Retire Your Old Fountain: The Alternative From Home Depot Perfect For Your Small Patio

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Big, elegant fountains have had their time in the spotlight, but dealing with their bulky shape, hoses, and electrical cords can be a tripping hazard, especially in smaller spaces like patios. If you want to make your backyard more relaxing with the trickling sound of running water, but need a smaller fountain that better suits your available patio space, the Solar Gray Stone Wall Fountain by Teamson from Home Depot is a charming option.

This compact product measures around 2 ¼ feet tall and 1 foot wide, and is lightweight enough that it can be moved around easily, weighing only 15 pounds when assembled. The fountain features pots and bowls stacked vertically, pouring out of each other to create a series of waterfalls that help turn your patio into an oasis. The LED lights at the bottom of the bowls mean you can even enjoy your fountain after the sun goes down.

The best part is that the pump and the lighting run fully on solar power, so the only power cord you'll have to worry about is the one connecting the fountain to its solar panel, and you won't need to stress about finding an outlet close enough to your patio to plug it in. As one five-star reviewer on Home Depot's website put it, "We are so happy with this fountain. It checked all our boxes with running water, solar powered (no need for running a cable to power) and gentle lights for evening."

When you first get your fountain, you may be eager to set it up and turn it on immediately. However, small solar panels to power garden decor need some time to get ready — often around a day — before they run. This fountain, though, needs a little longer. You'll want to provide it with two days of full sun with the power switch in the "off" position. Only then can you turn it on. Otherwise, you may notice that it doesn't hold a charge or run as well as it should.

Even after you let your fountain's battery fill up, it's important to find the best spot in the garden to place your solar panel, giving it access to as much sun as possible since it will still need roughly six or seven hours of light a day to keep running after the initial charge. However, this leads to a bit of a balancing act since polyresin — the main material of the fountain — can experience discoloration or degradation after long-term UV exposure. Too much sun can also cause the fountain's water to evaporate quicker. So while it's best for the solar panel to stay in a spot with full sun, the fountain itself could benefit from some shade, whether that means permanently keeping it in a shadier spot on your patio or moving it around as necessary. Thankfully, the cable to connect the two measures 6 ½ feet, so you'll have some leeway to space them so they're both in an ideal environment.