is used for this. In the very simple version- This is a piece of tree trunk with a nailed strip. They lift the deck by the bar, then sharply lower it down. This compacts the soil. Then a layer of sand is poured - 5-10 cm thick. It is leveled with a rake and spilled. Take medium-grained sand. It compacts well with water. Otherwise, you will have to compact the sand.

You can immediately create a slide, if your waterfall has one. For example, like the one in the photo below.

Next, the film is spread in the pit. It is advisable to spread it under it (the cheapest is 600-700 rubles per roll). This non-woven material will prevent root germination and also redistribute the load more evenly. It is also placed on the edges of the pit, covering the sides and bottom. On top there is already film.

As already mentioned, it is better to use a butyl rubber membrane. It can be ordered in any format and you will get your fountain without seams. The dimensions of the film are calculated simply: maximum width + double depth + 60-80 cm for extra space at the edges. If your waterfall is 2*3 m in size (at most extreme points) and a depth of 1.2 m, then the film will be needed:

• width 2 m + 2*1.2 m + 80 cm = 5.2 m
• length 3 m + 2*1.2 m =0.8 m = 6.2 m

First spread it on the bottom, straighten it, forming folds. Once level, press down with stones around the perimeter. Then you can move on to leveling on the ledges.

It is better to completely cover the ledges with stones. The bottom is also desirable, but pebbles and small boulders can be used. And it is best to decorate the ledges with layered stones. Although they are in the water, they are clearly visible. Although we are making a waterfall, it is artificial, but we want it to look harmonious.

A common mistake when designing a waterfall is that the sides of the bowl are not lined with stone and the film spoils a good idea.

By stacking boulders one on top, they can and should be held together with mortar. You can use large, medium or small stones. It all depends on the configuration and height of the steps. As a result, the slopes will be uneven and also with ledges. It looks much better than peek-through film. Such a homemade waterfall brings satisfaction to the owners.

This is what should happen - the stones on the sides are visible through the water, not the film

The entire procedure for constructing the bowl, all the technological and nuances completely coincide with the construction of the pond. Read about how and what you can make it from.

How to install a plastic bowl

When building a waterfall with your own hands using a ready-made container, first turn it upside down and trace the contours. A pit is being dug over them.

He should be a little more sizes bowls. When working, they are guided by the existing shape, measuring the ledges and forming similar contours. It is advisable to repeat the figured protrusions with enough high accuracy: so that they find normal support.

The ledges and bottom are leveled, tamped, a layer of sand of 5-10 cm is poured, the layer is leveled, but do not spill or tamp: under the weight of the bowl it will compact itself. Having installed the bowl, we notice that there is a gap between its wall and the wall of the pit. We also fill it with sand. But here, it is advisable to compact it. We'll have to do it with a pole or something similar. If the soil drains water well, you can spill poured sand.

If the container is plastic, with thin walls, and the volume is large, it is better to fill the gap with sand and fill it with water. This way you won’t be able to deform the walls by tamping the sand too hard.

After this, all that remains is to decorate the side and build a slide from which the water will actually fall.

Read about the construction of fountains.

How to make a waterfall slide

If you plan to decorate the edges of the waterfall with stones, and you want a high and large slide along which water flows, you need a solid foundation - a reinforced platform. Without it, the stones will slide into the bowl. Next to the pit for the bowl, the downhill area is cleared and reinforced.

They make a standard monolithic slab. First, a pit is dug. Its dimensions should exceed the hill by 40-50 cm in all directions. The pit is dug to a depth of 20-25 cm. Then the following order of work:

After the concrete has set (after a couple of weeks), you can begin laying out the slide. This procedure is necessary if the height of the slide above ground level is about a meter.

If the waterfall is planned to be small, you can simply remove the soil and pour crushed stone (you can lay geotextiles under it so that the crushed stone does not wash out into the ground). Compact the crushed stone well, pour a little sand on top metal mesh made of thick wire. Place boulders on it, decorate it with smaller stones, pebbles, sand, and plant plants. It will turn out to be unique with a waterfall.

If the height of the waterfall is small, you can do without concreting the site

There is a second option - to make a cascade type waterfall using the height difference on the site. Even a slight slope of a few degrees will make the task much easier: steps are formed on the slope by laying stones in the form of slabs. If there is no slope, you will have to pour an earthen mound, carefully compacting each layer, not forgetting to form ledges. To reinforce slopes, you can use a polymer mesh. It is spread out and covered with earth. It will keep the soil from sliding.

