How to Build Your Own Outdoor Rock Garden With a Waterfall

Prepare or make the hillside that will house your pump and tubing by removing any grasses and weeds that will not be included in the garden. Remove any plants that will be replanted in the garden when finished. Store them in planters until they are ready to be replanted. This will prevent them from being damaged during the excavation process.

Designate an area of the waterfall that will house the pump. Make this area accessible for repairs, but put it where it is protected from the elements as much as possible. You can plan to stack rocks around it to help hide it. Place the pump in its place and attach the hoses to it.

Lay the hoses out where they will be placed. Run the intake hose down to the end of the waterfall, where the water retention pond will be placed. This hose should be long enough to fit easily fit into the pond and allow for extracting pond water to run through the system. The output hose should be long enough to extend to the top of the waterfall to create the water's "source."

Dig trenches and bury the hoses as applicable. These can also be covered by the stones that will decorate the pond, if desired. If you don't plan on burying them, put the hoses in place and put a few smaller stones around them to secure the system. Test the pump system to be sure it works.

Lay the sheet of black plastic or the waterfall lining out and stretch it from the top of the waterfall down the side of the hill to the retention pond. This will help to contain the water that falls down the hill and force it to flow into the retention pond. Secure the sheeting on some of the edges by either burying the edges in dirt or holding them down with rocks, or both.

Build your waterfall with stones by starting at the bottom and working your way to the top of the hill, placing stones on top of each other, varying the placements to simulate the way stones stack in nature. Allow the stones to guide the way for the water to flow, making the water turn or bend on the way down. Building flat shelves along the way with the rocks will add some interest to the falls and change the pattern of water flow. Use concrete mix, if necessary, to help hold some of the key stones in place.

Install a few plants among the stones at the edges of the waterfall, leaving room for them to grow a bit and interspersing them into the landscape. Create interesting textures by using differently textured plants and mixing colors.

Fill the retention pond with water, prime the pump and start the system. Be sure the water flows the way you want it to. If it doesn't, adjust the stones to let it flow correctly.

Finish installing plants around the waterfall, extending outward. Use plants such as creeping junipers, ferns and ground covers for best results. Use plants that are native to your area or that are rated for your USDA Hardiness Zones, and follow recommendations for shade or sun.