It's All About the Koi: Pond Walk 2019

Seriously huge koi with a stunner of a Japanese maple.

This marks the third year in a row I have been able to attend the Midwest Pond & Koi Society's annual Garden & Pond Tour. It's a great time and I highly recommend it! The last two weekends of July are devoted to members opening up their gardens and ponds across the Chicago area. If you're looking for ideas, like koi, or just want to mine the collective expertise of the pond folk, go!

Cute, fun, and some very happy fish

I don't have time for a pond. I'd love one, but they are a lot of maintenance and I already have a weed problem that I can't control. So, I visit other people's ponds and oooh and ahhhh over them. Every year, I swear the koi are even huger. It also is a good way to hang out with folks that love gardens and who graciously welcom random strangers to gush over their ponds. I love to explore and this tour has taken me to some pretty unique corners of Chicagoland.

This one is literally around the corner from my house and is a beautiful private garden retreat.

If you want to know anything about ponds, these people are your experts. I can't tell you how often to filter water, pH balancing, algae control, or the difference between a koi and a shubunkin, but they can. And they don't mind if you hang out and chill with the music of their waterfalls.