Wishing Well

History of Wishing Wells

The term originated from ancient Europe where according to folklore anybody loudly wishing for something near certain wells and if they throw a coin inside the well their wish will come true. This can be largely attributed to clean water which is a precious commodity even today. Because of its necessity for human existence many cultures and ancient civilizations across the world considered it sacred. So wherever potable water was found people considered the place sacred. Be it in natural springs or in rivers people built walls around it and constructed wells. In the case of rivers people dug wells near them and if you look at history ancient civilizations were situated close to water sources. The myth surrounding water slowly grew to a point where people started worshiping water and started believing that any water source had special powers. This led to people believing that if they wish for something from a water source it will come true and from there was born the name Wishing Well.

Even to this day people throng to various Wishing Wells situated mostly in Europe and wish for whatever they want. In fact throwing pennies into ponds and fountains is an extension of the Wishing Well myth. In November 2006 the "Fountain Money Mountain" reported that tourists throw just under 3 million pounds every year into Wishing Wells. You can call them superstitious or just dumb but the fact is Wishing Wells are quite popular as attested by the fact mentioned above.

The Types of Wishing Wells

There are not many different types of Wishing Wells, after all the basic design of a well cannot be radically different. But today Wishing Wells have become so popular as a part of home decor that we do find many different types of Wishing Wells. These decorative decor items can be placed on your lawn, or near your pathway or inside your house. It all depends on the size and the material used to make them. Generally to give it an authentic look and feel a Wishing Well is made out of wood and bricks.

Wishing Wells have also found their way into parties, functions and weddings. They are usually placed at the venue of these gatherings and people can put their gifts into them. All home decor Wishing Wells are generally not very big and of course they are not actual wells, instead they are made to look like a well from outside and are just placed wherever you want them to be. A Wishing Well can be made out of various materials such as wood, metal or any synthetic or plastic material. But a wooden Wishing Well with a brick wall is generally the most popular choice if you plan to locate your Wishing Well outside your house. But Wishing Wells made for special occasions like weddings and parties can be made out of any material as long as they resemble a Wishing Well in appearance. Since they are placed indoors and they are usually very light weight and painted colorfully to go with the festive mood and rarely are they permanent or strong structures. However a Wishing Well that is placed outdoors can be of any size, it is purely a choice that you have to make.

Tips to build your own garden Wishing Well

The easiest way to radically change the landscape of your garden is by installing a Wishing Well. Now you can buy them from a reputed Wishing Well manufacturer or build one on your own. Whatever your choice select the perfect spot in your garden before you embark on your mission to get a Wishing Well. If you are building one it is not too difficult though as mentioned earlier the first thing you need to do is select the spot for your Wishing Well. Then decide whether you want water to be a part of your Wishing Well. Remember that most Wishing Wells that are situated at homes do not usually contain water. The one main reason for this is the safety of children. Now any authentic looking Wishing Well will most definitely have a concrete base with a round wall of about 3 to 4 feet. If you fill this with water though it will give a very real look to your Wishing Well it is quite dangerous for young children. The danger of someone drowning is quite possible. So decide if you want water in your Wishing Well before you start constructing the base and surrounding wall.

Depending on your requirement you can plan your construction. The size and height of your Wishing Well is again purely dependent on the available space and your preference. Remember one thing if your Wishing Well is going to be situated outside it will be exposed to the vagaries of nature, so before you start building your Wishing Well you need to consider the strength of your structure.

Basic Ingredients

You may not be building a super structure in your garden but still if you are going to build something that you want to showcase something as unique to your home you better plan and purchase the right ingredients. Because it is not everyday that you go about remodeling your garden. The basic shape of a Wishing Well is not much different from any well that you may see along the countryside. It is usually a round or circular structure with a pair of pillars mounted on the circular wall. Usually both the pillars are connected by a metallic rod and at the centre point of the connecting rod or pipe you have a pulley using which water can be drawn from the well. However if you want to break with convention you can have a rectangular or a square structure and always say that your Wishing Well is different.You can start by building a small foundation for your wall using concrete and stones. This is quite vital if you are planning to have a Wishing Well that is more than 2 feet high.

Once you have laid the foundation wait for the concrete to set and go about building the perimeter wall of your Wishing Well. Of course constructing a square or a rectangular perimeter wall is much easier than a circular one but if you want your Wishing Well to look authentic then a circular wall is the best choice. Once the foundation work is done you can start constructing the wall using bricks, cement blocks or stones and cement. The choice of material is again left to you. But a stone wall with an unfinished look or a wall built using unfinished stones will definitely give a rustic look and feel to your Wishing Well. You can of course forego all this and just build your Wishing Well out of wood but can never replace the natural and real look of a Wishing Well built out of stone and mortar. With the wall finished you can build two pillars equidistant from each other and connect them with a metallic rod or pipe that looks like a diameter line of the Wishing Well. Do not use material that can rust when exposed to inclement weather for the rod of your Wishing Well. You can add a pulley at the exact centre of the rod and even put a rope along the pulley and place a pail of water on your Wishing Well wall to complete the perfect Wishing Well.

Some add ons for your Wishing Well

Once you have your basic structure ready you can always try and make it look the way you want it to be. Some suggestions are painting the exterior of your Wishing Well or adding a canopy to your Wishing Well, etc. If you are decorating your Wishing Well with a canopy it is advisable to use light weight materials such as wood. There are many other things you can do without altering the basic design of the structure, so just let your creative juices run and build your own Wishing Well.