HIGHLIGHTS FROM PONDAPALOOZA WEST 2002
This trade show followed the lWGS symposium in Portland and the first day included a jointly sponsored tour by Garden Pond Promotions and the IWGS which took in a visit to the offices of Timber Press, the premises of Pacific Water Gardens, and to a number of private homes with attractive water gardens and koi ponds. There were a number of sessions over the following two days including these highlights:

WATERLILIES
At the opening session, Brad McLane, president of the IWGS gave an illustrated talk showing the high quality of entries in the society’s 2001 competition, and giving an insight into the life ofJoseph Banks, the extraordinary eighteenth century explorer and plantsman behind the name on the Banksian Medal.

PLANT FILTRATION
IWGS board member Jim Purcell spoke on the use of water plants in biological filtration systems. The root systems of plants provide a matrix for a large number of beneficial microbes to grow and the plants draw oxygen down to their roots, to the benefit Of the
organisms growing in that environment. Such systems should ideally be run all year round,
and excess and dying vegetation should be cut back in the winter season. Take care not to cut the stems of reeds (e.g. Typha laxmanniI) below water level as this can stop oxygen reaching the root system and might ’drown’ the plant.

Read more in the Water Garden Journal Vol. 18-01.