Angie’s List: Bubbling Boulders a ton of backyard enjoyment

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Outdoor living remains a hot home trend, and backyard water features are part of the revolution. That includes bubbling boulders, just one unique way to create your own tranquil oasis.

Whether a hundred pounds or a more than a ton, bubbling boulders, which come in all shapes and sizes, bring enhanced visual and auditory appeal to a backyard.

“If a water feature is done well, it can be a great investment for your house and can provide long-lasting relaxation to your family,” Angie’s List founder Angie Hicks says.

Each stone has its own look and personality.

“Unlike fountains where they are pre-built, a kit kind of thing, this is its own thing, so there’s nothing like it anywhere else,” says David Gorden, landscape architect at Mark M. Holeman Inc.

David LaFara, of Tiffany Lawn & Garden Supply, finds bubbling boulder candidates both large and small at Midwestern quarries.

“They have a lot of stuff, it’s all set up palletized ready to rock and roll, it’s all in lines. I don’t want the next in line, I want the best in line,” LaFara says.

After a customer picks out a rock, LaFara drills the holes where the water comes out. Once placed on-property and hooked up to plumbing, it’s time for finishing touches.

“We’ll finish it up with decoration, there’ll be some Mexican beach pebbles around the base, there’ll be plantings all around it,” Gorden says. “When it’s all said and done, it’ll be a nice feature in a beautiful setting.”

Angie says you can get a small bubbling boulder installed for around $500, while larger ones can cost $5,000 or more because of the labor and equipment needed to move and place it.