Ever been on a Pond Tour?

[Gemma]

This weekend I'm going to my very first "Pond Tour"!

I have no idea what to expect since I've never been to one, I think we are given a list of locations to visit, and a bracelet to identify us as tour members, it'll feel very weird walking up to strangers houses and enter their backyard....I hope they don't have loose dogs!
Any of you ever been to a tour?

 

[sissy]

colleen is but here in my rural area the pond tour does not come out this far

 

[Gemma]

Would you go to one if it was in your area @sissy ?
I've known about tours for years but never thought it was for me, not sure what changed, but I really want to go!

 

[sissy]

I did go to the one in Danville as some of my pond friends were on the tour .It was fun and take your camera that way if you see good ideas you can snap a pic .But ask first because ours was no pics allowed

 

[MitchM]

We go on garden tours every month. Ponds aren't very common around here.
It's a great way to see different parts of the city.
There has been between zero and 50 people at any one place, depends on the weather and quality of the garden.
Owners are always happy to answer questions and we rarely see their dogs, maybe the occasional cat.
Never had a problem taking tons of pictures.
Hopefully you have nice weather.

 

[Gemma]

We go on garden tours every month. Ponds aren't very common around here.
It's a great way to see different parts of the city.
There has been between zero and 50 people at any one place, depends on the weather and quality of the garden.
Owners are always happy to answer questions and we rarely see their dogs, maybe the occasional cat.
Never had a problem taking tons of pictures.
Hopefully you have nice weather.

Thanks @MitchM , I hopes so too cause I'm not going if temps are in the 90s!
A garden tour would be so nice too! I would even enter mine some day, when I'm retired and able to keep up with weeds and all.
Hopefully people that go on tour are respectful and don't show up with destructive, loud and unsupervised children

 

[carolinaguy]

Our club has one every year in Charlotte. The best one in the area is Charleston SC. Dr grant patton’s Home and pond are amazing. He is a show judge and one of the first koi hobbyists in the states. Don’t worry about walking up to a strangers house. They are ready for you and will route you properly.

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

Yes went on many when we were thinking about building a pond.......the next year when we were getting serious about building a pond.....we went on multiple trips to different cities..... And that year I was more interested in how their pond worked, I wanted to see the filtration.....aeration.....how they did their plumbing.....as a whole most people loved to show us their setup and would let me take pictures and ask way to many questions.....but then we had a couple that was pretty much offend by my curiosity of how it works, but wanted us to brag on the beauty of the pond.....but I have to say of all the tours we went on never saw a bad looking pond, but of course you wouldn't, they were on the pond tour.....lol

 

[Tula]

We went on one a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves ....only problem was...pond envy

 

[RobAmy]

Have fun and take lots of pictures

 

[Gemma]

Yes went on many when we were thinking about building a pond.......the next year when we were getting serious about building a pond.....we went on multiple trips to different cities..... And that year I was more interested in how their pond worked, I wanted to see the filtration.....aeration.....how they did their plumbing.....as a whole most people loved to show us their setup and would let me take pictures and ask way to many questions.....but then we had a couple that was pretty much offend by my curiosity of how it works, but wanted us to brag on the beauty of the pond.....but I have to say of all the tours we went on never saw a bad looking pond, but of course you wouldn't, they were on the pond tour.....lol

I don't get how that person wanted to show off their pond, and then got annoyed cause you showed too much interest. Some people are really hard to please!

 

[Gemma]

We went on one a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves ....only problem was...pond envy

You my lady need to do something about that envy! I help you dig, I'm not that far from you!

Have fun and take lots of pictures

Thank you for the positive wish!...I'll see what I can do about the pics, but don't expect high quality like yours!

 

[Lisak1]

We've gone on lots and lots and LOTS of pond tours - they are TONS of fun. We find there are two kinds of owners - those who love meeting and greeting and talking about their pond, and those who make themselves scarce and just allow the company running the pond tour to do all the public contact. I'll admit the very first tour we went on, the first house we walked up to was very intimidating - I felt very weird just walking around someone's backyard. In that case there was no one home, but we soon got over that feeling and realized they put their pond on the tour, so obviously they didn't mind that we were there!

