Gardenworld

You might think that creating a waterfall in your garden would be a major task, one usually left to landscapers. Yet a modern and simple way of creating a cascade can be achieved with ridge tiles - those traditionally used to cover the apex of a roof.

Ridge Tile Waterfall Materials needed

1,500 litres-per-hour low-voltage pond pump,

4m of hose (compatible in size to the pump),

1 3m x 2.5m pond liner,

3m x 2.5m of pond liner underlay or piece of old carpet,

5 terracotta ridge tiles,

Terracotta urn,

Spade,

Stanley knife,

5 bags of medium to large pebbles

Planting
Selection of variegated and green-leaved ivies,

Compact grasses such as Carex elata 'Aurea' or Alopecurus pratensis 'Aureovariegatus',

Compact ferns such as Polystichum setiferum or Selaginella kraussiana

Selection of low-habit, compact perennials, such as rock plant or alpines; Rhodanthemum hosmariense, Aquilegia alpina or Convolvulus sabatius

Directions:

Step One:
Dig out a hole for the pond. This can be as large as you want but the one featured here is 1.2m across and 50cm deep. Pile the soil up into a ramp on one side of the hole, with a gully running up its centre.
Step Three:
Push the hose at the top of the gully through the hole in the bottom of the urn. Should the hole be larger in diameter than the hose, it is important to plug the hole tight with a waterproof sealant, such as silicone sealant, plumbers glue or pvc cement.
Step Five:
Adjust the tiles until you are happy with how they look and pack soil around them to hold them firmly in position. Disguise the edges of the liner with more soil.
Step Two:
Cover the pond with underlay and pond liner and run the pump hose from the pond up to the top of the gully. Then line the gully, making sure that the liner drapes into the pond to catch any leaks.
Step Four:
Lay the ridge tiles up the centre of the gully, each over-lapping the one below by 2-3cm - work up from the bottom of the gully. Position the bottom tile so that it juts out over the edge of the pond to create a good fall of water, finishing off with the top tile sitting under the lip of the urn to catch the water. Ensure the base of each tile splopes towards the pond.
Step Six:
Fix the pump to the hose, fill the pond with water and check the waterfall for leaks. Make any adjustments to the psoition of the urn or tiles as necessary, then line the pond with pebbles and plant up around it.