For me; first time was when I went to Grass Roots, a pond supply place here in Michigan, in the city of Romulus. Took 45 minutes via freeway and sort of out in the country. The place was eye-opening as I'd never been to a pond supply before. We'd just finished the pond and of course, wanted to get some plants and fish. I had various stuff for the embankments but nothing or experience with marginals or pond plants proper. Of course mrsbrokensword wanted water lilies, and I was down for that. I saw a lot of plants I didn't know the name of nor their tendencies (didn't do a lot of research back then, not like I would now). I think we got 3 of them; a white, a salmon, and a purple (light purple, almost pinkish). I also got a nice variety of marginals for my bog v1, which was only a 4'x4'x3' deep creation. Oh, and got a black taro, dwarf Egyptian papyrus, shamrocks, parrot's feather, a water hibiscus, and Louisiana Black Gamecock iris. And yeah, we got floaters, too; water hyacinth and water lettuce, both of which I've overwintered and continued to 'save' each fall now for the past 11 years. Sometimes they came close to dying but summer always resuscitated them. I HAVE lost the papyrus (this summer, actually), the shamrocks, the parrot's feather (last winter in the basement, and the pieces I left outside never came back!), and the hibiscus Everything else continues on.
This place had animals, esp white peacocks. I think that is the most memorable thing about Grass roots. I don't think they still do, though. It also has 6 ponds which is great for ideas, plus bins of goldfish and koi inside (where we got our first 4 shubbies). I remember getting them at 4" for about $5 each (it was August and they were on sale!). Probably the best shubbies I've seen, short of those at Blackwater Creek. In the ensuing years, never did see the same distinct patterns as those originals. One of my first just died last year at 10 years old. Went from lots of orange and black spots on a blue field to almost solid black with breaks of blue and bits of orange. We called her Moby as for years, she was the largest fish in the pond (until I got into koi).
Was a fun experience and yes, we spent lots of money that first time! There's a very early 'just put everything in' pic in my showcase, if you want to see some of the above. 2011, August.
Let's hear your first time, hey?