A film is spread over the formed ledges, which is pressed against the riverbed with stones. They need to be laid out so that water from one stone falls onto another, and not onto the film. And then it’s a matter of design

When forming a slide for a waterfall, it is advisable to fasten the stones together, at least large ones, central ones cement-sand mortar(1 part Portland cement, 3 parts sand and 0.5-0.7 water).

Pump installation

A pump for a waterfall in a country house or on a site near a house is selected according to two parameters: the height to which it can raise water and its performance.

With height, everything is more or less clear: it should be no less than the height difference in your homemade waterfall. The difference is measured from the bottom point of the tank (where the pump will stand) and to the point where it should raise it. In small domestic reservoirs it is rarely more than 1.5-2 meters. But still, keep track of this indicator.

Pump performance shows how much water it can pump per minute. The power of the flow depends on this indicator.

In such reservoirs, submersible pumps are used. They are placed on the bottom, installed in a basket with stones, or simply pressing the body with several boulders. It takes water from the container, feeding it into a hose that is attached to the outlet pipe. You lay this hose to the place where the water will flow from.

To be able to pull out the hose, they build it into the slide plastic pipe decent diameter. So that you can lower the rubber sleeve into it without any problems.

It is better to put the pump in the basket. It works well with clean water, and in your waterfall there may be leaves, all sorts of midges, dust and other contaminants will inevitably get there. And the basket, or rather the box, can be covered with several layers of filters different densities. First - a fine mesh, and the floor with something more dense, at least the same geotextile. This filter will trap major contaminants.

After installing this equipment, filling it with water and starting it up, you can consider the waterfall built with your own hands. There remains such a “trifle” as the design of the banks.

How to make a flat flow

If you want there to be not a stream, but a wide stream of water, you will have to install another container at the top of the slide, but this time rectangular. One edge should be lower than the other.

There are special containers like this, but you can make them from any container by cutting off the edge and making a flat tray from which water will pour out like a wall.

dry waterfall

You've probably already seen mysterious waterfalls without a bowl into which it falls. Flowing down the ledges, it disappears somewhere. This is not a pond with a waterfall. There is no reservoir visible.

Of course, there is a container for collecting water. She's just disguised. It turns out to be a kind of “dry” waterfall. It’s probably no more difficult to make than a regular one.

The container is also dug into the pit. Only on top is it covered with a metal mesh with a fine mesh (preferably made of stainless steel). If the dimensions of the container are large, you can use reinforcement rods or wooden blocks as a base on the sides (don’t forget to soak them so as not to rot).

A finer mesh is spread on a metal mesh; a polymer mesh is also suitable. It will trap more or less large contaminants. Stones are laid on top small size, decorating this device. So it turns out that the water falls underground...

Decorative waterfalls

There is not always room for such a massive structure, several meters in size. A small waterfall can be placed near the gazebo, in your favorite corner of the garden. SUCH decorative devices require very low-power pumps, such as aquarium pumps.

Any suitable container can be used as a housing. Up to ceramic and even plastic pots. They are stacked one on top of the other. The lower one must be sealed, but the upper ones depend on the design.

In the version in the photo above, a small pump is placed in the lower, largest vessel. It's being blocked plastic cover. The diameter is selected so that the plastic is 3-5 cm below the edge and can be covered with small stones. Numerous holes are made in this cover (with a drill). They also make a hole in the middle for the tube that will come from the pump.

Make a similar hole in the center of the other two containers. They are assembled like a children's pyramid, and its center is a tube that comes from the pump. To prevent the structure from becoming very heavy, a plastic liner is inserted into each of the pots. it is covered with small pebbles. Pour water into the resulting pyramid and turn on the pump. A small soda fountain is ready.

Moreover, using this technology you can also make small home waterfalls. For example, this one will look great on the balcony.

Another version of a garden waterfall in a different style

Using the same principle, you can make waterfalls in a different way. The principle is the same: the same. We mask the pump in the largest container. We feed the tube or hose upward.

Home floor waterfall on glass

Water flowing down glass looks great in the interior. IN modern apartments The problem of dry air is pressing. And such a device is a great way to increase humidity without using humidifiers. It is not difficult to make such a waterfall with your own hands. The design is simple and looks great. A sealed tray is required. You can find some kind of plastic container. Make a frame according to the dimensions, inside of which pass the tube from the pump on one side. At the top, the tube is attached to the frame; numerous holes are made in it.

