Country Gardens Solar Birdbath
This particular solar garden fountain is a favorite of mine. It is pretty, runs on solar power but best of all it is made from cast resin. Why resin? Because it is easy to clean, easy to move and will last for years (and years and…well you get the point). Resins are now being used for everything from deck planks to patio furniture because of their fantastic ability to weather outdoor use and their ability to mimic every surface from stone to wood to all types of metal. This model features a white to soft gray weathered stone finish that echos the carved fountains found in the grand palaces of old.
The pump and collector located in the bottom of the basin. Setting it up is a
matter of taking it out of the box, placing it in sunlight and adding water to a depth of about 3 inches to the basin. Simple! I highly recommend this particular solar garden fountain for people who live in a cold climate and need to store their fountains over the winter months. (For more information on the care of solar garden fountains please see the article of the same name on this web site.)
This solar garden fountain is a great option if you are a bird watcher and/or trying to attract beneficial insects to your garden like butterflies or bees. Although if you are after more of a “water” sound this may not be what you are looking for. The gentle burbling of the fountain head is soft and serves to keep the water areiated. If you like this fountain but want more “voice” it’s sister version, the Country Gardens 2-Tier Solar Fountain has a stronger sound with all of the benefits of the resin construction and powerful built-in pump.
Terracotta Cascade Solar Fountain
I am starting this review section out with one of the most popular of the small solar garden fountians. This model is small and inexpensive and is a perfect starter unit for a small porch or patio. This unit also works well on balconies for apartment dwellers. Everything is included when you purchase this solar garden fountain: wroght iron stand, fountain base, four cascade bowls, fountain pump, solar collector and solar cord. The fountain is a collection of seperate pieces which makes it easy to set up and later to move around if you choose.
Standing at only 21 inches high (a little less than 2 feet) and 15 inches at its widest point, this little dynamo packs a lot of sound punch. Water falls from four separate cascades and creates more of a ’splashing’ sound than a burbling noise; a pleasant background sound for conversation but also loud enough to enjoy as a relaxation focus. This sturdy little solar garden fountain weighs in at only 24 pounds making it ideal to sit on the ground or on a tabletop.
Included is a compact 6″w x 8″h (smaller than a piece of notebook paper) solar collector with a 10 foot solar cable to power the fountain. Don’t be fooled by the the small size, this efficient collector is more than enough to power the 6 volt fountain pump even if it is a little cloudy. The length of the cable allows the fountain to be placed in a shadded area, i.e. covered porch, tent or gazebo, while placing the solar collector in a more sunny area. Another great feature of this collector is its ability to “posted” into the ground or placed “picture frame” style on a hard surface. This feature combined with the cord lenght is particulary useful if you choose to place the solar garden fountain on a balcony where the collector can be attached to railings with little effort. Of special note is the fact that this particular solar garden fountain comes with an AC adaptor (at NO extra charge) for those days when the sun just won’t shine. This is important, especially if you wish to run your fountain at night. The collector is not equipped with battery charging capability.
I am partial to the terracotta bowls of this fountain. They are rough finished and will age gracefully. However if you are looking for a more “polished” look this great little unit can be purchased with ceramic bowls and comes in no less than 8 terrific colors in addition to a decorated terracotta and white washed terracotta.
