Wishing Well (part 1)

A Look at the Space Between the Raised Bed and the Wood Fence.

A portion of the front of the rock wall.

End of the Rock Wall and Start of the Wishing Well.

A Peek Inside the 'Dry' Wishing Well.

Why build a wishing well? I've been asked that by several family members. I don't have a really good answer, it's just that I want to build one, I have the space for one, and I'm enchanted by the sight of them (especially since visiting Colonial Williamsburg in 1999).

There is a sense of mystery with wishing wells. Seeing one, I ask myself, is there water? Is it potable water? What's it taste like? How deep is it? I want to look inside. And, if no one is looking, maybe drop a marble or a pebble inside and count the seconds till I hear a 'plop?'

Mystery and wonder is WHY I wanted to build a backyard well. Not a real one. No hole in the ground. I only wanted to simulate a wishing well. I found plans at Buildeazy for a wooden wishing well, but it didn't appear as large, or as subtantial, or as 'real looking' as I'd like. I did like their plans for a wood bucket and windlass though (crank for bringing up the bucket and rope), and I may eventually build a similar one.

I used concrete building block material because: it is cheap, substantial, easy to use, won't blow over in a wind, and it fit in with my plan for a raised garden bed. It took three trips to The Home Depot with my Ford Explorer to bring all the needed blocks home (for the raised bed and the wishing well).