Impregnate wooden elements with tinted wood oil. It perfectly protects against dampness and gives an excellent appearance.

It is possible to make such an installation hermetically sealed. The work is a little more difficult, but also doable. It is necessary to make the frame wider, with the possibility of fixing a second glass. First one is mounted glass panel, hoses are laid, and after a test run, the second glass can be installed. Tightness is achieved using sealant. Just take neutral silicone (acrylic quickly turns yellow).

DIY waterfall: photo design ideas

Living murmuring water - amazing thing. It can add variety to any landscape, create a completely new perception of the surrounding world, a special atmosphere of peace and bliss. The movement of water always attracts the eye, beckons and fascinates. That is why corners with ponds, fountains and waterfalls are so popular in gardens and dachas. Until recently, they were considered some kind of special delight. But now, with an abundance of great materials and detailed instructions from experts, to make a decorative pond, and even with a mini-waterfall, at the dacha or at country house Almost anyone can. Moreover, even in a small area there is a place for it. And then, in order to listen to the sound of falling water and breathe in the healing and fragrant air saturated with its vapors, you don’t have to go to the mountains or distant lands - you can enjoy it whenever you want and as much as you want.

Waterfall in an artificial pond in landscape design

A waterfall in the garden is the highlight of the landscape

An artificial waterfall is a garden decoration even more spectacular than a fountain. Naturally, more effort is needed to create it. But the result will be very impressive. You can even build a mini-waterfall on a completely flat area, but for this you will need to build either a slope - then it will be a waterfall-stream, or a mound - in this case you can get classic version. You can also make falling water by building an island in the middle of a decorative pond. Or build a rock composition near the fence. Well, if your site is located on a slope, then it would be a sin not to take advantage of such a unique opportunity.

First, let's figure out what a waterfall is. As Wikipedia says, this is a drop of water from a ledge more than 1 meter high.

When building a mini-waterfall, it is necessary to scale the volume

Since we will be building a mini-waterfall, we need to scale the volumes. The ledge can be safely reduced to 50-60 cm. Although the higher it is, the more beautiful and noisy the water falls. Cascade waterfalls, consisting of several successive flat ledges, also look very impressive. In this case, the lower ledge is usually placed about 30 cm from the surface of the water.

Conditions for constructing a waterfall

The waterfall itself is impossible without a reservoir, from where water is supplied upward by a pump and where it will flow down. Of course, you can make a mini-waterfall even on the terrace (they even sell them ready-made), but this is not like falling water in a lake.

The first thing you need to decide on is a place for a pond with a waterfall.

Experts recommend placing the waterfall in a place that is illuminated by the sun in summer before 11 a.m. and after 3 p.m. And at midday it is located in partial shade - from the house, trees, fence. First of all, this is due to the quality of water, which quickly heats up in the sun, blooms, and plants and fish, if you get them, will suffer from a lack of oxygen. The second requirement is access to the pond from at least three sides.

For a convenient approach even in rainy weather, be sure to lay several flat stones or tiles. It is especially important to place them where the prevailing winds in your area blow - they will wash up leaves and other debris in the water where they can be easily fished out.

You have decided on the location, now you need to decide what style your waterfall will be. And, as it turns out, there are no less of them than in interior design.

Waterfall with clay bowls

Waterfall in natural style- the most popular option. For its construction, you can use different technologies and materials. The main and practically the only requirement is that in the end it looks as natural as possible, fits organically into the natural environment, and traces of human intervention (film, pump, pipes, etc.) are not noticeable. Visible materials are only natural, unprocessed.

Natural style waterfall is the most popular option

The classic waterfall style is reminiscent of nature. However, there are two main principles here: naturalness and symmetry. Essentially, it should be a stream of water that falls from one artificial reservoir the correct geometric shape into the same different one. It is not necessary to arrange two reservoirs, but it is enough for the water to fall from a bowl correct form. Classic waterfalls are simpler in design, look very impressive and fit perfectly into any garden exterior.

Classic waterfall style reminiscent of nature

Waterfall in Japanese style presupposes the obligatory presence of a not very fast stream and ledges of large boulders placed at some distance from each other, through which the water flows smoothly and only then falls into small pools.

