Free Water and Garden Showcase Coming to Hinsdale, Elmhurst, Lombard

Submitted by Lynn Petrak.

St. Charles, IL – If you’ve always wanted a view of the water, you don’t have to move near a lake or river to live your dream.

From small balcony to suburban yard, water features are installed into virtually any space, as visitors to the 2016 Aquascape Water &Garden Showcase will discover.

The free, self-guided walks are open-house style and take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 16 in Elmhurst/Hinsdale/Lombard and on Saturday, Aug. 20 in Naperville.

The showcase concludes in St. Charles on Sept. 17, with a tour of local properties from 2 to 7 p.m. and a celebration at Aquascape from 7 to 10 p.m.

Each community event features private properties, all open to the public. Visit at your own pace, one home or all. Each walk features complimentary refreshments at a “Pond Central” location, where experts will share inspiration, tips and design ideas. Visitors to the area’s only exclusive outdoor water and garden showcase can enjoy the multi-sensory effects of water, beautiful plants in bloom and other new and exciting landscape elements.

The 2016 Aquascape Water & Garden Showcase includes an array of features designed for size, functionality and sustainability, including bubbling urns, exciting fire pits and bowls, rainwater harvesting systems, land bridges that connect water and garden elements, three-tiered waterfalls and gently winding streams. There’s also a variety of water and seasonal garden plants, as well as colorful aquatic life including koi, catfish, goldfish, turtles, frogs and other species.

Visitors will marvel at the transformation of ordinary patios and yards into Eden oases, and dream of ways to incorporate water features in their own surroundings, from simple, cost-effective bowls, basins and fountains to show-stopping waterfalls and ponds. A family-friendly event, kids will love finger-splashing in a bubbling urn, feeding a koi or playing eye-spy with a turtle or frog. Couples will find the day an enjoyable time to be together in the summer outdoors, meeting new people or just holding hands while crossing a footbridge or meandering path.

“It’s mind-blowing to visit a typical yard and experience the ‘wow’ of an Eden oasis in a place you wouldn’t expect,” says Aquascape’s Brian Helfrich. “Our summer showcase is fun for all ages, provides ideas for patios and gardens small and large, and is an opportunity to experience the unique beauty and serenity of a water view right ‘at home.’"

The showcase culminates with the nighttime water and garden walk in St. Charles, with tours of six properties between 2 and 7 p.m. and a celebration from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Aquascape, 901 Aqualand Way in St. Charles. A perfect date for two or ladies’ night out, the later start takes advantage of earlier dusk so visitors can experience water and garden lighting, and offers food, adult beverages, entertainment and more.

Suggested on-site donation is $10 per person. Proceeds support The Aquascape Foundation, developed to promote awareness of water as one of our most precious resources through environmental, educational and philanthropic efforts.

For details about 2016 Aquascape Water & Garden Showcase – including maps, descriptions and locations – visit aquascapechicagoland.com.