Greet guests with the tranquil sound of falling water in a pump-fitted urn with a motor that moves the water underground.

Sonorous Ceramic Water Feature How-To
1. Dig a hole large enough for a 10-gallon plastic tub; insert tub (the rim should sit 2 inches below ground level).

2, Place a layer of rocks, then a 475-gallon-per-hour re-circulating pump inside the tub, running the power cord up toward a grounded outdoor outlet. Cut a piece of 1-inch-diameter PVC pipe that, when inserted into the pump, stops 2 inches below the top of the urn. Cut a large X in the center of a 4-mil plastic sheet from a home-supply store.

3. Arrange sheet loosely inside the tub and over a 1-foot-wide swath of earth. Insert the pipe through the slit in the sheet and into the pump. Lay a pair of 3-foot-long pressure-treated 2-by-4s across the hole. Frame a 2-foot-square piece of nylon storm-door screen with strips of 1-by-1, snip a small hole for the pipe, and place the screen over the pipe and 2-by-4s.

4. Drill a hole in the bottom of the urn using a masonry bit that's 1/8 inch larger than the pipe. Slip the urn over the pipe and onto the screen; spray insulating foam sealant around the pipe to make it watertight. Add a flow-control valve midway along the pipe to control water pressure.

5. Fill the urn and underground reservoir with water; plug the pump into the outlet, and test. Once you are satisfied with the water flow, cover the screen with pea gravel. Drain, disassemble, and store the urn and pump inside during the winter.

A. urn
B. pvc pipe
C. flow-control valve
D. insulating foam sealant
E. screen frame
F. 2-by-4 supports
G. plastic sheet
H. pump
I. plastic tub