2 Pond & Garden

FeaturesLouisiana Irises – A Natural for Water Gardens

by Marie Caillet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 42

A New Way to Evaluate Pond Pumps by David A. Dec . . . . . . .pg 48

The Enabled Gardener – Water Gardening in Containersby Josh Spece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 50

It’s a Small Small Small World By Linda Siler . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 54

Freckles, Speckles & Splotches: When Green Is Not EnoughBy Paula Biles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 60

Creepers and Weepers – A Sampling of Dwarf & Unusual Conifers by Sandra McLean Cutler . . . . . . . . . . .pg 64

New Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 70

Pond Contest 2000 EntriesEmerald Garden, Austin, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 74Hoffman’s Garden Center, Green, OH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 77Aquatic Gardens, Birmingham, AL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 79

Readers’ ServiceAKCA Annual Seminars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 12

National Club Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 80

Retail Source Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 85

Shopping Mart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 90

Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 95

Subscription Order Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 96

Pond&GardenMay - June 2001 • Volume 3, Issue 1

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3“Creating backyard havens.”

Departments/Columns/ShortEditorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 4

KoiVet.com – Ammonia by Dr. Erik Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 8

My Pond by Brian Denien, Farmingdale, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 10

Sharing…koi recipes, Esther Marie Apol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 13

Pea Soup in the Pond by Chuck Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 16

Pond Planter – Impatiens in the Pond by Ray Giacobone . . . . .pg 18

Victoria Update - Nancy Styler, Queen of Victorias by Kit Knotts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 20

Getting Started with Water Gardens & Koi Pondsby Mike Guilinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 22

Conifers…for the birds by Sandra McLean Cutler . . . . . . . . . .pg 24

Traveling? AAS Display Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 26

Pond Contest 2000 Entries: T.J. Tully & Janet Wreath . . . . . .pg 32

Travels with Helen: All Florida Koi & Pond Show . . . . . . . . . .pg 30

Iris versicolor, blue flag iris by JoAnn Gillespie . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 32

Pond Contest 2000 Entries: Bainbridge Gardens, WA . . . . . . .pg 34

How’s Your Fish Wish List? Mailorder fish by David A. Dec . . .pg 36

Garden Adventures – My Favorite Plants by Joe Summers . . . .pg 38

Pond Contest 2000 Entry: Aquatic Gardens in Birmingham . .pg 39

Landscaping for Wildlife – Softstem Bulrushby JoAnn Gillespie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 41

c o n t e n t sMay - June 2001 • Volume 3, Issue 1

Cover Photo: Louisiana Iris‘Marie Caillet’ by SueBridges, Courtesy ofLouisiana Iris Farms,Lafayette, LA.

4 Pond & Garden

Editor: Helen NashManaging Editor: Marilyn Cook

Distribution: Heather L. AndersonComputer/Web Services: Joe Cook & Rich Barker

Art Director: Rich BarkerStaff Photographer: Ron Everhart

Prepress & Printing: Graessle Mercer CompanySeymour, IN

Contributing Writers& Photographers: Mary Apol, Paula Biles, Marie Caillet,

Sandra McLean Cutler, David A. Dec, Brian Denien, Ray Giacobone,JoAnn Gillespie, Mike Guilinger, Dr. Erik Johnson, Kit Knotts, LindaSiler, Josh Spece, Joe Summers, Chuck Thomas. Pond Contest 2000 Entries: Aquatic Garden in Birmingham, AL,Bainbridge Gardens in Washington, Emerald Garden in Austin, TX,Hoffman Garden Center in Green, OH, Your Pet Shop & WaterGardens in Cincinnati, OH; Bill & Katie Boenker, Joanna & JimBrown, Bob & Charlene Burrill, Janet Christian, Debbie & TonyColeman, Michael Cradlebaugh, Nancy Drigotas & Diane Eggleton,Gayle Heller, Timothy Jones, Josepth Kovach, Scott Laughlin ErmaJean & Tony Lauro, Carole & David Masa, Rocky, Dan & DianaMcNabb, Cindy & Stephen Reeves, Fenix Theuerkorn, T.J. Tully,Janet Wreath, John Zell & Lisa Ellesin.

Portrait of Helen Nash by Ilona Royce-SmithkinAdvertising Director: Angeli Coover

105 Seminole Dr.New Ulm, TX 78950phone: 979-992-3870fax: 979-992-3871

Pond & Garden is published bi-monthly.

Post Office of Origination: Zionsville, Indiana 46077.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Pond & Garden,1670 S 900 E, Zionsville, IN 46077.

Subscription Rates: US: one year (6 issues) $25.00; 2 years (12 issues) $40.00. Canada and U.K., payable in U.S. funds,base rates plus $7.00 per year.

Address all correspondence regarding subscriptions, distribution, and editorial matters to:Pond & Garden, 1670 S 900 E, Zionsville, IN 46077; phone: 317-769-3278; fax: 317-769-3149.www.pondandgarden.com

©2001 Helen Nash’s Pond & Garden is published by Pond &Garden, Inc. No part of Pond & Garden may be reprinted without per-mission.

Share your pictures!

Iremember the day I caught Chelsea blowing bub-bles in her pond. Fortunately, I got the shot of

her draped in coontail, but.I missed the one of hersitting forlornly on her ice-covered pond, foreheadwrinkled in dismay. In this issue, Mary Apol sharesa picture of granddaughter Esther sniffing a waterlily. One of the joys of ponding is the reaction offamily and friends to its wonders. Mary suggestedwe run a feature on our children (and grandchil-dren) in our gardens. Yes, I thought, but what aboutfamily pets, too? Why not share your special pic-tures of family and friends (furry and otherwise)enjoying your pond? Sharing, after all, is one of theprimary symptoms of pond-addiction. Send us yourpictures!❧

Ammoniaby Dr. Erik Johnson

Among the first things you should do when setting up akoi pond, or if your fish seem ‘sick,’ is a test for ammonia.