Waterfall in modern style

For geometrically correct modern gardens you can arrange waterfalls of an unusual look and exclusive design - in high-tech or interactive style. As you know, hi-tech uses materials such as glass (it can be matte, patterned, corrugated), plus metal, most often stainless or polished steel, and also artificial polished stone. However, we must keep in mind that a waterfall in this style requires mandatory lighting - only then will it sparkle with all the power of its originality. The backlight should be more in cool colors - shades of blue, white, gray. Warm colors may also be present, however, only as placement accents. You can use yellow, orange, silver-lilac.

Glass waterfall

Interactive waterfall is latest trend landscape fashion. In this case, turning on and off both water flows and lighting elements is carried out using automatic system control system equipped with different types of sensors. They can react to the appearance of a person, to his movements, to changes in weather - as laid down in the program.

It is difficult to install such a system on your own - you need to contact specialists.

Interactive waterfall - the latest trend in landscape fashion

Important point! When the issue of style and materials has been resolved, it remains to choose two things - what the reservoir bowl will be made of and which pump to choose.

Construction of a pond bowl

The bowl design options are:

• Construction of a concrete-stone pool with waterproofing.
• A pit covered with a special film (flexible insulation).
• Installation of a finished plastic or composite mold (rigid insulation).

Construction of a pond using film

The first option is the most expensive and difficult to implement. In a similar way garden ponds arranged before, when there were no such good films and ready-made pond pools.

Experts advise choosing from the other two options taking into account the size of the bowl.

To create a large reservoir with an area of ​​more than 10 square meters. It is preferable to install flexible waterproofing in the form of a film made of polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. The larger and deeper the reservoir, the thicker the film should be. If the reservoir is up to 1.5 meters deep, the film thickness should be 1.2 mm, for greater depths - at least 1.5 mm. For small bodies of water, less than 80 cm, a film with a thickness of 0.8 mm is sufficient.

The cheapest film is PVC. But don't save money! Buy butyl rubber - it will last 10 times longer.

An alternative is to equip a pond using a ready-made rigid mold. They are made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic. Large forms are expensive and installation is a complex process involving special equipment. But you can install a small form yourself without any problems.

Advice. Choose a design that already has terraces for placing coastal plants and recesses for aquatic ones. The depth may be shallow if you do not intend to add fish to the pond. But keep in mind that ponds less than 80 cm deep will freeze to the very bottom in winter - and plants such as water lilies and lotuses will need to be transferred to winter storage.

IN specialized stores you can purchase a ready-made bowl

In any case, the construction of a mini-waterfall at the dacha begins with digging a pit. It is necessary to draw the outlines of the reservoir to the exact shape of the bowl or the desired one - from film. When choosing soil, place it nearby, simultaneously clearing it of debris. To prevent the soil from crumbling from the walls of the pit, tamp and water it periodically. The dug and leveled pit must be covered at the bottom with clean sand in a layer of at least 10 cm and compacted well.

Pit for the future reservoir

If you choose film, then it must be covered so that at least 1.5 meters lies along the edges of the pit.

There is an option to make additional concrete waterproofing - install metal frame and fill with a layer of concrete. Such a pond will last longer, but there is much more hassle with it. If you bought a ready-made bowl, you just need to install it on a prepared sand bed, using a level to ensure that it sits strictly horizontally. In case of distortion, simply add sand in a lower place, level it again and compact it.

The structure of the waterfall itself

The easiest option is to buy a ready-made form at a construction hypermarket. If you want to make a large cascading waterfall, you must first select slabs natural stone. It is best to take sandstone, since granites are very expensive and heavy. You can also collect beautiful boulders yourself somewhere near a river, if there is one in your area. The only problem that remains is their delivery.

Construction of a waterfall in a cascade

If you want a smooth waterfall, then the ledges should be placed close to each other, and to get a noisy and foaming specimen, place the lower ledge at a considerable distance from the previous one. You can very beautifully break the flow of water into several jets - to do this you need to take a ledge with an uneven surface.

Builders of a smooth waterfall made of stone

Pump selection and installation

For a waterfall, the pump is the heart of the entire structure. Its choice must be approached responsibly and the appropriate type must first be determined: submersible, which is installed directly into the reservoir, or surface, which is installed near the waterfall. This requires additional space and during operation you will have to endure more high level noise. The pump model depends on the calculated water flow, that is, on the size of the waterfall and the required pressure, which, in turn, depends on the height of the waterfall structure. Please note that most pumps are designed to pump clean liquids that do not contain solids. Therefore, it is also necessary to provide a filter in front of the pump nozzle and protection against “dry running” (when there is no water in front of the suction nozzle). The pump power for small waterfalls is sufficient at 70 W. For cascading waterfalls, a more powerful pump is needed - consult the store for advice.

