Go with the flow: Kansas Pond Society annual tour is this weekend
Mike and Marilyn Weedin had always wanted a backyard pond, so when they bought their home in Haysville in 2019, they added that to the list of projects for contractors to complete as they gutted the 1963-built residence and redid the landscaping before moving in in late 2020.
“I thought, ‘I can dig a hole for that,’ but ask my wife if I would get it done. Probably not,” Mike Weedin said.
Instead, the couple contracted with Hong’s Landscape and Nursery in Wichita to fulfill their dream of a pond.
It’s become a much-enjoyed feature not only by the couple but also by their seven dogs. Their goldendoodle likes to walk through or even lay in the stream that flows down a gentle slope on the north side of their home, while one of their smaller dogs likes to lay on the flat rocks bordering the pond and watch the more than 40 koi fish of various colors swimming around.
“Next thing you know, she’s asleep,” Mike Weedin said.
“We all enjoy it.”
The Weedins hope others will enjoy their backyard oasis, which is one of 10 residences and three commercial properties in the greater Wichita area that are on the Kansas Pond Society’s annual water garden tour this weekend. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 17, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 18.
Open to the public, the tours cost $10 per carload with a map serving as an admission ticket. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the following Wichita garden centers: both Johnson’s Garden Center locations, Hong’s Landscape and Nursery, and Scenic Landscape. During the tour dates, the booklets can also be purchased at 2643 N. Rushwood Ct. Proceeds help offset the costs of hosting the tours.
Two of the commercial properties, Hong’s and Scenic Landscape, will only be available for touring on Saturday. Botanica, the third commercial garden, is on the tour for both days. Some of the private gardens include ponds that were created as DIY projects by the homeowners.
At the Weedins, the water feature, which wraps around the east and north sides of the house, takes up much of the property’s backyard. A large flat rock serves as a bridge where the stream flows into the pond. A concrete patio adjacent to the pond holds a hot tub and outdoor furniture.
The Weedins said they enjoy their pond year-round, as it’s deep enough at 5 ½ feet to allow the koi to overwinter and has an aerator, or bubbler, that stays running to infuse oxygen into the water. The stream is shut off and drained for the winter months.
Kansas Pond Society water garden tour
What: tour of 13 water gardens — located at 10 residences and three commercial properties— in the greater Wichita area
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, June 17, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday, June 18
Admission: $10 per carload. Tickets for sale at both Johnson’s Garden Center locations, Hong’s Landscape and Nursery, and Scenic Landscape. During the tour dates, tickets can also be purchased at 2643 N. Rushwood Ct. The ticket is a map of addresses, directions and descriptions for each of the gardens. It also allows admission to Botanica, one of the commercial gardens on the tour, during the weekend.
More info: kansaspondsociety.org