Ammonia is the primary waste product of fish, excret-ed primarily through the gill tissues and, to a lesser

extent, via the kidney. Ammonia can also accumulate fromthe decay of solid fish wastes and other organic debrisderived from protein.

Ammonia accumulations cause reddened skin and dis-ability of the gills by its direct caustic effect on these sur-faces. Fish suffering with high ammonia accumulationswill isolate themselves, lie on the bottom, clamp their fins,secrete excess slime, and are much more susceptible toparasitic and bacterial infections.

Ammonia is a big problem in new systems because thebacteria that would naturally process the ammonia are notestablished. (See discussion of the Nitrogen cycle.) As well,even in established systems, ammonia may accumulate inspringtime when the water is cold but fish are eating, becausethe bacteria have not emerged usefully from hibernation.

Ammonia is capable of ionization below pH 7.4, and, inthat ionized state of ammonium, it is less toxic. Above pH8.0, most ammonia is NOT ionized, and so it becomesmore toxic. Care should be taken not to increase the pH ofa system if ammonia is present. The need to drop the pHand to provide oxygenation to tanks of fish to keep pHdown is an overrated aberration in the literature. Waterthat is warm, high in pH or deprived of oxygen will havean enhanced toxicity when ammonias are accumulating.

Treatment:Water changes and management of the pH near neutral

will go a long way to prevent losses from ammonia.Ancillary, less useful modes of ammonia managementinclude the use of various water conditioners that bindammonia and the application of rechargeable zeolite tothe system filter. I am still going to tell you that time andwater changes are the two most effective remedies, how-ever. (See discussion of Prime.)❧

Visit Doc Johnson’s website, www.koivet.com for comprehensivekoi and goldfish keeping information.

Ibegan construction of my pond in March of2000. I decided to build it in the back corner

where it would receive approximately 6 1/2 hoursof pure sunshine. Knowing we wanted a streamand waterfall, I ran electricity out to the pondand added a GFI receptacle. I had a good ideawhat I wanted the pond to be, but as I starteddigging, I thought to add something a little dif-ferent — a 200 lb lava/feather rock that wouldlook as if it had been left behind in the construc-tion. This required some help from a neighbor!

After digging the pond to 12 ft long by 6 ftwide and 2 ft deep, I had a huge pile of dirt. Thiswas the fun part – carving out the stream andwaterfall. (Tip: soak the dirt with water so itbecomes mud; it makes carving much easier.)When I finished all my digging, I ordered myliners, a 45-mil EPDM liner for the pond and a32-mil PVC liner for the stream and waterfalls.I also ordered enough geo-thermal textile fabricto underlay the entire pond and stream. (I usedplay sand and newspaper, too.)

Once the liners arrived, I again summonedmy neighbor. As soon as the liners were set, webegan filling thepond. By then, oneton of moss rock andtwo tons of flat,Pennsylvania wallstone had arrived.After selecting theperfect flat waterfallrocks, I began to mixand set the stones incement. Once thecement cured (aprox48 hours), I hooked

10 Pond & Garden

up my 3900 GPH pump with 1 1/2” tubing, andthe moment of truth was here. It flowed betterthan I’d anticipated. I was so excited to see itfinally running, but, as you know, the fun hadjust begun. Next, I added the moss rock up thestream and the PA wall stone around the pond;it was beginning to shape up.

My wife, Tracy, noted that one problem withthat part of the yard was a lack of color. Shemust have known I was on a roll. Ordering twoyards of topsoil, I made two planting beds forannuals and perennials near the pond. After thelast wheelbarrow of dirt, more stones arrived —one yard of 3/8” red stones for groundcover inthe new flower beds, 1/2 yard of river rounds toline the stream/waterfall, and 7 stepping stonesto lead to the waiting park bench.

My Pond by Brian Denien, Farmingdale, NY

After excavating the soil for the pond, Brian could use themound of dirt for carving in his waterfall.

Brian’s completed project includes a pond, stream, waterfall, new planting beds, and a park benchfor enjoying it all.

A week later, we added the aquaticplants, and a few weeks later yet, thefish were added. This year, we’veadded a UV light, too.

Our pond has become the focal pointof our back yard, and our neighborshave told us that they leave their win-dows open at night to listen to the run-ning water, too. I must admit that I lovesitting out at night, looking at the starsand listening to my pond. Now, if I couldonly get rid of those pesky raccoons!❧

Who would suspect what could happen in a cor-ner of Brian’s yard?

Because the waterfall’s liner will overlap over thelower pond liner, Brian set the pond’s liner first.Filling the pond at this point allows final determi-nations of levels on the pond’s edge.

With the feather rock in place within the pond,Brian could begin construction of his waterfall.

Sharing…Are you or anyone you know a “koi cook”? Do you

like to whip up goodies for your wet pets in yourkitchen? Todo Todorsky, who handles his pond club’snewsletter, is collecting recipes for home-made koi food.Anyone contributing a recipe that appears in the koi cookbook will receive a first edition copy with full citation forhis/her entry. You can send your recipes to TodoTodorsky, 2131 Saul Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32216; fax at904-721-5936 or E-mail at pondfish@bellsouth.net. In ournext issue, you’ll get to meet Todo, as he begins writing aneclectic column. Be warned, Todo’s business card adviseshe is “subject to random acts of humor”!

When Esther Marie Apol (age 2) comes to visit her grandparents’ farm inCaledonia, MI, she delights in the frogs splashing into the ponds. GrandpaDon gets help feeding his koi, and, of course, there are plenty of water liliesto enjoy. Grandma (Mary Apol) sent along this picture, taken by Esther’smommy, Joleen Apol, of Esther smelling a ‘Marliac Carnea.’

