Finally, the summer season has arrived after days of never-ending rain. The ponds are balancing out, and the flowers are blooming. Now is the time of year when the wonder of nature and the beauty of water gardens takes our breath away. Everyone at Pond Professors is busy as usual, helping to raise money for S.M.I.L.E.S., attending Pond College, and, of course, installing ponds! As more people stop by our store to check out the new fish and plants, we marvel at the growing number of people who have water gardens in the Janesville area. We’re also surprised at the number of new people we’ve met, not only from the entire state, but also from the region surrounding Wisconsin.
Looking ahead, we’ll be visiting some of the new ponds we installed this year, and we’re planning our annual Customer Appreciation Gathering for October. Stop in to say “Hi” and share your water gardening stories when you have a chance.

Thank you for all your support,
Kimberly & Scott Story

Thanks to all of our W.S.C.A.P.E.S. Parade of Ponds hosts, volunteers and sponsors, the second annual tour was a great success. We were able to raise $748.00 for S.M.I.L.E.S., a non-profit group based in Delavan, WI and WSCAPES, the local pond club. S.M.I.L.E.S. offers therapeutic and recreational horsemanship to children and adults with physical, cognitive, or emotional disabilities. A special thanks to all who bought tickets and supported this fun and worthwhile event. To show our patron appreciation, we asked ticket holders to submit their tickets at the last stop; then, we drew names for three raffle prizes. The lucky winners are Jerry Ziegler ($100 cash prize from Pond Professors), Minnie Gipp ($25 gift certificate from Don’s Lawn and Garden Care), and Linda Stewart ($25 gift certificate from Mann Brothers). If you’d like to be included on the 2005 tour, call the Lily Pad at (608) 758-1979. Is your pond feeling self-conscious? Please remember, we like to showcase water gardens of all shapes and sizes.

After the Grand Opening on June 19, we are settling nicely into our new retail space. In addition to our usual selection of water plants, fish and pond supplies, we now offer decorative items for your garden and home. Stop by to check out our new landscaping, and be sure to spend time on the new gazebo (courtesy of Garden View Gazebos) overlooking our display ponds. If there’s an item in the Aquascape catalog (located in your Owner’s Manual, or stop by The Lily Pad for your free copy) that we don’t stock, we’re always happy to order it for you. Gift certificates are perfect for anyone on any occasion! Stop by the Lily Pad, or phone us with your credit card and we’ll mail it directly to the recipient.

Yes, we carry the young frogs-to-be, but this time we’re talking about the newest employees to join the retail and construction teams at Pond Professors. Luke Ludwig, originally from Milton, became our construction foreman in April. He brings more than nine years of construction and landscaping experience to your project. On the retail side at the Lily Pad, Susan Rowe joined us in July to assist with sales and marketing. A native of Janesville, she recently returned after 14 years in the deep South. Susan stays close to nature by biking, rollerblading and camping. We are excited to have these new employees, so we can continue to grow without sacrificing our standard of excellent customer service and innovative pond building.

Every Monday, we receive new shipments of Koi, Butterfly Koi and Shubunkins from Southeast Asia and Israel. To insure the fish are healthy, we quarantine them for seven to 10 days. Once we verify they are healthy, the fish are ready to find new homes. Despite everyone’s best efforts, the fish don’t always survive the transition, so we offer a three-day guarantee. A relative of the carp, Koi are quite hardy and capable of surviving the Midwestern winter provided they have adequate oxygen. There’s plenty of time left this season, so stop by soon to pick out the newest member of your family.

You may be familiar with S.A.B (String Algae Buster) treatment, but do you know that using EcoBlast beforehand quickly and aggressively removes stubborn algae on rocks, fountains etc? Unlike most algae busters, EcoBlast works in all temperatures, so it’s great for early spring and late fall applications. Please note, EcoBlast kills all algae and bacteria indiscriminately, so you must follow up with S.A.B. in order to maintain a healthy ecological balance in your pond. For the health of your fish and plants, both products are 100% natural and chemical-free.

Even teachers have to go to school and Pond Professors is no exception. In July, we closed the shop to attend Pond College in Chicago. The week long event is sponsored by Aquascape Designs, Inc, the largest manufacturer of pond supplies and equipment, as well as the creator of the system we install in every pond. Assisted by Luke and Matthew, Scott led the regional team as they competed against 15 teams in the pondless waterfall building contest. We weren’t sure how the judges would decide, since all 16 waterfalls were equally impressive! Better luck next year guys, but we did come away with some great new ideas for your next project. The pondless waterfall is the perfect solution for anyone seeking an extremely low maintenance water feature, especially those who travel frequently.
While it wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the water-fall contest, we spent the next few days taking classes from industry professionals and sharing ideas with other pond installers and retailers. One idea that came up is already on our to-do list. Ponds For Kids, a concept developed by Aquascape Designs, encourages community involvement, fosters an appreciation of nature in children, and provides a hands-on learning environment. We will help anyone interested in taking on such a project, either through a school or community group open to the public. Pond Professors will provide the labor and expertise at no cost, while the students or group must raise funds for the materials. For more information, call The Lily Pad at (608) 758-1979.
Prior to the conference, Pond Professors, Inc was named as the 81st largest installer/retailer of Aquascape products. This new ranking is an increase from 207th place in 2003. Aquascapes tracks the top 1,000 accounts from their customer base of over 48,000. As the first Certified Aquascape Contractor in Wisconsin, we are still one of only two certified installers in the state.

If you use AquaClearer but have been disappointed in the results, we may have the solution. The manufacturer recently alerted us to a typo on the label. The correct directions should read “one half capful per 1,000 gallons.” We apologize for any frustration this may have caused. All of our water treatments are natural bacteria and enzymes which are designed to restore a natural balance. Because these are not harsh chemicals, results may not be immediately visible. As with any products we sell, please don’t hesitate to call us regarding their use and expected results.

You’re sitting pond side on a bright sunny day, with the garden in full bloom, mesmerized by your colorful fish friends. Well, we hate to spoil your carefree thoughts, but practical matters will beckon sooner than we’d like. Our Clean-Out schedule fills up quickly, so call now to reserve a slot for your pond. For a flat fee of $110, we will prepare your pond for the winter months. Please call the Lily Pad for more information.