About Us
Calendar
Water Word
Membership
Special Events
Pond-O-Rama
Jewel Box
Featured Pond
Articles of Interest
SLWGS Merchandise
Advertisers
Links We Like
Contact Us
Calendar
2013 Meeting Schedule
& Calendar of Events
The St. Louis Water Gardening Society
The St. Louis Water Gardening Society will hold most of its meetings at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Ridgway Center in the Beaumont Room. However, some also will be held at the Garden’s Commerce Bank Center for Science Education (CBEC.) The Missouri Botanical Garden is located at 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110. The Beaumont room is on your right immediately after you enter the Ridgway Center (main visitors’ center). CBEC is located at 4651 Shaw Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110. Free parking is available on the Garden parking lots. Need directions? Find them here. Our annual banquet will, once again, be held at the Jewel Box in Forest Park.
The meetings begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted in the listings. Our meetings are open to the public and everyone is welcome. More specific information about each meeting and the program is contained in our monthly newsletter, Water Word.
January 29 – The Importance of Quarantine
Dr. Amy Wolff, DVM
Beaumont Room, 7 p.m.
Dr. Wolff says the best way to keep your pond-and the fish in it-healthy and thriving is to NOT introduce problems in the first place. Many problems can be encountered when enthusiastic pond owners bring new fish or plants into the pond without first making sure they are disease free. The importance of a proper quarantine period should not be overlooked. Dr. Wolff has a degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She also has done post-doctorate work at the Marine Biological Lab in Woods Hole, Mass., which helped her prepare for her specialty, the problems of goldfish and koi. Dr. Wolff is now the Program Director of Veterinary Technology at Sanford-Brown College. She also maintains a private practice-and can make house calls. PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the LAST TUESDAY of the month
February 26 – Aeroponics and Aquaponics
Valerie Blizzard of Tower Gardens on Aeroponics
T. R. Davis, Utterback Farms, Middletown, MO, on Aquaponics
Beaumont Room, 7 p.m.
We are going to learn the differences between Aeroponics and Aquaponics Aeroponics is sometimes considered a type of hydroponics, as it does use water to transmit nutrients to plants and thus requires no soil. Technically, however, true hydroponics uses water as the growing medium; aeroponics has no growing medium. Aquaponics is one of the most sustainable and productive forms of farming in existence and combines the traditional aquaculture (raising of fish, crawfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.
PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the LAST TUESDAY of the month.
March 19 – Koi Pond Construction
Simon Seah.
Beaumont Room, 7 p.m.
Simon is the National Sales Manager for Water Landscape Supply in Des Moines, Iowa. Water Landscape Supply is one of North America’s most diverse distributors of water garden and fountain supplies. Simon will cover proper Koi Pond construction and filtration. We will learn the importance of bottom drains, biological bead filtration and sieve filters.
PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the THIRD TUESDAY of the month.
April 9 – Create your Own Tropical Paradise
Melinda Myers, horticulturist, nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, author and speaker
Commerce Bank Center for Science Education (CBEC), 7 p.m.
Melinda Myers, known for her gardener friendly and practical approach to gardening, has more than 30 years of horticultural experience in both hands-on and instructional settings. Each year, Melinda presents at many of the major flower shows and garden events throughout the U.S., sharing her knowledge with gardeners from across the country. Melinda appears regularly as a guest expert on national, regional and local television and radio shows. At our meeting, Melinda will share tips on creating and growing lush gardens in any climate. We’ll look at a wide range of tropical-type plants such as elephant ears, bananas, and cannas as well as hardy tropical look-a-likes. She’ll also provide tips on growing and overwintering these beauties that are not hardy in our climate. She will show how all these ideas can be adapted to small space balconies, home gardens and large landscapes. PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the SECOND TUESDAY of the month and it will be held at CBEC.
May 28 – Disappearing Water
Steve Ingraham, Artist Garden Stoneworks LLC
Beaumont Room, 7 p.m.
As a passionate water shaper, Steve Ingraham has focused his 15 year landscape career on the design and creation of water features, but all aspects of the natural world appeal to him as well, and being able to incorporate a natural feel to your space is what he strives for. His talk will focus on the wonderful world of disappearing water. Steve will cover lots of ideas for adding a pondless waterfall or a magic fountain in a flowerbed. We will also discuss the use of rainwater harvesting as a possible source for a disappearing water reservoir.
PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the LAST TUESDAY of the month.
June 11 – Pond-O-Rama Host Meeting
Beaumont Room, 7 p.m. For all Pond-O-Rama participants to pick up essential materials for the tour weekend and have questions answered.
June 18 – Innovative Water Garden Products
James Lavery, Atlantic Water Gardens, Mantua, Ohio
Beaumont Room, 7 p.m.
James Lavery is in charge of Customer Service and Inside Sales at Atlantic Water Gardens. Whether you’re looking for a tranquil pond filled with gorgeous water lilies, a rushing disappearing waterfall, or a stunning illuminated bubbling fountain, Atlantic Water Gardens has the innovative products you need to make that happen. James will show and tell us about all the really cool introductions which Atlantic has turned out the last few years. A big hit already in 2013 is a new concept in illuminated water features-overflowing vases that glow from within! During the day the three sizes create the welcome sights and sounds of dancing water, bubbling up and cascading down their sides-but in the dark, they come alive with light!
PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the THIRD TUESDAY of the month.
Saturday and Sunday, June 22-23 – 13th annual Pond-O-Rama At sites throughout the metro-east
The St. Louis Water Gardening Society’s annual pond and garden tour. Members’ ponds are featured. Everyone 18 years of age and older must have a ticket. For more information, see the Pond-O-Rama listing on this website.
July 30 – Annual Fundraising Auction
Beaumont Room, 7 p.m.
Bring garden-/pond-/fish-related items to Beaumont by 6 p.m. for registration. Auction begins promptly at 7 p.m. Come looking for bargains in pond equipment, plants, and other garden related items.
PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the LAST TUESDAY of the month.
August 20 – Annual Awards Banquet
Jewel Box in Forest Park, 6 p.m. St. Louis Water Garden Society members will be honored for their work on the behalf of the Society. PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the THIRD TUESDAY of the month.
September 24 – Birds and Water Features
Bryan L. Pather, of Wild Birds Unlimited will present a program on birds in St. Louis, and the role water gardens play for them; Beaumont Room, 7 p.m. PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the LAST TUESDAY of September.
October 29 – Rain Gardens: How They Can Help Solve Problems
Ned Siegel, a member of the St. Louis Master Gardener Speaker’s Bureau, will present a program on rain gardens, what they are, why and how they can help to reduce storm water runoff, at Beaumont Room, 7 p.m. PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held on the LAST TUESDAY of October.
November 19 – Annual Pot Luck Dinner and Social
7 p.m. Commerce Bank Center for Science Education (CBEC), 4651 Shaw Avenue, St. Louis, MO 3110. This is the THIRD TUESDAY of the month. Plans are moving forward to include at this meeting a vote on the adoption of revised bylaws for the St. Louis Water Gardening Society.