Like a proud parent,there is nothing that a

pond owner likes to domore than show off hiswater garden. But it neverfails…we have an eventplanned at the house withnumerous guests (who’veonly heard us brag aboutour marvelous sanctuary inthe back yard) and bam,you walk out to a green,murky pond. Since it’s onlya couple of hours until theyarrive, you frantically tryto do a partial waterchange and regain some ofyour reputation. You can’thelp but ask, “What did Ido wrong?” Welcome tonature, my friend. We are at the mercy ofsnow, tornados, hurricanes, and green water.

I readily admit that I am a purist. With abiology background, I understand the funda-mentals of pond balance ecology. But some-times it seems Mother Nature didn’t read allthe way through Chapter 8, or maybe she cutclass that day. No matter the adequate num-bers of submerged vegetation (anacharis,Elodea, Cabomba), floating plants(hyacinths, water lettuce), and lilies, the pondwill do its natural thing and create an algaebloom — that green-colored, pea soup water.Simply caused by an over-abundance of nutri-

16 Pond & Garden

ent in the water, primarily nitrogen, this algaecan take off overnight; as quickly as it comes,it may go.

I tell my customers that I can balance apond 90% of the time with plants (anacharis)and surface coverage (lilies, hyacinths), butsome ponds just have a tendency to turngreen more than others. The amount of sunthat a pond is exposed to is certainly one ofthe major factors, and I always advise locat-ing the pond with at least partial shade, if atall possible.

However, if we’ve done all that we cando, or other factors, such as fish over-popu-

PEA SOUPIN THE POND

by Chuck Thomas

Company coming and the first course of dinner looks like it’s in the pond?

lation or growth,have added extranutrient loading tothe pond, an ultra-violet sterilizer isthe only option thatcan provide 100%clear water.

An ultravioletlight works by disrupting the DNAstrand of the algae and renders itincapable of reproducing, i.e. thesterilizer part of the equation. Eventhick pea soup water can be clearedof suspended algae with a few days’use of a UV sterilizer. (Rememberto mechanically filter or vacuumaway the ‘dead bodies’ lest you con-tribute more nutrient to the pondand foster more algae growth!) Koiponds with little vegetation mayhave to use the UV light fairly reg-ularly. Water gardens may need toresort to its use only a couple days aweek, but I prefer to turn them onand just forget about them.

The light bulb, which is enclosedwithin a quartz sleeve, needs to bereplaced each year as it loses inten-sity before it has actually burnedout. UV sterilizers are hooked upin-line to treat water flowing fromthe bio-filter before it returns tothe pond. This prevents good guy

bacteria from being killed, too. UVsterilizers come with a recommend-ed rate of flow past the light formaximum effectiveness.

There are various brands of ster-ilizers available on the market andmost have been refined for pondusage. All you need to know is thevolume in the pond to size thewattage of the UV unit that youwill need. If the appropriate vol-ume flows by the light and is irradi-ated, crystal clear water results.Effective only on suspended algae,it will not kill filamentous algaewhich attaches itself to the pondbottom and sides. This problemmust be dealt with by additionalnutrient removal by plants or a bio-logical filter. ❧

Chuck Thomas earned his degree inaquaculture from Auburn University. He owns Aquatic Gardens inBirmingham, Alabama.

by Ray Giacobone

You don’t have to limit yourself to the typi-cal pond garden water plants. Impatiens

are terrestrial plants that don’t mind havingtheir roots water-logged!

How to Make a Pond Planter for Impatiens

18 Pond & Garden

Pond Planter– IMPATIENS IN THE POND

Materials:• Corrugated PVC

black drainpipewith holes

• 2 End Caps

• 3/8” nylon rope

• Volcanic landscape rock

• 8 impatiens

Tools:• Saw

• Drill and 3/8” bit

• Hot glue gun and glue

After gluing both caps, drill a 3/8” hole throughtheir tops and bottoms. From the top, threadthe rope through the top holes and passthrough the bottom holes, tying a large knot onthe ends.

Cover the bottom of the container with smaller sized lavarock. Carefully wash the soil from the impatiens. Set themgently on top of the lava rock and add more rock to cover theirroots and to hold them upright

Lower the container into the water by the ropes, securelyanchoring the rope so that the plant roots are just into thewater. Do not immerse the plants’ crowns. Although theplants may appear bedraggled at first, they will soon perk upand give you a summer of colorful blooms.

Cut a piece of the drainpipe about 18” long and cut away itstop 1/3.

Firmly fit on the end caps,and use the hot-glue gunto apply glue all the wayaround in the gap betweencaps and pipe. It does nothave to be a water-tightseal.

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20 Pond & Garden

Victoria Update

by Kit Knotts

The Victoria Queen

We often call Victoria the “Queen ofWaterlilies”, but this is about another

Victoria Queen, Nanacy Styler. AsAdministrator with husband Trey of the IWGSVictoria Conservancy, Nancy rules the cultivat-ed Victoria world.

As with many monarchs, hard work goes withthe title. It all began with an interest in growingVictoria which soon became a passion. In thebeginning years of the passion, and theConservancy, seeds were like diamonds. Onlymajor botanical gardens, primarily LongwoodGarden, grew both species and therefore couldcreate and grow ‘Longwood Hybrid.’ Seed pro-duction, subsequent germination and seedlinggrowth were fraught with problems.

Wanting to grow Victoria was onlythe beginning for Nancy.Greenwood Village, Colorado, nearDenver, is not the easiest place in theworld to grow Victoria, but therethey grew in a large backyard pond.The other mysteries of the plantbegged to be solved.

Nancy, on behalf of theConservancy, undertook the tasksof maintaining a seed bank, initiat-ing studies in ways to improve thegermination and culture, distribut-ing hopefully viable seeds to botan-ic gardens and individuals aroundthe world, and keeping extensiverecords of all of the above.

