Raise Your Garden

Musings on the Seedier Side

in Easy Garden DIY

DIY birdbath made of lake rock

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Now with five bird feeders on our property the birds are well-fed. However, now they want a birdbath to get all clean after their feast.

Tom wants this as well. In fact, bird watching is Tom’s new favorite activity and I can’t even describe how much stress it relieves.

We’re saving thousands on his therapy sessions alone.

For awhile now we’ve been exploring various options of making our own DIY birdbath.

We wanted natural products that would blend with our landscape. Nothing tacky….right?!

We also weren’t looking to spend too much cash, if any.

So we wanted to stick with stuff already purchased or recycle something that wasn’t getting used.

This is what we came up with and hope you’ll make your own, too!

We don’t live too far from Lake Ontario and visit quite often. One of the perks is the smooth and sleek lake rock that we are able to bring home.

You can collect some from the shore for free. Sometimes we even borrow his parents dingy to find those remote spots to collect unique rock.

We limit how many we bring home at a time because our 1999 minivan does not appreciate this extra weight!

But the rock is plentiful, it’s just the effort it takes to load.

Lake rock also makes a wonderful landscape edging material. It’s gorgeous and looks fantastic and natural.

Tom wheeled the rock over to the chosen location.

I’d say any serious gardener needs a good wheelbarrow.

Sure, they take up a lot of garage or shed space but they are worth it.

Then you slowly stack the rock making it look as aesthetically pleasing as possible.

Kind of like a puzzle, you want to fit the pieces into each other so they stay put.

We chose not to cement or glue the rock together but you probably should.

Otherwise, your tower is likely to move or even topple down.

However, neither of us wanted to cement the rock base together just in case we change our minds about the location.

Rock will always be useful in the garden as a landscape edger or garden pathway.

We like the lush green Shasta daisies and Hostas surrounding our new birdbath. Hopefully, the birds agree!
And you just keep building and stacking going upward and onward.
Finally our learning Tower of Pisa (just kidding!) is complete. We were going for the natural and rustic look and got it.

I think Tom built me a birdbath that looks gorgeous and is perfectly placed in my perennial beds.

Deciding on a top was a little tricky. Originally, Tom wanted to use an upside down metal garage lid.

But I vetoed that option. Instead, we used the copper bowl that came with our rain chain and I’m pleased with the overall look.

Both rock and copper are natural and the bowl looks pretty propped up on the rock tower.

To weigh it down (as we didn’t choose to use any glue), he put in a few pieces of granite samples we had sitting around. Waste not!

Think the fake bird will attract any real ones? He was a garbage pick!

Another option we considered for the water bowl was a big silver kitchen bowl Tom’s mom had.

But it was super lightweight and we worried about it just falling off, even if weighed down.

The kitchen is a great place to start when considering “bowl” toppers.

Then head to the Salvation Army, Goodwill or garage sale to see what you can scrounge up.

Last, the girls and Tom filled it with water.

I’m pleased!

We got our birdbath without spending any cash. If we change our mind, we can always move it. And the rock was free. It was a great family activity!

What projects are you tackling these days?

Secret code – grape

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Frankie Pinnix says

    I like how the whole family made it together! These memories will stay with your children for all time. The birdbath is ingenious! I think you all were smart not to glue the rocks. I wouldn’t have either…I like to change/rearrange things often. Lastly, the stacked rocks remind me of a cairn…love it 😊💕

    Reply

  11. Sandra McFadden says

    What a cute idea ………….I can use the rocks around my property to create one for myself.

    Reply

  19. Cheryll Powning says

    Great idea! We have so many rocks that we’ve collected over the years with our kids (now grown). Now I know how to use them.

    Reply

  28. Sunshyn says

    That’s just lovely. The copper bowl adds a touch of elegance and the stone stand is pretty much exactly what I’ve been wanting for a water feature.

    Reply

  33. Karen Critcher says

    I am new to gardening. I have planted a few things and then had to leave my home for family emergencies. Now 2 months later I can go home. I don’t know what I will find. So anything you can provide in a giveaway I would be very happy to use as my gardening tools are practically non existent.

    Reply

  34. Jeannie says

    I truly enjoy this site. So many great products are showcased and some truly good garden info.
    Thanks!

    Reply

  36. Minnie C. says

    Good ideas clever suggestions are always found in this website. The birdbath was so unique and original. Engaging the kids was a good teaching moment. Plus wonderful memories were made.

    Reply

  37. Tamara Regan says

    That is a beautiful birdbath and I might have the guts to try and build one myself. These days I am tackling all the weeds that have invaded my garden.

    Reply

  39. Julie Waldron says

    That is so unique! We are currently trying to figure out how we want to landscape our yard.

    Reply