Geneva Area Pond Club's free meeting on July 18

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A Japanese garden in Switzerland? Mais oui! We'll see a really beautiful one in Versoix when the club will meet on July 18 beside the lovely pond of new club members Eva and Markus. The extensive garden features neatly trimmed topiary shrubs, ancient-looking tiny bonsai trees, and flowers blooming everywhere. The large pond itself is spectacular, enhanced with a variety of aquatic plants like flowering water lilies and stately mare's tails. Its residents include goldfish (poissons rouge) and golden orfes (ides d'or), although a local heron seems determined to diminish the population. A rushing waterfall provides a sparkling sound as it oxygenates the water. Around the border of the pond we'll admire the gigantic leaves of Gunnera, the powder-puff flowers of a large smoke tree, water iris, delicate ferns, many bog plants, and a Japanese stone lantern on a pebble beach. At this meeting you'll learn of Eva's trial-and-error experiences with a fiberglass pond formed in situ with resin, utilizing the same techniques used to build fiberglass boats. The impressive features of the garden and pond should inspire many club members to incorporate some of these ideas on their own property.

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The location and full details of the free meeting on July 18 (https://meetup.com/GenevaPond/calendar/13839017) are on the club's web site at https://meetup.com/Gen... (https://meetup.com/GenevaPond/calendar/13839017). On that page you can let Eva and Markus know if you will or won't attend by submitting your RSVP on line. Just click Yes, Maybe, or No, then click Submit. There you can also see which other club members have already submitted their RSVPs. Club members (only) can click on the blue link showing the hosts' names to get road maps and travel directions to their home. You'll know you've arrived at the right place when you see a bright green 600-liter container in their hedge, along with a green letterbox sporting their name. On Sundays cars can park along the street in the spaces marked with white lines.

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Visitors are always welcome at these free meetings, so you can invite interested friends and neighbors to come along. When submitting your RSVP, please include where indicated the number of guests you've invited. In that way the hosts will know how many snacks and drinks to prepare for those who attend. You can also add a note in the box marked 'Comments' to list whom you've invited, or any other information about yourselves or the meeting. You might also want to thank Eva and Markus there for offering to host this event in their home and garden.

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Ever since the club was founded in 2004, various club members have volunteered to host club meetings in their own place. These are our most valuable members, for without them the club couldn't continue. Because we've had meetings in so many different gardens, club members have been able to examine a wide variety of ponds, ranging from tiny water features to impressive expanses of water. If you'd like your own pond to be admired, we can schedule a meeting in your own home and garden. We traditionally have meetings on the first and third Sundays of every month, but you can choose any day of the month to host a meeting chez vous. To reserve your ideal meeting date, just write to current club leaders Suzanne and Peter at PeterSuzanne2@hotmail.com. They always help the hosts before and during each event.

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You can see more pictures of Eva and Markus's pond in their album on our web site's Photos (https://meetup.com/GenevaPond/photos) page at https://meetup.com/Gen... (https://meetup.com/GenevaPond/photos). There you'll also find albums of dozens of other club members' ponds. Click on each album's title to open it, then click on each small photo to enlarge it. If you'd like photos of your own pond on the club's web site, just send them by e-mail to Peter at the above address, and he'll create a new album for you. If you also submit a written description of the details for each photo, it'll be used as the photo's caption. That's another way for all our club members to admire the many different styles of garden ponds. But first please submit your RSVP for the July 18 meeting in Versoix. We look forward to seeing you there.

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For dozens of photos of the rest of Eva and Markus's garden, go to their MobileMe gallery (https://gallery.me.com/eva.markus#100173) at https://gallery.me.com... (https://gallery.me.com/eva.markus#100173). It displays overviews and closeups of their beautifully shaped topiaries, bonsai trees, striking flowers and colorful plantings. It's among the most beautiful Japanese gardens in Switzerland. C'est vrai!