Through better seed productionin cultivation and more numerouscollections in the wild, the seedbank has grown to contain manythousands of seeds, all of whichneed periodic checking and rinsing.At the beginning of each growingseason, Nancy designs and runs ger-mination studies, only one goal ofNancy Styler, the Victoria Queen

which is to provide the most success-ful seed lots for distribution.

Many aspects of seed success andfailure are looked at in differentyears: the best water temperaturesfor sprouting the different types; theeffect of rinses in dilute bleach; theneed or desirability of removing theseed’s operculum; light and waterrequirements of seedlings. This year,a focus is on how storage tempera-tures from collection to startup mayaffect viability.

Distribution now goes on year-round, with interest in Victoriagrowing in both hemispheres andindoor facilities increasing. Nancyvirtually keeps the USPS Priority

Mail service in business within theUS and must know and meet cus-toms and agricultural requirementsof the many foreign countries towhich she ships.

The record-keeping involved goesfar beyond assigning ConservancyNumbers to seed lots. Each ship-ment must be carefully logged. Thegermination studies require a com-plex database to extract all the infor-mation accumulated. Sending outseeds often puts Nancy in the role ofgodparent, providing cultural infor-mation and encouragement byphone and mail. It also provides theopportunity to request data backfrom growers which then become

part of the records of theConservancy.

Though we women tend to get thespotlight, as with my husband Ben,no one should discount the role ofTrey Styler. He supports andencourages Nancy’s passion and isan active participant in many aspectsof the endeavor. He is currentlyputting the finishing touches on anew Cultivation Guide for Victoriathat includes all the new andchanged thinking.

Nancy brushes aside the titlebestowed on her by many in theVictoria world, but she’s earned it!She is the undisputed VictoriaQueen.❧

by Mike Guilinger

The decisions involved in constructing a water featurecan be intimidating with the plethora of products and

information now available. Common questions include:Do I really need a biological filter? What liner should Iuse? How deep should the pond be to have fish? What ifI don’t want plants and fish? Because pet store clerksoften suggest koi for the new pondkeeper, your first deci-sion, before you ever dig the hole, is whether you want awater garden or a koi pond.

Water GardenWater lilies and other aquatic plants dominate these

ponds, the abundance of plant life allowing you to havea healthy pond without expensive filter systems. Koimay be kept in these ponds, but they may also destroynewly planted aquatic plants before the plants havebecome established enough to survive the onslaught.Fish numbers must be kept in check with no more thanone inch of fish per 20 gallons of water. Fish should befed sparingly, no more than once a day, and only asmuch as they will eat within a couple minutes. Watercirculation is important with the total volume of watercycled through the system once a day. In Florida, theseponds can be as shallow as 12 inches without fish ormore usually 24 inches with fish.

Getting Started with WATER GARDENS and KOI PONDS

Koi Pond These ponds are designed to support unusually high

levels of fish (up to 8 inches of fish per 100 gallons) andmay or may not include plant material. Plants can beused in marginal areas, and lilies can be planted to pro-vide shade and to cool the water in the summer. InFlorida, it is important that the fish not be exposed toconstant sun, especially in clear water, since ‘sunburn’can lead to weakened fish and a number of skin dis-eases. Trees, lanai screens, or water lilies can providethis shade.

Water is circulated through the system as often asonce every hour. Rather than relying on plants for fil-tration, these systems use biological filters thatenhance the naturally occurring nitrogen cycle’s con-version of toxic ammonia and nitrites to usually non-toxic nitrate, thereby keeping the water healthy. An

Ultra-Violet (UV) light is often used to keep the waterclear of green water algae. Recommended water depthis 24 inches or more with little additional benefitderived from depths over five feet. To protect yourinvestment in fish, we recommend koi pond depth be atleast 30 inches or more and that the water be salted toat least .01%. Steep-sided constructions help protectfish from predators. In Florida’s sandy soil, we use con-crete blocks to achieve the vertical sides that deterherons and raccoons.❧

Mike and his wife, Brenda, are very active with the Florida WestCoast Koi & Water Garden Club. In their spare time they can bereached at Sun Bay Garden Center, 2424 Manatee Ave E,Bradenton, FL 34208; 941-750-0889 or through their website:www.ponds2go.com.

by Sandra McLean Cutler

Hoping it wouldattract birds,

we planted ourweeping juniper,Juniperus scopulo-rum ‘Tolleson’sWeeping,’ near ourkitchen window. Itdoes. Set closelyenough to the win-dow, we hear knock-ing each time the tit-mouse and chick-adees crack theirsunflower seeds.House wrens find itespecially enticingfor nesting.

This weepingjuniper would alsobe outstanding beside a pond. With rapidgrowth of 8-12” a year, it quickly assumes designproportions. A vigorous, potentially invasiveroot system, however, mandates precautionswherever you plant it.

To prevent foundation damage, we plantedours in a huge plastic flowerpot and then sank itinto the ground. Because it starts to decline whenit becomes too root bound, we dig it up, prune theroots, replenish the soil, and then sink it back inplace each year. This sunken-container methodcan be used with other large plants that mightencroach upon the pond or other garden areas.

Perhaps requiring a bit more effort than

24 Pond & Garden

other plants, ‘Tolleson’s Weeping’enhances your garden throughout theyear…and it attracts birds.❧

Sandra McLean Cutler is the author and publisherof Dwarf & Unusual Conifers Coming of Age – AGuide to Mature Garden Conifers. Visit her web-site at www.bartonbradley.com for more examplesof these special conifers. See page 92 for informa-tion on ordering the book.

