A Fountain Without Water: Planting a Cascading Floral Display

Transforming a Dry Fountain into a Living Cascade

When Bill Anderson inherited his grandmother's Hollywood Hills fountain, he and wife Dana skipped the plumbing and planted a cascade instead. The centerpiece: a cherub holding a conch shell above a giant clamshell basin.

Plant Cast

• Main spiller: White-flowered bacopa.
• Froth at cherub's feet: Campanula and alpine strawberries.
• Naturalized: Species tulips and muscari.

Why It Works (Despite No Drainage)

The basin lacks drainage holes—normally a container taboo—but the shell's width and shallowness allow soil to dry quickly. "That's what makes this work, contrary to the rules," says Dana. Planted nearly two years ago, the trio thrives.

A creative, rule-breaking container garden that delights year-round.