Large Outdoor Water Fountains

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Large outdoor water fountains are perfect for enhancing your patio or lawn area. Fountains were often used in courtyards to cool and moisturize the air, especially in arid regions of the world. They were sometimes used to animate displays or special items. The quiet sound of trickling water can be soothing to the senses.

Tara Gosselin Interior Design Expert

Tara is a San Antonio-based award-winning landscape architect, writer and educator, passionate about eco-friendly solutions and growing her own food. She knows all it takes to help you create a sustainable backyard retreat that combines blissful charm with a modern take on landscaping.

7 Recommendations and 186 Ideas

Updated 10/05/2023

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Best Waterfall-Style

Large Outdoor Water Fountain

Loon Peak®

What We Like: 6-tier rainforest design

Perfect For: Creating a serene and calming atmosphere

With six cascading tiers that resemble the lush rainforests of the Amazon, this fountain is sure to provide the serene atmosphere you seek for your garden. Made from high-quality polyresin, it is built to withstand weather and rust, ensuring years of use. The LED lights in each tier provide a stunning visual display at night, while the gentle sound of the water flowing creates a tranquil environment.

$979.99 ~~$1699.99~~

Designer Advice:

To make the most of the rainforest aesthetic, place the fountain among plants with lush foliage and bright flowers like pineapple lilies and bromeliads. You can also place it near a seating area, providing the perfect backdrop for relaxation and conversation. To highlight the LED lights at night, add soft landscape lighting around the fountain.

What Users Say:

This Rainforest fountain is the dazzling center piece of my backyard and the water that flows shines through the LED lighting !!!! Soo beautiful by night!

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Best Traditional European Style

Large Outdoor Fountain

Ophelia & Co.

What We Like: Magnetically driven pumps

Perfect For: Adding a touch of classical European style

Add a touch of old world charm to your outdoor space with this large outdoor fountain. With a tiered design that is reminiscent of public squares in Europe, this fountain features water streaming from tier to tier, creating a soothing sound. Handmade in the USA from durable cast-stone concrete, it is a timeless piece that requires minimal maintenance. The fountain is self-contained, requiring no external water hookups, and can be used with a digital or smartphone-controlled timer.

$1862 ~~$1999.99~~

Designer Advice:

To create a stunning, aged focal point in your outdoor space, surround it with lush greenery, such as ivy or ferns. Alternatively, accent the fountain with colorful flowers in ornate terracotta pots for a more contemporary look.

What Users Say:

I love this fountain. It’s a beautiful design and very well-made. Other than being incredibly heavy it was easy to install. Just make sure the base is level and keep bird-friendly enzymes in it to keep algae from building up.

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Large Cement Outdoor Water Fountain

Ivy Bronx

Boasting a beautiful combination of a grey cement finish and faux pebble border in hues of grey and brown and a contemporary curved design, this elegant water fountain will instantly become the focal point of your outdoor living space.

$269.99 ~~$409.99~~

Designer Advice:

With its mesmerizing, curvy design, this stunning fountain will add an extra dimension to your space. At 37”, this fountain is fairly large, so it would make an excellent statement centerpiece for a patio or deck area, with the built-in LED lights inside reflecting off the fountain to create an enchanting atmosphere.

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Large Metal Outdoor Water Fountain

Millwood Pines

With clean lines and a modern tiered rectangular design, this large outdoor water fountain is the perfect addition to any modern garden. The cascading water will add visual movement, inviting the gentle flow of nature to your outdoor space.

$349.99 ~~$499.99~~

Designer Advice:

This contemporary fountain will bring an atmosphere of modern elegance and beauty to your garden, patio, or deck. With its simple setup and contemporary elements, this fountain is an effortless way to elevate the look of any modern outdoor space.

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Timeless Large Outdoor Water Fountain

World Menagerie

Featuring four large vases with water cascading from the top down to the bottom, this beautiful water feature will bring a sense of peace and tranquility to your patio or garden. Available in pretty turquoise blue or bold rust red.

Designer Advice:

This lovely fountain has a versatile design that will work well with a variety of different design styles, including bohemian, French-Country, and even modern-eclectic. The trickling sound of the water is perfect for drowning out noisy neighbors and loud roads in your area.

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Large Buddha Outdoor Water Fountain

Bungalow Rose

Combining classic Asian design elements with modern materials, this fountain is perfect for creating a zen feeling in your outdoor space. It features a meditating Buddha on the top of a square column with water gently trickling down the front.

$227.99 ~~$309.99~~

Designer Advice:

This captivating fountain is a beautiful way to add life and movement to your garden, terrace, or other exterior space. The built-in LED lights add an extra level of drama as a soft glow casts subtle shadows across the dancing waters in the Buddha’s hands.

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Elegant Large Outdoor Water Fountain

Wrought Studio™

With its captivating design and luxurious finish, this floor fountain is perfect for transforming any outdoor area into a contemporary modern retreat. It has been crafted from durable metal with a two-tone powder-coated finish in matte black and copper.