Conifers...for the birds

AlabamaBirmingham Botanical Gardens2612 Lane Park RdBirmingham, AL 35223

Bellingrath Gardens and Home12401 Bellingrath HwyTheodore, AL 36582

AlaskaAnchorage MunicipalGreenhouse5200 DeBarr RdRussian Jack Springs ParkAnchorage, AK 99508

Georgeson Botanical GardenWest Tanana DrAFES, Univ. of AlaskaFairbanks, AK 99775

ArkansasUniversity of ArkansasOrnamental Display Garden979 W MapleFayetteville, AR 72701

CaliforniaCity of Chino Civic Center13220 Central AveChino, CA 91710

Garden of the SunUniv. of CA Coop. Ext1944 N Winery AveFresno, CA 93703

Fullerton ArboretumCalifornia State UniversityYorba Linda Blvd & AssociatedRdFullerton, CA 92634

Sunset Publishing80 Willow RdMenlo Park, CA 94025

Strybing Arboretum & BotanicGardenGolden Gate Park9th & Lincoln WaySan Francisco, CA 94122

College of Sequoias Farm2245 South LinwoodVisalia, CA 93277

ColoradoCity of Aurora Parks Dept151 Potomac StAurora, CO 80011

Horticultural Art Society, Inc.Monument Valley ParkCorner Mesa and GlenColorado Springs, CO 80904

Denver Botanic Gardens909 York StDenver, CO 80206

ConnecticutBartlett Arboretum151 Brookdale RdStamford, CT 06903

District of ColumbiaU.S. Botanic Garden245 First St, SWWashington, DC 20024

FloridaMounts Botanical Garden559 N Military TrWest Palm Beach, FL 33415

GeorgiaState Botanical Garden ofGeorgia2450 S Milledge AveAthens, GA 30605

Oak Hill GardensBerry CollegeMount Berry, GA 30149

The Cloister Hotel Resort100 Hudson PlaceSea Island, GA 31561

IdahoRicks College500 S Center StRexburg, ID 83460

IllinoisIllinois Central CollegeAgriculture Land LaboratoryOne College DrEast Peoria, IL 61635

Chicago Botanic Garden1000 Lake Cook RdGlencoe, IL 60022

Mabery Gelvin BotanicalGardensRte 47Mahomet, IL 61853

Triton College Botanical GardenTriton College2000 5th AveRiver Grove, IL 60171

Washington ParkBotanical GardenCorner Fayette & Chatham RdSpringfield, IL 62703

IndianaFoster Gardens3900 Old Mill RdFt Wayne, IN 46807

IowaIowa State UniversityReiman GardensPammel Dr & Haber RdAmes, IA 50011

Noelridge Park4900 Council St, NECedar Rapids, IA 52402

Vander Veer Botanical Park &Center214 W Central Park AveDavenport, IA 52803

Des Moines Botanical Center909 E River DrDes Moines, IA 50316

Dubuque Arboretum &Botanical Gardens3125 W 32nd StDubuque, IA 52001

ISU Home DemonstrationGardenArmstrong Research & DemoFarm53020 Hitchcock AveLewis, IA 51544

KansasNWK Research-Ext CenterRte 2Colby, KS 67701

Botanica, The Wichita Gardens701 AmidonWichita, KS 67203

KentuckyUniversity of KentuckyArboretumAlumni DrLexington, KY 40546

LouisianaNew Orleans Botanical GardenVictory Ave City ParkNew Orleans, LA 70119

MaineUniversity of Maine ResearchFarmRogers FarmBennoch RdStillwater, ME 04489

MarylandCylburn Arboretum & Park4915 Greenspring AveBaltimore, MD 21209

Brookside Gardens1800 Glenallen AveWheaton, MD 20902

MassachusettsUniversity of MassachusettsDurfee Conservatory, FrenchHallAmherst, MA 01003

Berkshire Botanical Garden5 W Stockbridge RdStockbridge, MA 01262

MichiganDow GardensEastman (US-10) & W St.AndrewsMidland, MI 48640

Fernwood Botanic Gardens13988 Rangeline RdNiles, MI 48120

Hidden Lake Gardens-MSURte M-50Tipton, MI 49287

MinnesotaMinnesota LandscapeArboretum3675 Arboretum DrChanhassen, MN 55317

Lyndale Park Gardens4125 E Lake Harriet PkwyMinneapolis, MN 55409

MissouriSE Missouri State Univ.Univ. Horticulture DisplayGardensNew Madrid DrCape Girardeau, MO 63701

TRAVELING? Visit one of these AAS Display Gardens! Many of these All American Selection gardens include water features in their displays. Take your P&G magazine on your trips to easily locate aquatic nurseries, too.

AAS Display Gardens continued...

Lincoln University Gardens1120 Chestnut StJefferson City, MO 65101

Powell Gardens 1609 NW US Hwy 50Kingsville, MO 64061

Missouri Botanical Garden4344 Shaw BlvdSt Louis, MO 62110

NebraskaState Fair Park Arboretum1800 St Fair Park DrLincoln, NE 68504

Metro Community CollegeFort Omaha Campus30th & Fort StreetsOmaha, NE 66111

New HampshireFuller Gardens10 Willow AveNorth Hampton, NH 03862

UNH Trial GardenPrescott Park, Marcy StPortsmouth, NH 03801

New JerseyHunterdon County Arboretum1020 Hwy 31Lebanon, NJ 08833

Frelinghuysen Arboretum53 E Hanover AveMorristown, NJ 07962

Rutgers UniversityLacey Display GardenRte 1 & Ryders LaneNew Brunswick, NJ 08901Skylands Botanical GardenRingwood State Park1304 Sloatsburg RdRingwood, NJ 07456

New YorkBoldt Castle, Formal GardensThousand Islands BridgeAuthorityAlexandria Bay, NY 13607

