Backyard fountain installation in Boise, Idaho

Backyard fountain installation in Boise usually starts with a backyard that's quiet, but not the good kind of quiet. You hear the neighbor's air conditioner, traffic on the next street, a dog two houses down. A fountain fixes a lot of that. Moving water gives your ears something close and pleasant to focus on, and the other noise fades into the background.

I'm Kabe Hockema. I've been landscaping since 2012, and I'm on every job myself. I build backyard fountains with Aquascape components: a buried basin, a pump, and a feature like a bubbling urn, a basalt column or a drilled stone. My fountain contractor page covers all my fountain services.

Why put a fountain in the backyard

• Sound. Water softens road noise, neighbors and AC units, which helps a lot in newer neighborhoods where lots sit close together.
• A focal point. A fountain gives your eye a place to land when you look out the back window.
• Birds. A gentle bubbler draws birds in to drink and bathe.
• Light upkeep. Unlike a pond, there are no fish and no open pool to clean.

If you're still deciding between styles, my page on fountains explains the main types.

Finding the right spot in your backyard

Where a backyard fountain goes matters more than which one you pick. Here's how I walk a yard.

Look from inside. Stand at the kitchen sink and the back door. A fountain you can see from inside gets enjoyed every day, even in winter when it's shut off and the stone is all that shows.

Listen from your seat. Sound fades with distance. If you want to hear it from the patio, it should sit within a few steps of your chair.

Watch the sun and wind. A fountain in full afternoon sun on the west side of the house loses more water. One in the path of the afternoon wind throws spray. A spot with some shelter is easier to keep full.

Look up. Trees that drop leaves, seeds or cottonwood fluff will keep you cleaning the pump. A little distance from big trees helps.

Mind the mower and sprinklers. Keep the fountain out of the mowing path and away from spray heads that wet the stone and leave hard water spots.

Kids, dogs and wildlife

Families pick fountains because there's no standing pool. The water falls onto gravel and drains into a covered basin, so a toddler can splash on the stones without the risk of an open pond. Dogs will drink from it, and some will try to dig in the gravel. In yards with diggers, I use larger rock around the edge. Birds like shallow, gentle water better than a tall spray, so a low bubbler is the way to go if you want to watch them.

Backyards in newer subdivisions

A lot of backyards in Meridian, Kuna, Star and south Boise were graded with compacted builder fill. Under a thin layer of topsoil, you might hit hard-packed clay or rocky fill. That's slow digging, and loose pockets can settle under a basin. I dig through it and compact a solid base so the fountain stays level. Check your HOA rules too, since some neighborhoods want to approve visible yard changes.

Making it part of the yard

A fountain sitting alone on the lawn looks like it was dropped there. I set it into a bed with stone and plants, and sometimes a path or bench, so it belongs. My page on fountain landscaping covers the plants and rock that work around one. If your fountain will sit right beside a patio, read patio fountain installation too, since running power under pavers takes some planning. If the whole backyard needs work, this full backyard renovation shows what a bigger project can look like.

What changes the cost of a backyard fountain

Aquascape fountain kits start at $5,500. In a backyard, the cost moves with:

• Access. Gravel, stone and the basin all have to get through your side gate. A narrow gate or a long walk from the driveway adds hand labor.
• Distance to power. A long cord run or a new outlet adds cost.
• Digging. Clay and rocky fill take longer than loose soil.
• What goes around it. Planting, a stone border, lighting or a place to sit.

Where I install backyard fountains

From the Boise Bench to the North End, and out to Meridian, Eagle, Star, Kuna, Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton, Garden City and Hidden Springs, I install backyard fountains across the Treasure Valley. Sun Valley and Ketchum are in my service area too.

Bring water to your backyard

Ready to hear water instead of traffic? Schedule a consultation for backyard fountain installation in Boise, and I'll help you pick the spot and the fountain. You can also reach me at (541) 961-7269.