All the pond owners we have met have been wonderful people - very much willing to answer just about any question you want to ask. We take lots of photos and if there are pets around, they are always friendly. We have seen so many beautiful ponds and fish and plants and yards. You will have a blast!

For those in the Chicago area, Aquascape has their July tour on Saturday. We have to miss this one, but it looks to be a beautiful day for it! Their tours are completely free and self guided. You can visit all of the homes or just the ones that look interesting. On every tour they have one home that is designated as "pond central" where they serve hot dogs and cold drinks. These are great fun!

https://www.aquascapeconstruction.com/aquascape-events/water-garden-showcase

 

[Gemma]

After reading all your reply I'm even more anxious!
I'm trying to convince my Teens to come along, but I'm not sure they will have a good time, they're not that into our own pond, why would they care about someone else's.

This is the MI annual State tour, I believe it will be self guided (which I prefer) anyone else on here, going?

 

[Lisak1]

We started taking our son when he was a teenager - that's how my pondless and my pond got built! He got bit by the pond bug early! And it's not just ponds - we've seen gorgeous landscaping, hardscaping, houses... so many ideas and creative ways to incorporate water into the yard!

 

[cas]

I love pond tours. I have been going on them almost every year for 16 years. Some people really love showing you their pond and will have pictures showing you the pond's progress. Others provide refreshment. And as said above, some people just make themselves scarce to let you explore. I went on one last weekend. Here are some pics.

 

[Gemma]

We started taking our son when he was a teenager - that's how my pondless and my pond got built! He got bit by the pond bug early! And it's not just ponds - we've seen gorgeous landscaping, hardscaping, houses... so many ideas and creative ways to incorporate water into the yard!

When my kids were 5, 8, and 11yrs old we got 2 puppies trying to get them outside more, that didn't work either so I doubt fish will!
I couldn't believe they showed zero interest in those puppies, I'm just glad we only got 2 and not one for each kid like we first thought of doing

 

[Gemma]

I love pond tours. I have been going on them almost every year for 16 years. Some people really love showing you their pond and will have pictures showing you the pond's progress. Others provide refreshment. And as said above, some people just make themselves scarce to let you explore. I went on one last weekend. Here are some pics.
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Thanks for posting pics, @cas , I love the first one!

 

[Tara]

When my kids were 5, 8, and 11yrs old we got 2 puppies trying to get them outside more, that didn't work either so I doubt fish will!
I couldn't believe they showed zero interest in those puppies, I'm just glad we only got 2 and not one for each kid like we first thought of doing

Your not alone, my teen never comes out to garden, maybe I need to find a pond tour and drag him along. Up until he was 13 you could not drag him inside, out on trails on his bike, hiking he'd be first up the trails. Now it seems his bedroom is a cave for hibernating.

 

[Lisak1]

My advice to all teen parents - not that anyone is asking, but here it is anyway! - cut off the electronics. No TV or computers in the bedroom, no video games, limit their time with the phones. It's for their own good. BORE THEM TO DEATH and they will eventually come out of hibernation.

I work with high school students and the addiction to the phones and video games is the number one problem we deal with every day. We have students who will confess that they never sleep at night - they are up playing games or texting/snapchatting/instagramming all night long. We have students who are on their phone IN SCHOOL all day long - if they aren't using it to communicate with someone, they are listening to music with headphones in their ears. How can they possibly be learning anything? When the phones get taken away, they go into an absolute rage - just like a drug addict who can't get a fix. Cut them off and suffer with them for a few days and eventually a real human will emerge.

Kids NEED nature. They need to be connected with the earth and with living things. If nothing else, they need to be mowing your grass or weeding your flower beds or spreading mulch for your neighbors... get them out in the sunshine and get them busy. They will hate you for it, but will eventually thank you. They may be 20 or 25 before it happens, but eventually they will realize it was for their own good.