Cutler Botanic Gardens840 Upper Front StBinghamton, NY 13905

Brooklyn Botanic Garden1000 Washington AveBrooklyn, NY 11225

Buffalo & Erie County BotanicalGardens2655 S Park AveBuffalo, NY 14218

Erie Basin Marina ParkJoan Fuzak Memorial Gardens1 Erie StBuffalo, NY 14202

Sonnenberg Gardens151 Charlotte StCanandaigua, NY 14424

Old Westbury Gardens71 Old Westbury RdOld Westbury, NY 11566

North CarolinaBlue Ridge Community CollegeRte 2Flat Rock, NC 28731

Reynolda Gardens of WakeForest Univ.100 Reynolda VillageWinston-Salem, NC 27106

North DakotaInternational Peace GardenRte 1Dunseith, ND 58239

North Dakota State Univ.1300 18th St NFargo, ND 58105

OhioKrohn Conservatory1501 Eden Park DrCincinnati, OH 45202

Spring Grove Cemetery andArboretum4521 Spring Grove AveCincinnati, OH 45232

Rockefeller Park GreenhouseGardens750 E 88th StCleveland, OH 44108The Dawes Arboretum7770 Jacksontown Rd SENewark, OH 43056-9380

Miami Univ. Formal GardensBotany Dept GardensBoyd Hall, Fisher DrOxford, OH 45056

Gardenview Horticultural Park16711 Pearl RdStrongsville, OH 44136

Toledo Botanical Garden5403 Elmer DrToledo, OH 43615

Fellows Riverside GardensPrice Rd in Mill Creek ParkYoungstown, OH 44509

OregonClackamas Community College19600 S Molalla AveOregon City, OR 97045

PennsylvaniaTemple UniversityAmbler Research Gardens580 Meetinghouse RdAmbler, PA 19002

Longwood GardensUS Rte 1 SKennett Square, PA 19348

Rodale Research Center611 Siegfriedale RdKutztown, PA 19530

South CarolinaClemson UniversityHwy 76-28 & Perimeter RdClemson, SC 29634

TexasDallas Arboretum & BotanicalGarden8617 Garland RdDallas, TX 75218

Dallas Hort. Ctr. in Fair ParkTexas Discovery Gardens3601 Martin Luther King DrDallas, TX 75201

Houston Civic Garden Center1500 Hermann DrHouston, TX 77034

AFKAPS 2001

The 4th Annual All Florida Koi & Pond Show washeld March 16-18 at the Ramada Resort &

Conference Center in Orlando, Florida. Don Hellard, JoeWhite, Paula Biles, and “a cast of thousands” did all ofFlorida proud! Participating clubs were Central FloridaKoi Club, Florida East Coast Koi & Water GardenSociety, Florida West Coast Koi & Water Garden Club,North Florida Koi Club, Tampa Bay Koi & Water GardenClub, Tropical Koi Club of South Florida, GainsevilleKoi, Goldfish & Water Garden Club, Florida Koi &Water Garden Society, and Nature’s Coast Koi and WaterGarden Club.

Travelswith Helen

& Marilyn

Vendors set up many booths and displays. Marjorie Summers’ grand-son, Dan Harrison, enjoys a moment on the front porch of the display hebuilt for Grandma’s business, Concrete Water Gardens in Mt. Dora.

Paula Biles, who organized the extensive Seminarportion of the Show, and Mike Guilinger ofPonds2Go hold the Crystal Pond Award given tothe Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Scienceat the University of Florida, Institute of Food &Agricultural Sciences in recognition of their excel-lence in aquatic research and education.

Besides vendors, displays, koi and goldfish judg-ing, and two days of Seminars, the Florida clubsheld a tub garden contest.

Inside the Resort’s atrium complex, vendors setup booths and tanks of koi and goldfish. PamBeal made the trip from Merritt Island AceHardware.

32 Pond & Garden

(inset) Janet Wreath ofSpringfield, Missouri, is neverfar from the sound of water.Her coffee table copper foun-tain with etched glass top wasmade by coppersmith PatHannes in Reeds Spring, MO,in 1984.(left) Outside, of course, Janethas a real pond complete withfish and aquatic plants!

T.J. Tully’s entry is a most whimsical ‘frog pond’! TJ used two small preformed ponds to create a displayarea for her favorite frog statues. With no fish or live plants in the pond, T.J. keeps the water clear with 1/2cup of chlorine added each week.

FromSpringfield, MO

Pond Contest 2000From Your Pet’s Shopand Water Gardens in Cincinnati, OH

by JoAnn Gillespie

Iris versicolor is one of the mostcolorful harbingers of spring. This

natïve Iris is commonly called “BlueFlag.” It is easy to identify with itsblue sepals and, in most cases, a spotat the base of the blade. While thissmall spot guides insects to the pollenportion of the flower, it is also knownas a “water spot,” characteristic ofaquatic irises. Fully hardy across thenorthern U.S. and into Canada, aSouthern species, Iris virginica, islikewise known by the commonname, blue flag.

Iris versicolor loves wet places andis equally at home in shallow water(1-4”) or in the muddy, emergent bor-ders of the pond. Its kissing cousin isthe yellow flag iris, Iris pseudacorus,originally a European plant now nat-uralized across North America.

Typical of many native plants, theblue flag iris is important to wildlife.The plant’s rigid stems and sword-likeleaves provide food and shelter formany amphibians, birds, and mam-mals. The remainder of the plantbeneath the water, along with itsdecaying parts, provides habitat andfood for many aquatic animals. In themud surrounding the plant’s rhizome,mussels, flat-worms, and mayfly anddragonfly nymphs feast on decompos-ing plant parts. Fungi and bacteria alsowork at converting the organic mater-

ial into nutrients. As the seed podsmature and open, seeds fall out andfloat upon the water to the delight ofwaterfowl. Long after the bloomshave faded, people continue to enjoythe plant indoors with dried seed podsgracing floral arrangements.

