Water Garden

This area is a very interesting habitat. Wetland and bog plants are part of a small pond with a set of two water features. The tiered wooden foot bridge directs visitors through this area and is as well, a place to sit and watch, and to feed the fish and the turtles. I also love to see how many Water Lilies are in bloom each day as I have counted as many as 20 blooming at one time.

The pond may look like just a pond, but it is actually a passive wetland that receives runoff from the adjacent nursery and greenhouse. The aquatic plants clean the water by filtering out any chemicals to keep from polluting the environment. As the water leaves the pond, it trickles through a small stream filled with Irises, Elephant’s Ears, and Cattails that continue to filter out contaminants. This stream spans the rest of the distance of the Gardens.

There is also wildlife that inhabits the pond including Fancy Goldfish, Koi, and Red-eared Slider Turtles. One of my favorite duties is to feed the fish and turtles every morning. They are so interesting to watch and to talk to as they respond to my voice. The fish serve as bio-indicators that would show damage to the ecosystem caused by pollution in the runoff.