Designer Advice:

Enhanced by a cleverly hidden cluster of LEDs, this stunning modem fountain is a real showstopper—perfect for making a statement in any outdoor area where you regularly host social gatherings. This fountain will look best against lighter-colored walls to allow it to really stand out and create maximum visual contrast.

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Jump to More Ideas

Large Outdoor Water Fountains

Buying Guide

Fountains instantly transform a garden into a lush oasis. Fountains add ambiance to your garden with the everchanging visual element and the melodic sound of flowing water. But you can't place any fountain in any spot. Consider the style, material, and location of your new water feature before making a purchase.

What Are the Different Types of Fountains?

A fountain, in its most basic form, is an outdoor element that uses water. There are quite a few ways that this landscape feature can utilize the water – raining, bubbling, and cascading, amongst others. To choose the best outdoor fountain for your space, consider how you want the water to move and how this impacts the ambiance.

Running

Sheets of water run down a smooth surface, like the side of an urn, into a reservoir that holds a water pump. The sound of this fountain is like a running hose. Adding something textured to the surface will result in a trickling sound. Splash is minimal, but water evaporates quickly, so you will need to refill it often.

Raining

Droplets fall like a watery curtain from a tall element into a reservoir, which can be pondless, like a layer of pebbles. This fountain sounds like a storm, and the taller the fountain, the stronger the rainstorm. Depending on the height, this splash perimeter is small to medium.

Bubbling

Set into a basin filled with water, a bubbler creates an interesting visual by disrupting the surface of the water, but not creating a lot of sound. This fountain is attractive to birds and butterflies. Bubbling fountains don't create a splash, and they lose very little water.

Cascading

Water spills from a top pool and tumbles down tiers. This is the most classic of the outdoor fountain styles and creates a lovely, multi-tonal sound due to water hitting different surfaces. It is excellent for concealing unwanted noise. The fountain loses a lot of water, and the multiple tiers cause a significant amount of splash.

Pouring

Streams of water gush from one level to the next, collecting into open pools or containers. The water leapfrogs down, creating a pouring sound that some people find soothing. The multiple streams of water are vulnerable to gusts of wind, making water level upkeep a chore.

When you're thinking about the type you want, consider the placement of the fountain. If the location is in a windy area, choose a fountain with fewer water streams, like a bubbling one. If you live close to a highway or busy road, choose one of the louder fountains, to disguise the noise.

What Style Fountain Should I Get?

As a general guideline, you should contemplate the style of your house. Is it a country cottage or a modern minimalist abode? Does this style also carry over to your garden space?

Fountains can be modern, classic, or casual, but consider how cohesive its style is to the rest of your home.

Modern fountains are usually sleek and polished and made of industrial materials, like copper or stainless steel. Zen-style fountains also fall under this category due to the minimal-styling and use of stone and natural materials.
A tiered fountain is an excellent example of the classic style, traditionally made of marble or stone, that will remain attractive for decades. They often feature an ornately rendered centerpiece inspired by classical art and sculpture.
A casual fountain isn't necessarily modern or classic and is best used supplementally, not as a centerpiece. They often come in novelty designs and can have features such as animated lighting or controllable water movements.

What Material Should the Fountain Be?

Along with style, you need to choose your fountain's material. The construction of the fountain can determine the location, customizations, and durability.

Metal – Fountains can be created out of stainless steel or copper. Because of its anti-rusting properties, stainless steel fountains last a long time. Copper is expensive, but some beautiful blue patinas develop over time, changing the facade as it ages.

Cast Stone – The versatility of this material is its primary benefit. Cast stone can be made with fine and coarse aggregate, so the texture differs with whichever mixture you choose. Pigments can be added to change the color of one or more of the parts of your fountain.

Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) – This material is very strong, due to the glass fibers embedded in cement. With the tensile strength of steel, this material is an excellent choice for large fountains.

Natural Stone – These fountains often have the simplest design, due to the material's durability and how difficult it is to carve. Fountains of natural stone feature the various hues and textures of the rock from which they're created.

Resin – Resin or plastic fountains are typically used indoors but are also suitable for outdoor use when properly anchored. The resin is robust and weather-resistant and comes in a wide variety of designs and styles. They are also more affordable than other types of fountains.

Where Should I Put the Fountain?

It is essential to balance the size and shape of the fountain with the form of your garden. You can use your fountain as an accent, a centerpiece, or a destination.

Accent – An accent fountain can be tucked away into a garden bed. The fountain should be slightly taller than the other plants around it. If it has a quieter sound, put it far away from noisy areas that could overwhelm the soothing sounds.

Centerpiece – A six-foot, tiered, marble fountain dominates a small garden. A statement fountain like this should be the focal point of your yard. The larger the fountain, the louder the water noises, so keep this size fountain at least eight feet away from entertainment or dining areas.

Destination – If you have a uniquely shaped garden or yard, use your fountain as a destination. Have the tinkling noise of water lead your guests down charming garden paths to discover the fountain at the end. Complete your hideaway with seating and some aromatic, potted plants.

An outdoor fountain can make your garden into an oasis. The gentle splashing and tinkling of water will soothe your nerves and transport you away from modern life. To buy a fountain that suits your garden and style, consider the type of fountain, material, and placement.