Irises add greatly to the aesthetics ofa pond. The fact that they attract otherlife forms offers the observer a fascinat-ing laboratory to study aquatic life.❧

JoAnn Gillespie is a noted wetland consul-tant from the state of Wisconsin.

IRIS VERSICOLOR,THE BLUE FLAG IRIS

Iris virginica is the Southern species of the nativeblue flag iris

34 Pond & Garden

Fenix Theuerkorn of Bainbridge Island designed and built their4 x 8’ pond to be 3 feet deep for their 8 young koi. The read-ily accessible deckside pond is serviced by a Cyprio Bioforce1000 pump and UV.

Nancy Drigotas and Diane Eggleton designed and built their pondthemselves in 1997. Measuring 7.5 x 10.5, it holds 1500 gallonsof water. The ladies describe their pond pets as “frogs, clams, anddragonflies.” Is the only fish the concrete species emerging fromthe edge of the pond?

Gayle Heller of Poulsbo, Washington, enlisted the talent of Bainbridge Garden’s Don Blossom for this oriental design. While thepond measures 12’ x 8’, it is only 16 inches deep. Gayle uses a Sequence K6 pump and in-pond pea gravel bio-filter.

From Bainbridge Gardens in Bainbridge Island,Washington

Pond Contest 2000

TO ORDER: Make out checks/send to:Water Wych, 5600 Arrowhead Blvd.

Kokomo, IN 46902MC/Visa phone: 765-455-2389

order online at:www.waterwych-usa.com

Special Introductory Prices!(limited time only)

1-Up to 840 Gallons $20 (reg. price $25)

2-Up to 1800 Gallons $30 (reg. price $35)

3-Up to 3600 gallons $45 (reg. price $50)

*All prices include shipping

Name: ____________________________________

Phone: ____________________________________

Address: __________________________________

__________________________________________

City: ______________________________________

State: ____________________Zip: ______________

Check Enclosed MC/Visa Charge

Acct. #: ____________________________________

Exp.: ________Signature: ____________________

Introducing the Water Wych, a revolutionary way to keep your pond water clear throughout the year.Sometimes plants don’t do the job…

Sometimes your filter can’t keep up with the job…Sometimes other remedies cost too much…

Sometimes your fish eat the nutrient-using submersed plants…And sometimes we just don’t want plants in our ponds.

Manufactured in the UK by The Odiham Waterlily Collection, the Water Wych™ contains a compoundof volcanic rock, silicate, and carbon which absorbs the harmful nutrients in your pond that producealgae (both suspended and filamentous!) to make your water as clear as a mountain stream.

Use the Water Wych™ on its own, or use the Water Wych™ along with other pond filters, mechanical orbiological. Place the Water Wych™ in the flow of water and wait for the magic to begin. Within amonth, your pond will be as clear as a mountain stream. If you don’t have a pump or flowing water,don’t worry. The Water Wych™ will still make your water crystal clear.To obtain the best results from your Watch Wych™, your water’s pH should be below eight. TheWater Wych™ has been proven effective through three years of testing in the UK.

Distributors welcome! Retailers should call 765-455-2389 for more information.

Water Wych™patent pending

by David A. Dec

Do you have a fish wish list that you justcan’t seem to fill? When local sources

can’t help, expand your search throughout theU.S. The Internet puts you in touch withexperts and gives you pictures of your possiblefish purchases.

In searching for koi, you’ll find selectionscategorized as pond, premium, select andchampionship AA. Pond quality fish are select-ed if you want to test a particular fish or simplywish to fill your pond. If you want somethingnicer at a reasonable cost, you’ll choose fromthe premium selection. The select categoryoffers a quality fish at an understandably high-er price. Championship AA quality, of course,is for those who might be interested in showingthe fish competitively. While pictures of lowerquality fish may not be available, the higherquality and more expensive fish are pictured.

Ordering fish over the Internet or by mailmay concern you. How are they shipped? Howsafe is the shipping? What if something hap-pens to the fish?

Sellers ship fish in insulated boxes with icepacks under double or triple bagged, clearplastic bags. The ice chills the water enough toinduce a hibernation-like state that eases thefish’s stress. The first bag holds the fish in a fewgallons of water with the remaining space inthe bag filled with pure oxygen. That bag isthen placed inside 2 other bags that are filledwith oxygen and sealed tight. By controllingthe density of the fish in the bags, the fish canremain safe and healthy, even when the ship-ping takes several days. Fish are shipped by

36 Pond & Garden

Federal Express Priority Overnight, AirCargo, US Express Mail, etc. with the successrate generally at 100%.

Occasionally, there can be a problem. Mostshippers will bend over backwards to satisfytheir customers. Because some shippers havebeen exposed to very suspicious claims, theyusually request immediate photographs of thedead fish, or in some cases, they may requestthe tails be cut off and sent back to them.Almost all sellers guarantee the fish will arrivealive. Check out the terms of the guaranteeand understand how any claims are handledbefore you order the fish. Should you have anyproblems, notify the seller within hours. Bydealing with buyers who accept major creditcards, you are protected from any questionablepractices. If a seller wants a certified check inadvance of the shipment, you could be lefthelpless.

Guidelines for Handling Shipped Fish

1. Your newly arrived fish is enclosed within asealed plastic bag containing 100% compressedoxygen. When you open the bag, the com-pressed oxygen is replaced with uncompressedair containing only 20% oxygen. As soon as youopen the bag, the fish may suffer from a lack ofoxygen. Do not open the plastic bag until afteryou have floated it and are ready to introducethe fish to their quarantine tank or pond.

2. Take the fish to their quarantine tank orpond as soon as possible. Remember, yourpond’s temperature, pH, hardness, salinity, etc.may be very different from the water the fish

HOW’S YOUR FISH WISH LIST?

are shipped in. The chlorine level inyour pond must be zero.

