Ever since the author and his late wife Christine established Dandelion, the business, have designed and supplied antique stone artefacts for the creation of beautiful garden water features.

These most attractive and simple to construct water features can be sited virtually anywhere in the garden either on a level section or placed in an elevated area within a rockery and are created from old Millstones or Grindstones. Bubble fountains are so-named because the water bubbles up from the centre-hole to trickle over the time-worn surface of the Millstone or Grindstone then over the surrounding blanket of pebbles and grits. The water then disappears through the pebbles and grit and re-enters the water-holding tank below.

The Bubble fountain is undoubtedly one of the most endearing and popular water feature designs due to being relatively simple to construct. Once set up amidst colourful flowering plants and small shrubs, Bubble fountains are a delight to behold and the melodious sound of the ‘dancing, chattering’ water bubbling up extremely restful

The building of the Bubble fountain water feature involves the excavation of a rectangular-shaped trench of sufficient depth and width for a suitably sized, open-topped water tank.  This can be made of stainless steel, which will last for many years. Cheaper alternatives are tanks made from thick rubble or reinforced plastic. A quality-manufactured water pump connected to an electric supply by a qualified electrician will be placed within the water tank with the outlet fitted into a plastic nozzle position to deliver water through the centre hole in the Millstone or Grindstone.

Bearing in mind the weight of the Millstone or Grindstone plus the surrounding pebble blanket, the excavated trench base should receive a 75mm concrete floor. Once set, both side walls and the far end wall should be protected with walls of brick, stone or concrete blocks. Leave the ‘front’ opening free for access into the trench for tank and water pump cleaning etc. The walls should rise to around ground level. The next stage involves the placing of two concrete lintels or ‘catnics’ across the side wall tops to carry the weight of the Millstone or Grindstone. However, before placing the latter onto the lintels, place two sheets of thick, plastic perforated square-holed sheets over the lintels and to extend at least 800mm beyond the periphery of the Millstone or Grindstone.

After checking the water pump operates satisfactorily, place the Millstone or Grindstone on top of the supporting lintels. Then ensure the water ‘bubble’ plastic nozzle is fitted securely on to the water delivery pipe’s attachment into the Millstone or Grindstone centre hole. Turn on the water pump by operating the control valve incorporated into the delivery pipe to control the flow.

When all is good, commence adding a mixture of large through to small pebbles and gravel or grit to form a covering blanket over the perforated plastic mats, deeply covering an extended area around the water feature. Large rocks, small stone troughs filled with colourful flowers, or border plants of different heights can then be placed around the Bubble fountain.

A wall mounted fountain can indeed be an astoundingly beautiful feature for a formal garden or for brightening up and adding interest to a dull, old brick or stone wall. Dandelion have supplied numerous hand-carved York stone ‘Green Man’ and sundry other decorative stone plaques, each drilled through the mouth and fitted with a copper spout. These decorative and most fascinating stone plaques can either be incorporated in to a newly built brick or stone wall, or can be bolted onto the face of an old wall at whatever height is required. Indeed, the higher the fall of the water spout, and the welcoming sound of the falling water splashing in to the trough sited below echoes around much of the garden whilst drowning out disturbing traffic noises. Dandelion have supplied many D-shaped, bow-fronted, square and rectangular antique stone troughs which are ideal for siting beneath the ‘spouting plaques’. The troughs, if needed, can simply be walled into the garden structure. They serve as the water reservoir, with the pump secreted at the bottom with a covering of stones or pebbles.

Unusual-looking, badly-carved or partially damaged antique stone troughs, too good to be heaved on to the scrap stone heap can often be given a new life by converting into attractive water features.

A good example is The Green Man of the Woods spouting water fountain we constructed from one of a pair of 200 year old gritstone troughs from out of over twenty horse and cattle troughs which Dandelion purchased from an historic Ribblesdale farm dating back to circa 1769.

Both old water troughs, although quite appealing, originally, over two centuries back had been roughly hewn with primitive hammers, chisels and picks out of an outcropping of gritstone overlooking the farm. No matter how rough-looking the troughs were, the hardy Ribblesdale farmers actually carving huge, irregular slabs of the hard gritstone into much needed horse, cattle and general feed troughs, provided the trough held water would be satisfied with the end result. The lower side walls on our pair of troughs had been hewn at crazy angles, thus neither would deliver that much desired appeal even when overflowing with colourful plants.

Therefore, we opted to convert both troughs in to water features. The Green Man of the Woods trough was transformed by the addition of two sandstone blocks set in to the base to act as supports for the old Yorkshire cottage sink, which following the pinning and cementing into position of The Green Man of the Woods hand-carved stone plaque and the adding of two attractive rocks was set up on to the blocks. Green Man’s mouth was drilled and a copper water spout firmly cemented in to place.

We placed a water pump beneath the sink covered over with small stone flakes and pebbles. The delivery pipe was then connected to the rear end of the copper spout. When operating the water pressure can be easily controlled with a small brass valve resulting in The Green Man of the Woods looking eye-catchingly amazing. Countless visitors to the Dandelion Yard favourly comment. Indeed, many new and regular customers have stated how these water features have delivered inspiration.

The second old Ribblesdale cattle trough sited where it had watered thirsty cattle for over two hundred years, unfortunately had sustained serious damage to a large section of the trough’s 5- inch thick rim, resulting from repeated violent strikes from a giant tractor. Consequent upon Dandelion staff completing specialised repairs to the damaged gritstone rim, followed by a satisfactory water-test, the comical-looking statue of Owd Cedric was added complete with copper water spout.

Owd Cedric’s water fountain trough, and despite often adverse Pennine weather conditions, always generates much heart laughter and chatter from visitors looking around the Dandelion Yard

After acquiring two old and very worn millstones shaped like naval capstans, the smaller millstone was pinned and cemented atop the larger millstone, both then being securely mounted upon a flat, circular old York grindstone. We learnt from the vendor that the capstan-shaped stones probably came from an ancient and long demolished Nidderdale Mill that manufactured hemp rope. An old 8-inch diameter York stone sphere was then drilled to suit the passing through of a 15mm copper pipe and mounted securely cemented on top of the top millstone. A 15mm hole was then drilled through the side wall a few inches above the base and a 15 mm copper pipe introduced to emerge from the stone sphere. The water supply was turned on. The sight of the water spouting from the top of the Millstone Capstan water spout was most gratifying.

Consisting of two 1200mm long by 750mm wide by 150mm deep sandstone sinks salvaged from Dale’s farmhouses and labourer’s cottages plus the top-mounted smaller sink. The water tank is concealed beneath and pumps water to charge the top sink creating a most attractive falling sheet of water which flows down into the lower larger sinks which drains back into the water tank.  Dandelion have built several staircases of up to six old Yorkshire stone sinks. These multi-cascades when well positioned in the garden undoubtedly make a truly fascinating water feature.

Excerpt from the book The Dandelion Salvager, Salvagers and Salvaging The latest book by author Alan McEwen