About Us


About Us

The members of the St. Louis Water Gardening Society (SLWGS) invite you to join our active organization. The Society was established in July 1990 as a non-profit organization to provide a fun and relaxed way for local water gardeners and koi keepers to regularly exchange information about our shared hobby. Water gardening is relaxing and challenging, involving an ecosystem with plants, fish and water. Your water garden will bring beauty, satisfaction and enjoyment into your life.

MEETINGS 
We meet monthly, usually at the Missouri Botanical Garden on one Tuesday each month from 7 to 9 pm. (See our Calendar for dates, and our newsletter, Water Word, for the details of the next meeting.) Meetings are free and open to the public. Programs cover a wide range of topics related to water gardening and koi for all levels of experience. Our membership includes novices and old hands, water gardeners and koi lovers, do-it-yourselfers, professional installers, aquatic plant growers and retail operators who handle all kinds of goods to build and maintain your water garden.

VOLUNTEER WORK
Our Society is well known for its civic project, the water lily pools at the Jewel Box in Forest Park. We design, plant, and maintain the wonderful display each year as a gift to the people of St. Louis. Taking part in this project provides hands-on experience and an opportunity to learn how to manage lilies in your own water garden.

INFORMATION
SLWGS supports both a newsletter and this web site. Our newsletter, Water Word, keeps us informed of meeting dates and locations, which sometimes change to allow for special meetings and events, as well as other useful and timely information. The web site has the latest newsletter, meeting schedule, directions, links, photos and event information. Members can also sign up to participate in active e-mail discussions about water gardening. Using these sources members are able to expand their knowledge and abilities, and share what they know with others.

POND TOURS AND FIELD TRIPS
By joining SLWGS, you can take part in our member garden tours and field trips, and our public water garden tour, Pond-O-Rama, held in June. On these tours you can visit many different water gardens and gain both knowledge and new ideas. Some of these ponds have won awards in St. Louis area contests. We’ve taken field trips to such places as Powell Gardens near Kansas City and Ozark Fisheries in Stoutland, MO.

AFFILIATIONS
The Society is an affiliate member of other organizations such as the Associated Koi Clubs of America (AKCA) and The International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society (IWGS). Our members have received awards from AKCA for both their koi and hard work.

OUR CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
Click here for a copy of our constitution.
Click here for a copy of our bylaws.