Upcoming IWGS Symposium in Reading, England
By: Dorothy Martinez
As I write this article, I am preparing to leave for the upcoming IWGS Symposium to be held in Reading, England on July 16th – 20th, including the Pre and Post portions of the Symposium. Several of us have also decided to stay for about a week after the Symposium to tour other gardens and sights in and around the Cotswolds’ area.
The Pre portion of the Symposium starts on July 16th where we will visit the Oxford Botanic Garden, Hidcote Garden in the Cotswolds, Sezincote House and Garden also in the Cotswolds, and if time allows, a quick visit to the picturesque town of Burford. Upon our return to the hotel, we will attend the Opening Reception that evening. On the 17th, we will be touring Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew outside of London and the Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden Wisley near Woking in Surrey. On July 18th we will be going to Longstock Park Water Garden which is part of the Leckford estate in the Test Valley and Bennetts Water Gardens near Dorset in Weymouth. The schedule for July 19th will include various educational programs geared around the theme “The pivotal role of ponds in greening our gardens”. On July 20th we will be travelling to see Wakehurst, an old estate and gardens managed by Kew, Anglo Aquatic Plant Company, and Beaver Plants Ltd., both of which are aquatic plant nurseries located in the area.
Once we depart the Symposium on July 21st, we will be renting a car and staying in Cheltenham where we will be touring Croome National Trust’s estate and walled garden as well as the Painswick Rococo Gardens. On the 22nd we will tour Sudeley Castle and Gardens as well as Kiftsgate Castle and Gardens. On the 23rd we will be touring Bourton House Garden and Cerney House and Gardens. On the 24th, we will be driving to Salisbury where we will visit the Salisbury Cathedral (home to the Magna Carta) and then on the 25th we will tour Stonehenge. The 26th we will be driving back to London and returning home later that day.
I am looking forward to this trip and am hoping the weather forecast of high 60’s to low 70’s and rainy holds out during the predicted upcoming heat wave in Colorado.
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2024 Pond Tour and Picnic Cancellation
By: Dorothy Martinez
Sadly, the CWGS Board has come to the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Pond Tour and Picnic. The Tour and Picnic were scheduled for Saturday, July 27th.
Typically, we like to have between 10 – 12 Ponds on the Tour each year to make for a satisfying day out. Unfortunately, at the end of June we had commitments from 3 people. We had sent out a plea in last month’s Newsletter for more participants, but did not hear back from anyone else. Three participants are not enough to successfully hold the Tour this year.
We are hoping this year’s hiatus will get people stoked up for next year’s Tour. For this event to be successful, we need our member’s participation, so if you are interested in being on next year’s Tour, reach out to me at dorothy.martinez@colowatergardensociety.org or Dennis Weatherman at dweatherman@msn.com.
If you are looking for another Pond Tour this summer, check out the Pikes Peak Water Garden Society’s Pond Tour to be held on July 27th and 28th in the Colorado Springs area. For more information, go to:
https://ppwgs.org/koi/pond-tour.
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2024 Water Blossom Celebration at Denver Botanic Gardens
By: Kim Kimpton
Come experience the beauty of waterlily blooms and other aquatic plants on Sunday, August 11th at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Every summer, once the ponds warm and the sun is brightest, aquatic plants reveal their splendor. Stroll between the ponds to discover your favorite plants and bloom colors. Capture the scene with your senses and with your cameras.
Educational opportunities abound between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm. Free expert led tours of the ponds will help you discover the wonders of aquatic plants. Experienced water gardeners will be both wading in the ponds and on land at the aquatics education cart to share fun facts. And most importantly, get your questions about getting started, troubleshooting, and caring for your water plants answered by knowledgeable Colorado Water Garden Society members. The education tables will be located near The Hive Restaurant and Monet Pond. As a bonus, free plants will be available to get you started while supplies last.
Along with aquatic plants, carnivorous plants will be on display. Carnivorous plants are those fun and unique plants that gobble up pesky insects. Consider trying out a carnivorous plant to rid
your house from gnats. They are the best sticky tape in plant form. This year, the CWGS will give away Cape sundews to interested visitors while they last.
Volunteers are always an essential part of hosting a successful event. We will need all hands on deck - volunteers to provide education, sign visitors up for pond tours, tour guides, and more.
Come join us for this Annual Water Blossom Celebration. Learn something new, visit with fellow enthusiasts and start snapping photos for the upcoming CWGS Photo Contest!
This event is co-sponsored by the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Colorado Water Garden Society. For further information about this event, please contact Kim Kimpton at kimKimpton1@gmail.com or Tamara Kilbane at tamara.kilbane@botanicgardens.org.
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Volunteers Needed for the 2024 Water Blossom Celebration
By: Kim Kimpton
On Sunday, August 11th the Colorado Water Garden Society and Denver Botanic Gardens will again co-sponsor the Annual Water Blossom Celebration. We love this wonderful event and so do the Gardens’ visitors! Please consider volunteering to ensure this fabulous event is at its best.
Volunteers will be needed for:
• Set-up from 8:00 am – 9:00 am and Clean-Up from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. This task requires walking and some lifting.
• 9:00 am – 1:00 pm (or some portion of) in the following areas:
• Promotion/Marketing the CWGS (share membership benefits information and yearly events)
• General Aquatics Plant Knowledge (answer questions and manages the informational brochures)
• Carnivorous Plants Education
• Carnivorous Plant (Sundews) Giveaway and Education (help give away plants and care instructions)
• Aquatic Plant Giveaways (plant knowledge is helpful). This task requires standing.
• In-Pond Education (show various aquatic plants and share information about the Gardens’ aquatics plant program). This task requires standing in the Monet Pond and engaging with the Gardens’ visitors.
• Tour Guides (provide short tours of the Gardens’ aquatic collections). This task requires standing and walking.
• Tour Sign-ups (manages and promotes aquatic tours).
• Photography of the Event/Volunteers. This task requires standing and walking.
• Anything else, I’m flexible!
Volunteering is a team sport, so if you don’t have the answer, there will be others who do. Please email me at kimkimpton1@mail.com with your preference of volunteer tasks and what time period you are available. Please call me at (303) 919-6112 with questions and let me know which task(s) best suit you and when you can be available to volunteer. Specifics about volunteering will be sent to those that are interested.
Thank you!
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Calling All Aquatic Plant Enthusiasts and Photographers! Get Ready for the 2nd Annual CWGS Photo Contest
By: Kim Kimpton
Show off your own water gardens or photograph others, but capture those water blossom beauties. You don’t have to be a professional photographer, you don’t have to have a fancy camera, and you don’t have to be an aquatic plants expert. Get started in photographing your favorites.
Entries for the contest will be accepted in late August. A slideshow of all photos and presentation of “Best In Show” during the October 9th meeting at the Denver Botanic Gardens.
The 2024 categories are:
1. Waterlilies
2. Lotus
3. Marginal Plants
4. Whole Plant Collections/Gardens/Containers of Aquatic Plants
5. It's Alive - Pollinators, Fish, & Birds
6. Water Features/Fountains
7. New this year! Artistic (black and white photographs, funny photos, up close, and anything else that doesn’t fit another category)
Full and detailed rules as well as the submission process to follow in later communications. The basic rules are: Photos submitted should be either new this year or never before submitted to this contest. Limit 3 photographs per category. And also new this year, post production will be allowed (such as filters, color enhancements, etc.) to improve the quality of your photographs.
All submissions will be due by September 3, 2024.
Questions? Please contact Kim Kimpton at kimkimpton1@gmail.com.
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