Many of you know that Mat and I with the kids, made a long over due trip to England to visit our family this month.
It was nice to get away from the daily running around, but one thing we can’t get enough is KOI! Mat and I went on our own mini pond tour that week.
The first day there Mat and I, with his dad, headed to a member of their local koi club to see his pond. Unfortunately, with the jet lag I was suffering from I forgot my camera! I can’t say enough of how nice the pond and sitting area was, but was really great about this pond is that it houses Mat’s first Koi! Goldie, now 30+ years old, was loaned to help start the pond a few years ago, but has made herself at home.
During our trip we visited some koi shops Mat worked at thru his years in koi.
We also visited some new comers since Mat left the U.K.
ukNishikigoi was in construction when Mat and I first visited the shop on our last trip 2 yrs ago.
The store is now a fully running. The store’s modern design separates it from your typical garden center. The koi were truly the works of art in this shop!
We were honored when offered a tour of the special greenhouses I was surprised that they looked not too different then our greenhouse. Nothing fancy in looks, large concrete ponds that are used for newly imported koi. The koi there on the day were just imported and looked as though they have settled in wonderfully.
We then got to see the greenhouse were koi are grown. This pond is an earth bottom pond with concrete walls, but covered by a very large greenhouse to over come the cooler weather in the England.
Thank you Chris for hospitality, we enjoyed our visit.
Our next stop was to visit Mat’s friend Nigel Caddock at Topponds. Nigel was getting things ready for his new koi shipment due to come in in the next few weeks.
Out last stop was another hobbyist’s house. Trevor is a close friend of Mat’s family.
Some of the balls used for insulation were removed for our visit so we could see the koi better.
Enjoyed sharing stories of past trips to Japan while checking out the koi in the his pond.
Check out the view from the pond!
Of course, can’t forget our “Host” pond. Mat’s parents’ pond. The pond is in their conservatory where they can enjoy the koi year around and the koi aren’t affected by the weather. This picture was taken for a magazine. The pond, while we are there had barriers up for the grandkids, although the kids did get their turn at feeding the koi.