The hose that will supply water at the top must be hidden under stones, and the suction hose must be installed along the bottom of the reservoir.

Decoration and lighting

In addition to stones of beautiful shapes and colors, the decor of the waterfall and the banks of the pond are aquatic and coastal plants. This is a separate big topic. But we recommend including an element such as evening lighting in the construction of a mini-waterfall. And then he will become the main “hero” of the landscape in dark time days. There are many lighting options: floating lanterns, illumination with a directional lamp, lighting of trees and shrubs near the pond. The most interesting and fascinating are the so-called festive and carnival effects, which are created using fiber optic cables. These unique devices are not afraid of water, you can step on them and even pick them up.

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The dream of many owners of a summer house or private house is a lake with a waterfall. Such decoration immediately transforms and enlivens the area, adds zest, and refreshes on sultry days. summer days. A decorative waterfall can be very small and fit even in a limited area. Its construction is actually simpler than it might seem: to create the structure yourself, you will need to buy some building materials and strictly follow the recommendations we have given.

Waterfall location

Initially, it is worth deciding on the location of the structure, since right choice location determines the service life and ease of maintenance of the waterfall. In addition, a waterfall placed in a good location harmonizes the entire area.
Places to avoid building:

• near a house or other structures. A close location to water can lead to the spread of fungi on the walls of a building as a result of moisture evaporation;
• directly under the trees. IN autumn period Maintaining the waterfall can be difficult due to falling leaves. In addition, the sun will not hit it. Root system trees can destroy a structure underground;
• in distant parts of the garden, in the thickets. The waterfall will be difficult to notice; it will lose its decorative value.

Optimally position the structure on open area, near the gazebo, playground or recreation areas. It is very important that the area has a natural slope for water drainage, otherwise you will have to reproduce it yourself. It is advisable that the structure be in partial shade at midday. If during the day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the water is exposed to direct sunlight, it will begin to overheat and bloom. If you populate the pond with plants and fish, hot water will be too oxygen poor for them. This decor will look organic near the bushes and flower beds. A waterfall can be either the main decorative accent or an additional decoration in the garden composition. If you are in doubt about the location of the decor, it is better to consult with a landscape designer, because the design should please the eye for many years.
So, what you need to consider when choosing a place:

1. Presence of a slope.
2. The presence of shade at lunchtime (from a fence, gazebo, house or tree).
3. Free access to the waterfall from three sides.
4. The integrity of the composition with the waterfall on and off.

Important!Please take into account that the waterfall should look harmonious on the territory both when it is running and when it is turned off.

Required materials

During the work you will need the following materials:

• for marking: pegs and thread (can be replaced with whitewash);
• shovel;
• waterproofing film or finished plastic (concrete) tank structure;
• river stones, smooth cobblestones;
• cement, polyurethane foam;
• pump;
• hoses;
• filter for the pump, dry running protection system;
• decorative terrestrial and underwater plants.

Depth and shape of the waterfall bowl

When building a waterfall, it is important to think about how to arrange the bowl. There are three possible options:

1. Stone-concrete bowl with full waterproofing. This option is considered labor-intensive, difficult to implement, and outdated. It was used before the invention of other methods of arranging artificial ponds.
2. Flexible insulation. Involves the use of durable film to cover the pit.
3. Rigid insulation. Means the use of a ready-made mold made of composite or plastic.

Important! The depth of the bowl depends on your preferences and intentions: if you want to populate the container with fish or plant underwater plants, the bowl should be at least 120 cm deep. If the purpose of the structure is purely decorative, you can limit yourself to a shallow bowl up to 80 cm.

Let's take a closer look at the second and third options. For a large-scale structure (more than 10 sq. m), you can choose a film covering, and the deeper the reservoir, the stronger and thicker the film should be. Film thickness depends on depth:

• up to 1 m - 0.8 mm;
• up to 1.5 m - 1.2 mm;
• deeper than 1.5 m - 1.5 mm or more.

