Situated at the edge of a patio, this trickling double-decker fountain turns a small space into an exotic outdoor room. The larger pot sits on pot feet (painted to match), raising it enough for the pump's electrical cord to move freely from the bottom of the container.

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The smaller pot fits easily inside the bigger one, allowing water to flow over its rim and recirculate. High-fire glazed pottery such as this proves ideal for a fountain because it is more durable than terra-cotta or glazed ceramic.

What you'll need:

• Glazed pots in two sizes (Ours are 18 and 8 inches in diameter.)

• 170 gph pump and fountain kit

• Power drill and masonry bit
• Plumber's putty
• 
Clear silicone

• Bricks

• Plastic nursery pot
• Fieldstones

• River rock

• Terra-cotta pot feet

Step 1:

Fit the pump cord through the drainage hole of the larger pot. If needed, enlarge the hole using a power drill and masonry bit.

Step 2:

Leave 12 inches of cord inside the pot. Plug the drainage hole with plumber's putty, sealing the cord in place. After the putty dries, reinforce the seal with silicone applied inside and outside the pot, smoothing with a fingertip.

Step 3:

Set the pump on two bricks inside the large pot. Cover the pump with a sturdy, overturned plastic nursery pot. Fit the fountain tubing through the drainage hole in the bottom of the nursery pot.

Step 4:

Set the small pot on the nursery pot and extend the fountain tubing through the pot's drainage hole. Hold the pump in place with a few fieldstones.

Step 5:

Fill both pots with clean river rock and water.

Tip: Rinsing the rocks thoroughly before adding them to the fountain will help prevent soil and other debris from clogging the pump. Place the fountain on pot feet painted to match the glazed pots. Plug the pump into a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet to prevent potential shocks.