Jamie Beyer is a master at gardening. His backyard is an oasis of ponds, water lilies, and bubbling fountains.

This past year Beyer has banded together with fellow Master Gardener Cheryl Saylor to organize the first-ever central Iowa water garden tour.

Twelve beautiful water gardens will be on display and open for the public to tour this weekend. Each of the gardens has included in its design some kind of water feature.

“The popularity of water gardens has increased these past few years. It has really been catching on in central Iowa,” Beyer said.

The private gardens on the tour include everything from tub gardens to large garden ponds. One home has a pond five and one-half feet deep to accommodate a breathtaking grouping of Japanese Koi.

“Koi are a color variation of the carp,” Beyer explained.

Color variety is only one aspect of these splendid landscapes. “One home has over 30 varieties of water lilies. They come in any size, shape and color you can imagine,” Beyer said.

Only two of the 12 gardens on the tour were professionally done. The others were created and designed by homeowners with green thumbs.

“There is a kind of competition between some of the gardens. Since there isn’t a lot of information out there on water gardening, we try to learn from each other and compare notes on sources,” Beyer said.

There will be a Master Gardener at each garden to help the tour hosts and answer any questions.

The title of Master Gardener isn’t something taken lightly. “The title is earned through the Iowa State Extension. A person has to go through hours of classes, exams, and volunteer service,” Saylor explained.

The Master Gardeners are a group of volunteers who have a special knowledge about gardening. The event is sponsored by the Story County Master Gardeners, a non-profit organization founded to promote gardening, according to a recent press release.

The gardens will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 13. All gardens are located in the Ames, Cambridge and Nevada area.

The tour is self-guided and the gardens can be visited in any order. The tickets are $10 per adult and $2 for children ages 4 to 11 who are supervised by an adult.

Tickets can be purchased at Earl May Garden Center, Holub Greenhouses, or Heard Gardens in Johnston.

For more information please contact Jamie Beyer at 515-232-2439.

Beyer will be giving an introduction to water gardening today at noon. The program is free and will be held at the Mahlstede Center at Reiman Gardens. Audience members are encouraged to bring a packed lunch and any questions they may have about water gardening.