WGI listens to you. You tell us that you want:

A winning waterlily given a special name.
More fish articles in the Journal.
Action now on waterlily identity theft.

WGI member Joyce Grigonis spoke up while responding to the Waterlily Beauty Contest. She wondered about naming a Nymphaea ‘Pink Ribbon’ to champion the fight against breast cancer. Originator Pairat Songpanich and WGI enthusiastically agree that the Waterlily Beauty Contest winner, the champion, is named ‘Pink Ribbon’.

Joyce relates that after each cancer treatment, “I always come home, go out to the ponds, and get my hands wet. Water gardening is my sanctuary from cancer. When I am working in my ponds, I forget about the serious battle I am fighting.” Powerful words!

You surprise us with greater than anticipated interest in fish articles. Again, WGI hears you and addresses your desire. This Journal issue features an in-depth photo story of the Associated Koi Clubs of America (AKCA) pond tour held during their 2006 annual meeting in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area. Certified Koi Judge Pam Spindola photographed each pond on the tour; now she shares highlights with us. Writers Carla Black, Joe Summers, and Philip Swindells relate their own fish stories on other pages.

Truly Named (TN) addresses the waterlily identity theft problem. Leading water garden growers, wholesalers, and retailers are members of our TN program. It enables water gardeners to instantly recognize retailers who pledge to sell only correctly labeled waterlilies. Consumers make this program effective by shopping for water garden needs at suppliers displaying the TN logo. When sufficient numbers of consumers demand the TN assurance of correctness, then economics law dictates that dealers will take corrective steps to label properly their waterlilies. Please tell all of your water garden friends about TN.

Meanwhile, we are taking our TN message public, aiming in particular at the water garden trade. Several TN articles have appeared including one in the current issue of Pondkeeper Magazine. Charter Member Alan Montour traveled to Pittsburgh in late July to set up and staff the WGI information display at the Pondapalooza National Pond Expo for the water garden trade. Your editor assisted at the display where we discussed WGI and TN with interested professionals. On August 2, I addressed aquatic nursery people there about the importance of their participation in the TN program. Adhering to its principles is the right thing to do. Please urge your area aquatic dealers to become TN participants.

There you have it; WGI listens to you, addresses your thoughtful input, and champions your best (water gardening-related) ideas.

C.B.T. info@watergardenersinternational.org