组织沿革与章程
明尼苏达水花园协会（Minnesota Water Garden Society，简称 MWGS）于 1997 年夏由 Jan 与 Mark Schreier 夫妇在他们自家花园旁发起，起初只是想了解本地区是否还有其他造过池塘并乐于交流的人；一番询问下来找到 40 余位同好，便在当年正式组建协会。创立至今已有近三十年，会员人数在 2024 年达到约 417 人。会员构成涵盖持牌园艺大师、花园设计师、景观从业者、园艺师，还有睡莲种植、容器式水景、无水泵跌水设施、鱼类养护等不同专长的爱好者。
使命与服务宗旨
协会官方使命陈述写明：增进公众对水景园艺的兴趣与热情，途径包括推广、教育和共享经验。服务覆盖从硬质景观设计到活体鱼类与水生植物管理的各个层面，面向初学者到资深爱好者均保持开放入口。MWGS 在明尼苏达州是唯一的同类型专项协会，会员背景跨越双子城及周边多个州，自发持续地通过月会与实地走访保持水景园艺知识的代际传承。
活动与年度项目
协会围绕月会、池塘派对、年度旅行、春/秋野餐和州博览会展位五条活动线安排全年的面对面聚会。月会通常在双城周边的 Ridgedale Library、Brookdale Library 等公立图书馆举行，向会员与访客开放。夏季的池塘派对是会员自家花园开放的小型沙龙，由主人展示施工、维护和鱼植管理细节。每年七月最后一个周末是协会最有名的水景花园之旅（Water Garden Tour），2026 年进入第二十九届。
水景花园之旅与公开开放
协会年度水景花园之旅是把近十家会员花园向公众集中开放的两天活动，门票在线 17 美元、巡游当日 20 美元、15 岁以下儿童随成人免费。花园景观包括瀑布、蜿蜒水道、睡莲与荷花池、锦鲤与各类塘鱼，巡游组委会由两位联合主席（Co-chairs）牵头，同时招募近两百位门岗志愿者在各站点引导参观。2026 年活动定在 7 月 25 至 26 日 9 时至 17 时，集中在双子城东郊。雨天照常举办，所有门票售出不退，但报名确认邮件即为入场凭证。
会员福利与公共资源
协会年会费 35 美元（支票邮寄）或者 37 美元（PayPal 在线）覆盖一家或一人，可收每月彩色纸质通讯《Waterlog》。会员福利包括月会演讲、池塘派对、会员独享义卖、Pond Pal 结对辅导计划，以及参加协会在明尼苏达州博览会独立展位的志愿服务机会。对非会员，协会在站内的 Resources 与 FAQ 板块长期公开答疑，覆盖冬季保鱼、池塘加热、循环水泵维护、绿藻控制、耐寒睡莲分株等常见问题。网站还发布耐寒鸢尾、ISG 杂交睡莲、荷花与浮叶植物的种植说明，方便北方气候带爱好者参考。
Origins and Charter
The Minnesota Water Garden Society was founded in the summer of 1997 by Jan and Mark Schreier, who first wondered how many other local pond keepers might want to share what they had learned. An initial inquiry turned up more than forty people with overlapping interests, and that group formalized itself into what is now MWGS. Membership reached roughly 417 in 2024 and includes master gardeners, garden designers, landscapers, horticulturists, and hobbyists focused on lilies, container water gardens, pondless features, and pond fish care. Thousands of enthusiasts have joined and participated since incorporation.
Mission and Charter
MWGS publishes a single-sentence mission: to increase the enjoyment and enthusiasm for water gardening through promotion, education, and shared experiences. Programmatic work spans design, construction, fish husbandry, aquatic plant selection, and seasonal maintenance. It is the only society of its scope in the state of Minnesota, with members drawn from across the Twin Cities and surrounding states. Knowledge is passed along informally through monthly meetings, on-site pond visits, and the long-running Waterlog newsletter.
Year-Round Programming
Five recurring program lines structure the calendar: monthly general meetings, members-only pond parties, the annual water garden tour, spring and fall picnics, and a booth at the Minnesota State Fair. General meetings are hosted at public libraries around the western and northern Twin Cities metro. Pond parties are members-only gatherings at a host’s own garden, where construction, filtration, and fish-plant care are demonstrated in person. The annual tour in late July is the largest single event and anchors the public calendar.
Water Garden Tour
The MWGS Water Garden Tour is a weekend self-guided showcase of roughly ten member gardens, with water features, lotus and waterlily pools, koi, and recirculating streams. In 2026 the tour runs 25–26 July from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., focused on the eastern Twin Cities suburbs, marking the event’s twenty-ninth year. Tickets are priced at 17 USD for adults via online purchase, 20 USD at the gate, and free for children under 15 with a paid adult. The event continues rain or shine and is run by two co-chairs with the help of dozens of monitor volunteers.
Membership and Public Resources
Annual dues are 35 USD by mail or 37 USD via PayPal, covering a family or an individual; members receive the print Waterlog newsletter each month. Additional benefits include monthly speaker meetings, members-only auctions, the Pond Pal mentorship pairing, and access to volunteer slots at the State Fair booth. Public Resources and FAQ pages answer recurring questions about winter fish care, pond de-icing, pump maintenance, algae control, and hardy waterlily division for cold-climate gardens. Planting notes for hardy iris, ISG hybrid waterlilies, lotus, and floating plants are posted for general reference.
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