Soothing spot at the fair

Young Chang

It’s a nice change from the music, the whoosh of the rides, the

buzz of people having fun, other sounds typical of fairs, said Joan

Hamill, director of exhibits at the Orange County Fair.

You sort of have to look for it to notice it. And you have to be

rather quiet, maybe even pensive, to appreciate it.

But when you hear the trickling water, and see the koi and lily

pads and rocks that make the water pretty, you might also wonder what

such a scenic sight is doing at a county fair.

Its presence has something to do with the fair’s water theme this

year and much to do with the fair’s goal every year to educate

visitors about agriculture, livestock and other pieces of nature.

Water gardens function as ecosystems once they’re completed with fish

and plants and bacteria, which makes the inhabitants of the

environment sustain themselves and require very low maintenance.

“Anybody that has any space can make a water garden,” said Norm

Nakanishi, floral supervisor for the fair. “It can be very small -- 2

feet in diameter -- to something extremely large.”

Noel Phoenix, a construction foreman at Pro Ponds West, Aquascape

Designs Inc. in Costa Mesa, defines water gardening as gardens with

water, plants, fish and bacteria. Very little soil is involved, as

gardeners use it only to make clay soil in individual pots containing

plants when they’re not bare-rooting plants to grow in the gravel

base of the pond.

Both ponds at the fair are biological filters with skimmers (tanks

that pump and collect large debris and leaves that settle on the

water), gravel on the bottom and natural bacteria that filters the

water, Phoenix said.

The larger pond, which is near the Grandstand Arena, is about 15

by 25 feet. Filled with everything from geraniums and other

water-loving plants to rocks and little waterfalls, this small spurt

of serenity offers a different perspective on what people can do with

water.

“You’ve got to make sure the plants, if you’re going to

incorporate fish, that they’re compatible with each other,” Nakanishi

said. “A lot of people like koi. You can put goldfish in there too.”

Phoenix just recommends you have good design for your garden,

colorful rocks and lots of plants and fish.

“We design and built the ponds, and the landscaper comes in after

us and landscapes around it, where the pond is the focal point of

your backyard,” he said.

Both Nakanishi and Phoenix agree that water gardens are becoming

increasingly popular these days, largely because people are looking

for soothing ways to relax.

“After a long and stressful day, it’s really nice to go out in the

backyard and sit next to the pond and relax and watch the fish,”

Phoenix said.