Did you know that the latest watering restrictions in Manatee County now say that if you have a fountain or water feature in your yard that you are only allowed to run it for 4 hours a day? What they don't tell you is that if your fountain, pond or water garden sustains life, (fish, turtles, frogs, plants etc.) that it is exempt from this restriction & can run 24/7. This restriction was obviously included by someone who doesn't really know much about water gardens or ponds. Now, let me start by saying that we agree with the restrictions if you have a small decorative fountain that splashes water out of the fountain you should turn it off.To clarify, ponds & water features are in fact a recirculating system & do not "use" water on a daily basis. The water in the pond recirculates with the use of a pump & filter & if installed properly will only lose a minimal amount of water due to evaporation. Even if the pond is off it can still lose this small amount of water from evaporation. Another interesting point is that a pond or water garden actually uses less water than your lawn.A water garden is considered eco friendly, because, unlike the lawn it does not need fertilizers, weed killers or pest control. The fish in your pond provide natural fertilizer for your plants & also provide pest & weed control as well. You should see how our fish love to eat the bugs that land on the pond. At the same time, your water garden provides a habitat for many wildlife creatures from butterflies, birds & squirrels to frogs & turtles. The best part is that you can grow a huge variety of beautiful aquatic plants & lilies with out having to have a green thumb!

Ponds, Water Gardens & Pools Oh My!!!



Who doesn't enjoy the soothing sound of a waterfall, the wonderful scent of water lilies or the graceful movement of butterfly Koi moving in the water. Join us for our fourth Annual Parade of Ponds water garden tour.



Visit 12, yes 12, of Manatee & Sarasota Counties most beautiful private water gardens where you will see everything from container gardens & disappearing water features to Koi ponds & even a pool that was converted to a pond.



Don't forget this is a charity event. The proceeds will be used by Mr. Florio's mentally challenged class to create a wildlife habitat at R. Dan Nolan middle school in Lakewood Ranch.



Tour Date: Saturday, May 9th 9am-4pm

To purchase tickets & tour books contact us at backyardgetaway@verizon.net

Free Hands-On Pondless Waterfall Class

What's a pondless waterfall? It's a water feature without a pond. Well, sort of. There is a pond but it is hidden in the ground with rocks. The waterfall has the appearance of disappearing into the ground.



Join us on April 18th 9am-4pm in Bradenton for a hands on class on how to create a pondless waterfall. Anyone interested in attending the class should contact us at backyardgetaway@verizon.net for address info.