Whiskey barrels fit in small spaces, making them attractive as water features.
Whether it is a placid reflecting pool or a burbling brook or waterfall, sitting next to water helps us relax and shed the stresses of the day. Even small water features are soothing, so if your yard is tiny, making a a water feature out of half a whiskey barrel may be just the thing. It is lightweight and compact enough to fit on an apartment balcony, and with the added advantage of portability, you can take it with you if you move. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Rinse the whiskey barrel well with a garden hose and fill to the top with water. Let sit for two or three days, and then drain. Repeat as often as necessary until you can no longer see or smell the remains of wine or whiskey in the barrel. This is particularly important if you plan to put fish in your pond, but even if it will contain only plants,
2. Spread a ½- to 1-inch layer of rounded gravel over the bottom of the barrel.
3. Fill the barrel with water and let stand for 24 hours or more until all the chlorine has time to dissipate from the water.
4. Add aquatic plants. If you use potted plants such as water lilies, place the pots on submerged bricks or flat rocks as needed to raise them to the water level. Allow the plants to settle in for a week or so before adding fish, if desired.
Tags: whiskey barrel, water features, with water