3. Float the bag for 15 to 30 min-utes to equilibrate the temperatureand then open the bag. As soon asyou open it, add pond water — abouta quarter to half of the bag’s volume,usually ? gallon. After you add thepond water, the bag should contain25-50% more water. In about tenmore minutes, if the fish do not lookdistressed, add another 50%. If thefish start stressing from lack of oxy-gen, agitate the water by scooping upa pint of the water and pouring itback in, or add more pond water tothe bag. If this doesn’t help, add the

fish immediately to the pond.

4. After several additions of pondwater, start adding your fish to thepond using your hands or a net. Donot pour the shipping water intoyour pond as it will be loaded withammonia and nitrites.

5. When fish are introduced to anew environment, they often jumpout. Either cover them, or keep avery careful watch over them.

6. Always quarantine new fish.Never introduce them to your exist-ing fish until after a quarantine peri-od of 2 to 3 weeks, longer if possible.

7. Always treat new fish as if theyhave parasites, viral, fungal, and/orbacterial infections. It’s better to besafe than sorry. While your existingfish may have built up tolerances,stressed new arrivals could succumbimmediately.❧

David Dec has been involved with ornamental fish keeping and breeding sincethe 1950’s. He holds a BS in BiologicalSciences from the University of Chicagoand completed his work for a Ph.D. inPhysical Chemistry at the Illinois Instituteof Technology. He can be reached throughhis website at www.ColoradoKoi.com or at 303-883-8000.

by Joe Summers, Missouri Botanical Garden

Ihave chosen two of my favorite plants for you totry in your pond this year. One plant is winter

hardy; the other is not. One plant is large; the otheris quite small. One grows well in the sun, while theother prefers the shade. One grows well in severalinches of water; the other likes just its feet wet.Both will add beauty to your water garden.

Water snowball, Gymnocoronis spilanthoides,is a spreading and creeping plant that grows infull sun or in partial shade. White blooms, aboutthe size of a dime, appear in mid-summer andpersist until frost. The plant reaches 24-36 incheswide. Plant it in a container with 4-6 inches ofwater over the pot, and use it as an annual in allbut zones 9-11. Control the size of the plant byclipping it back and by planting it in a small pot.Fertilize it every 4 weeks. It is also available in avariegated form, both forms displaying its best

38 Pond & Garden

feature – the pom pon blooms. Monarch butter-flies love this plant. Often, you will have a dozenMonarchs fluttering nearby and perching on thischarming plant.

Water forget-me-not, Myosotis scorpioides, is agem for the pond’s edge as its dense growth easesthe transition from pond to garden. Growing only6 inches high, it creeps along by undergroundshoots. Water forget-me-not grows in full sun in

cooler climates, but it benefits from shadein warmer climates. The plant is hardy inzones 3-10. Light blue flowers with yelloweyes are held in clusters above the plant.Each cluster is the size of a nickel, butthere are often many clusters together.Water forget-me-not blooms off and on allsummer if it is fertilized every 4 weeks.Planting near a stream or the pond’s edgeallows the plant to flourish. If it is placedin the pond, set its pot just under thewater’s surface. While there are pink andwhite forms, too, they are harder to find.❧

Joe Summers is a Horticulturist with MissouriBotanical Garden. Additionally, Joe is presidentof the St. Louis Water Gardening Society.

Many call Gymnocoronis spilanthoides the butterfly plant.

Water forget-me-not can be grown in a very slowly moving stream.

GARDENADVENTURES

Construction Tip:Preformed pond units allow an easy

introduction to pondkeeping! Becausethe top edge is rigidly formed, you’llwant the excavation to offer a levelbase on the bottom. If your area expe-riences freezes and thaws, buffer thepond unit with a layer of sand bothunder and around the walls of thepond. Use a slowly drizzling hose tocompact the sand around the sides asyou backfill sand in conjuction withfilling the pond with water.

Pond Contest 2000From Aquatic Gardensin Birmingham, AL

Rocky, Cindy, and Stephen Reeves of Birmingham, AL made a summer project in 2000, designing andbuilding this charming pond. They used performed pond units, one 3’x5’, one 2’x3’, and one 1/5’x1.5’for a total of 200 gallons in the system. A 1400 GPH pump and in-pond bio-filter keep the water safefor their goldfish and white cloud minnows.

NATIVELANDSCAPING

By JoAnn Gillespie, Lit.D.

Landscaping for Wildlife — Soft Stem Bulrush

Choosing a plant for your water gar-den gives you many options. Color,

height, time of bloom, relationships toother plants and now, more than ever,how the plant fits into the ecosystem aresome of the considerations to review in making your choices. As we all know,many species of plants and animals are disappearing due to development andcultivation. What better way to increase their longevity than planting them inyour garden?

Each new plant brings something special to the landscape. Such a plant inyour water garden is a rush, whether it is a bulrush, spike rush or otherspecies. One of the most valuable in my book is the soft-stem bulrush, Scirpusvalidus, more recently named Schoeneplexus tubermonti.

It is a tall, green, tubular plant with hollow stems and a hairy rhizome. Itadds linear dimension to water gardens in the summer months and becomesa tall, graceful arch during fall and winter when the weight of the seed headcauses the plant to bend over and makes its seeds more readily available towildlife.

The new stems grow closely together on the rhizome. This makes theunderwater part of the stem a place for small fish to hide and offers a placefor amphibians to lay their eggs.

Rushes are useful for bedding for animals because they are compact,resilient (due to hollow stems), and absorbent. Dragonflies and other wingedinsects like to perch on them. Long-necked waterfowl, geese, and swansenjoy the seed head for food. Man uses them for woven goods. The heightand density of the rush provides both shade and windbreak for wildlife.

Why not make this plant one of your first choices when gardening forwildlife?❧

JoAnn Gillespie is a noted wetland consultant from the state of Wisconsin.