Do not skimp on film, because it must reliably hold the water column and provide good waterproofing. The material can be made of PVC (the cheapest option, but the material is of low quality) or butyl rubber (more expensive, but the service life is many times longer). Regarding the third option, you can already buy ready-made designs different sizes. If you choose a large container, keep in mind that installing it will cost a pretty penny. But you can install a miniature bowl yourself. The bowls are made of plastic in combination with fiberglass.
When choosing a bowl, focus on those that are equipped with recesses and terraces for plants. Keep in mind that in shallow containers (up to 80-100 cm) in severe frosts, the water will freeze completely, therefore, if there are plants, they will need to be removed winter period. The shape of the pond depends entirely on your tastes. To make it more natural and harmonious, it can have an irregular shape, with turns and convolutions. But when too complex form The structure can be difficult to maintain.

We arrange the foundation of the pit

When you have decided on the location, shape and size of the structure, you can begin constructing the pit. First you need to clear the area, removing leaves, branches, stones. Next, you need to use pegs and rope or whitewash to outline the perimeter of the future pond. Now you can proceed directly to digging the pit.

As you dig, you will notice that the walls of the recess are collapsing a little and the earth is crumbling, which is normal. To strengthen the walls, they need to be periodically watered with water and slammed with your palm, as if compacting them. During the digging process, having reached the desired depth, it is worth making a mark and digging another 10-15 cm of earth. An even and dense layer is laid on the bottom river sand which will serve as a pillow.

Did you know?In nature, the sound of waterfalls plays a huge role: it is a landmark for migratory birds. Noise has a calming effect on humans and helps overcome stress and anxiety. The power of the noise of large waterfalls is impressive: during the day it spreads over 2 km, and at night over 7 km around!

Cascades

An artificial pond in the garden can have either a waterfall or cascades. If you don’t know which option to choose, consider the advantages and disadvantages of both design methods.

• A waterfall is formed with a significant difference in height, while the water flows down with a powerful, straight stream with noise, breaks against the stones, forming splashes and foam. It looks impressive, but under constant strong exposure to water, the stones can deteriorate faster. To create individual streams of water, you need to use a stone with uneven surfaces. jagged edges.
• The cascade is formed using several protrusions on different tiers of the structure, along which water flows down quietly and smoothly with a pleasant murmur. Contemplation of the cascades fills you with calm, pacifies, and no splashes or foam are formed in the process. To further weaken the flow in cascades, you can use stones with recesses - water will accumulate in these reservoirs and flow out smoothly.

In the case of a waterfall, water may flow out of a hole between two cobblestones, from a jug. To form cascading ledges, it is better to choose sandstone - this stone looks natural and is easy to care for. To save time and effort on building a waterfall or cascade structure, you can purchase a ready-made form. If you design the cascade yourself, make the first tier as even as possible.

Important!The height of the waterfall or cascades is determined by the power of your pump. It is optimal to build waterfalls up to 1.5 m, in which case the pump will cope with the task of pumping water with the highest quality and ease.

Next, you can give free rein to your imagination and build the most unusual cascade. To fasten cobblestones, use polyurethane foam or cement. To prevent the fasteners from being noticeable at the joints, sprinkle them immediately after gluing with sand or fine gravel - this will add naturalness and hide traces of human origin.

Arrangement of the bowl

You can use live plants, stones, seashells and pebbles to decorate the bowl. When choosing vegetation, take into account the following points:

• harmony of plants with the overall composition of the garden and the interior of the house;
• necessary conditions and climate for plants;
• flowering period.

If you are choosing flowers from different periods flowering, the composition will look attractive for many months. Typically, low trees and shrubs, herbs, and low-growing flowers are chosen for decoration. The latter look luxurious if planted in islands among greenery, creating bright accents.
In addition to coastal plants, the pond needs to be decorated with underwater ones. They perform not only a decorative function, but also regulate the number of bacteria, enrich the water with oxygen and generally improve its composition. Among the underwater plants you can choose:

• swamp;
• hornwort;
• duckweed;
• lotuses and lilies;
• water lilies.

Important!It is necessary to constantly regulate the population and thin out the vegetation from time to time, since it should not cover more than half the surface of the pond.

Pump selection and installation

The pump is the main element that will fill your pond with life and ensure the flow of water throughout the structure. Therefore, you need to approach the choice of pump responsibly.

Main types of pumps:

• submersible - located under water, quieter in operation, cheaper. This is the most common option;
• external - located on land, requires camouflage in the composition of the reservoir, creates noise during operation.

