I've talked about water features, and how to build them, on many occassions - here, here and here. But I've never talked about building a garden wishing well.

I'm not sure whether they're out of vogue with landscapers but I rarely see wishing wells in people's gardens these days. That is with the exception of the current wine barrel phase that everyone seems to be picking up on. I know they were once very fashionable and many gardeners would aspire to have one in their garden and would spend hours making them using their own skills.

The one advantage that wishing wells have over other water features is that they don't require pumps and electricity. They don't even require the use of water! Due to problems with small children drowning in these, many gardeners drained them and left them as dry water features. However, they can be built quite safely, still contain water and allow children to play round them without drowning just by placing a piece of steel mesh 10cm below the water's surface.

This photo was taken in a garden we visited about 12 months ago, and this wishing well attracted our children like a magnet. Their desire to cast some coins in and make a wish had obviously been picked up from somewhere (undoubtedly those fiendish Grimm brothers) as we had never taught them what they were. As I'm searching my memory banks, I think it may actually have been the first garden wishing well we had seen since having our children.

If we had more room in our garden we would certainly add one of these but I guess you can't have everything. If you're contemplating adding a water feature then consider building a wishing well. They're very simple to construct requiring only a concrete base, two pillars to support the roof and rotary spindle for the bucket and then laying bricks or rocks in a circular fashion. Add your childproof mesh and fill it with water.

This is another backyard landscaping project that could be done in a weekend.