Unless there is a very large space between the water splash and where the roses grow, you have a very good point, Susan. I've seen way too many roses planted way too close to splashing fountains and they've never looked the way it was hoped. Between the higher humidity and splashing creating petal and foliage issues, or the "overly wet feet", as you suggested, they just haven't done well. Now, create beds far enough away from the fountain with its evergreen hedge and it can be quite pretty, but close enough for the actual splash to touch them and it adds several constant maintenance and performance issues. Kim

Another aspect to this is how the fountain is plumbed. My other garden has several water features. While they have drain pipes to a nearby creek for getting rid of the water, they do not have fill pipes. Water has to be added by either rainfall or hose. If you are getting a lot of splashing, that means water is leaving the fountain. How is it getting replaced? Unless it only happens during high winds, it just sounds like a problematic design to me. Losing pumps because they have run dry is no fun. Even repriming a pump that has run dry is no fun.

Adjusting the flow on the fountain could stop the splashing.

Whenever I think of a fountain and a rose, Raubritter comes to mind. The image of it spilling into the water at Mottisfont Abbey. Raubritter is only a once-bloomer, but when it looks like this who cares!

Melissa

Here is a link that might be useful: Raubritter at Mottisfont Abbey

Thanks you all. This is an above ground birdbath/fountain. A basin about 3ft circumference sits on a pedestal about 3 feet high. Then a little boy spilling water from a shell stands about 2 ft above that on a pedestal in the basin. It's old concrete, got it at an estate sale.
Mad, I do have to replace the water about once a week just from "spray"...no serious splashing and the pump recirculates. I believe it is on the lower setting so maybe I need a smaller pump.
I think I will try my Perle d'Ors (still in 5G pots) and see how they do. If they don't like it I will have to think of something else...maybe some of the water tolerant salvias?
Thanks
Susan

Susan, I had a similar fountain surrounded by several types of fairy roses and various perennials for many years and never found the water to be an issue. What WAS an issue however, is that the fountain itself shaded parts of the circle through the day. Roses on the south and west sides of the fountain grew differently than the roses on the east and north sides. It never looked quite "balanced." Just a thought, and YMMV.

I wouldn't plant the roses closer than 3' and 4' would be better. Maybe plant the boxwoods on the inside, where they can benefit from the splash, and mannerly roses on the outside.

We've enjoyed a similar fountain for 35 years, bought new when it was a huge splurge. Great points about the varying shadows it casts & reducing the flow. There's a reducer clamp fitting for the tubing that adjusts with a screw. We've run it with a Little Giant pump, replaced periodically over the years when we forget to detach or protect it over Winter. Found the pump rated next powerful for height & volume than necessary lasts longer. Learned to encase the electrical plug with those clear snap-on weather protectors & jury-rigged the pump housing the same way so we don't have to remove it during the cold when we stop it from running.

Water freezing solid in the basins can spall or crack the concrete. Still have one of those coated vinyl fountain protectors that slips over the whole thing & cinches closed at the base. Getting lazy of late, found that if we let leaves accumulate in the basins, even when the water freezes it hasn't affected the concrete (yet). Low was 1 degree this season without damage. We do use a nontoxic fountain sealer every 10 years or so to make the concrete less porous, and scrub it out with a birdbath brush when we start it up again in Spring.

To even out the flow from basin to basin, also use a nontox clear outdoor silicone that comes in a tube meant for pond waterfalls. Applied at the ends of the drip grooves where needed, it's invisible under the water & helps tune the music of the drips. The hardest trick is getting the whole fountain leveled & tuned whenever I get the urge to move it - not often!

Little of this relates to your question, but hope it may be helpful. No spray from the fountain itself when adjusted, just kicks up sometimes from high winds. Since those are usually accompanied by rain here, not problematic. Branches of roses nearby clear the largest shell basin by 3' so don't whip against it in winds or when birds land on them before hopping over. Two tall roses frame mine on diagonal to the fountain placed at the back of a mixed perennial bed which slopes up a foot at the side of a walkway. The base of the supporting column is ringed by dark green moss that grows naturally here in shade & sun, relocated to that area. Other plants start low & feathery to flow down that broad slope past the rose high points & reach a mid-height billow at the far ends. There's a 2' square bluestone flag set on diamond as a path to the center of the fountain, which children & I use to reach into the fountain & also allows access for filling & maintenance.

Your fountain & design plans for surrounding it are charming. Sure it will delight you for many years to come!

Wow! Fantastic and amazingly helpful, thorough information! Thanks for taking the time!
Susan