If a stream of water flows from a height of 1.5 m or less, a 70 W pump will be sufficient. For higher waterfalls and cascades, you need to select powerful pumps; this should preferably be done after consultation with a specialist in the store who can calculate the required power. It is optimal if the pump is equipped with a jet power regulator.
Hoses are connected to the pump. One goes outside, and a stream comes out of it directly. This hose must be well hidden between stones and plants. The second hose sucks up water and is located at the bottom of the tank. When purchasing a pump, ask whether it requires a filter, since most devices can only pump clean water. Also take care of protection against dry running - when the pumping equipment does not pump water when turned on. There will also be a cord going outside from the pump to connect to a low-voltage transformer, which should be hidden in the room. The cord must be reliably protected from moisture. It should be positioned so that it does not catch the eye in the overall composition.

Step by step instructions

Let's summarize the main stages of creating a decorative waterfall with your own hands.

In this article we will talk about how to make a waterfall on summer cottage without spending a lot of effort, time and money.

Types of waterfalls for a summer residence

In nature, waterfalls are found mainly in mountainous areas, but no one bothers to adjust the landscape own plot for your own needs. Create a small one here, work on an artificial elevation, equip the structure with a pump that will pump water to an improvised mountain - an excellent waterfall is ready! Such artificial structures are distinguished according to the following criteria:

• in height: small (up to 30 cm), medium (30-50 cm), large (from 50 cm);
• along the width of the spillway section: jet, with a wide discharge line;
• by the number of cascades: conventional, two- or more-stage;
• according to the material for the manufacture of the structure: stone, glass, metal, etc.

Relatively appearance: the waterfall should fit harmoniously into environment, and turning it off should not violate the integrity of perception landscape design.

You can get some inspiration from the following video.

Can you roughly imagine what the result should be? Then it’s time to study the main stages of constructing a decorative waterfall.

How to make a simple waterfall

It is believed that the appearance of a man-made waterfall largely determines the site on which it is planned to be built. Therefore, even if you really liked a project you spotted somewhere, do not rush to start working on its implementation - there is a high probability that it simply will not fit into the surroundings of your site.

Let us briefly describe the steps that need to be taken to obtain the desired result:

1. Selecting a location. Carefully consider the composition, if necessary, invite you to a consultation landscape designer. A waterfall can act as a dominant or auxiliary element - in both cases, a reasonable balance must be maintained.
2. . Water must circulate through some kind of system: be pumped out from somewhere and fall somewhere. In our case, the starting point is any container in the ground: made of plastic, concrete, waterproofed with a special film.
3. Construction of an elevation. Use the soil removed when digging a pit under a pond to make a slide. Protect the soil elevation from water using a film, set the geometry of the water flow using stones installed on the mountain. On at this stage you set the height from which the water will subsequently fall.
4. Pump connection. Select a pump based on the required pressure and volume of circulating water.
5. Decor. With the help of stones and plants, wood, glass and metal, as well as other available materials, the structure is adapted to various design directions. This could be an authentic natural waterfall, a structure in high-tech or country style. Everything is linked to general direction landscape design on the site.

Now let's look at the construction of a specific structure.

The pictures above show a popular solution, for decoration of which affordable granite slabs and large cobblestones are used. To make such a waterfall, you need to go through the following stages of work:

• Find a free site. As a rule, 4 sq.m. is enough for these purposes. Keep in mind that it is better to place the waterfall on the leeward side, away from the house (at least 3 m away). Try to avoid choosing places near trees and large bushes. Their foliage will clog the pond, and developed roots can disrupt the integrity of the waterproofing.
• Prepare your work area. Remove bushes and stones from the site. Use a shovel to level the surface. Check the horizontalness of the plane using a long bubble level.
• Mark the contours of the reservoir and future hill. This can be done using sand or flexible hose. To secure the shape of the perimeter, remove the turf from the designated area.
• Dig a pit and form a hill. For our purposes, the maximum depth of the reservoir will be 1 m, which will allow us to decorate its bottom with large stones. Place the extracted soil in place of the artificial elevation, compacting it tightly with a shovel ( rice. 1).
• Arrange the base for the slab. To achieve ideal stability of the slab from which water will subsequently fall, build a stable base from blocks, bricks or tarred timber. When installing, use a level and make sure that the base is firmly planted in the ground.
• Carry out waterproofing work. To prevent the improvised hill from being eroded by precipitation, and to prevent water from escaping through the bowl of the reservoir, use pond film (made of PVC or butyl rubber - read more about materials).
• Install the stove. Ideal option, when one side of the slab is flat (it is placed on the base), and the other has a slight slope (it is placed towards the reservoir). But even if you have a stove at your disposal irregular shape, with the help of stones and sealant, creating an impenetrable barrier on several sides, you can direct the water the way you need ( rice. 2).
• Mount the pump. Install submersible pump on the bricks, run a hose from it to the top of the waterfall. Connect the pump to the mains by running the power cable into the house.
• Decorate the waterfall. Disguise the hose through which water will be supplied, the slide, the bottom and the coast of the reservoir. The aesthetics of the structure depends on how you lay them out. Fill the reservoir with water and turn on the pump. It's done!

What does such a waterfall look like in a garden? finished form, you can watch the video below.

Choosing a waterfall pump

The heart of any artificial waterfall is a pump, which ensures the supply of liquid to the top point of the structure. And almost half of the success depends on what kind of pump you buy.

Pumping equipment for waterfalls can be submersible or surface. In the first case, the working unit is placed in a reservoir, in the second, it is placed outside the water, camouflaged somewhere on the surface, or walled up in a waterfall slide. Submersible equipment, with all other characteristics being equal, is cheaper than surface equipment. This is what is installed most often.

Considering that in our case, large volumes of supplied water are needed to create the desired effect, one of the most important characteristics pumping equipment its performance stands out. It determines the maximum volume of water pumped by the pump per hour. The table below will help you navigate when purchasing a pump with suitable parameters.

Approximate data for choosing pump capacity for a waterfall* (Q max, m 3 / h)

		Flow width, m
Waterfall height (H max), m

(*) – when choosing a pump, you should not rely solely on the data in the table. For any further questions, please consult with the sellers.

In conclusion, I would like to say a few words about decorating the waterfall. After all, decorative elements will not only give your building a complete look, but will also disguise some flaws and unaesthetic elements of the structure.

To decorate the edges of the pond, large cobblestones are most often chosen, while the bed is filled with small and medium-sized pebbles. They look very good next to the waterfall garden sculptures , alpine coaster And rockeries, all kinds of flowers and marsh plants(such as calamus And buzulnik).

And recently it has become fashionable to install at the bottom of a reservoir LED backlight And underwater lights. The lighting placed along the height of the entire waterfall also looks very impressive. Another interesting solution is the use of floating lanterns powered by solar panels. There are no universal tips for decorating waterfalls; it all depends on your imagination, design and size of the area.

By performing these simple operations, you can build a wonderful waterfall with your own hands, which will become a real decoration of the garden!

Such beautiful craft like desktop decorative waterfall not only allows you to significantly humidify the air in the room, but also creates the soothing sounds of the murmur of water. But you don’t have to buy an expensive product. You can make a tabletop waterfall yourself.

To make a tabletop waterfall, you should first stock up on the necessary items. A waterfall is considered functioning if there is constant circulation of water in it. For circulation you will need compact pump. As the lower reservoir of the reservoir, you can use a cutting bottom part five-liter plastic bottle. The height of the cut part should not be less than 7 cm. The bottom of the base of the reservoir can be a plastic base from under a round cake.

Stages of making a tabletop waterfall

Make a neat hole in the water tank for the pump tube. The diameter should be slightly smaller than the tube itself. After this, carefully glue the reservoir container with the pump to the base. Think about what you can use as a box to mask the pump.

To form a beautiful decorative part of the waterfall, you will need to create a relief base. You can use high-quality polyurethane foam. Fill the entire base of the substrate with foam and wait until it dries completely (about 3 hours). After the base has dried, make a foam waterfall slide. Its height should be approximately 16 cm. About 12 hours after performing all these manipulations, proceed to the formation of the waterfall itself. It is recommended to lay them out with pebbles using waterproof glue. At the same time, start forming cells for spectacular water transfusions. Then start painting the waterfall. Be sure to make a base out of cardboard circles. In this case, the size of the circles should be equal to the size of the base of the pallet. Then the circles should be glued and decorated using colored foil.

To make paint, you can use PVA glue, water and the color you like. These ingredients must be mixed thoroughly. While mixing, add sand until you get a creamy consistency. If you want a dense layer of paint, apply the dye in several layers. Well, at the end you can install an original bead tree, prepared in advance.