Tucked away in a residential neighborhood in North Haven, Connecticut, Dietter's Water Gardens is a destination pond store that draws enthusiasts from across the state — many driving well over an hour just to walk through the greenhouses. This is not your typical pet shop. It's a working water garden operation with multiple greenhouses, an on-site display pond with a deck running right up to the water, and a staff led by owner Rob that lives and breathes pond ecosystems.
The focus here is unmistakably pond life. One entire greenhouse is dedicated to koi of various sizes, while others overflow with aquatic plants — water lilies, lotus, water hyacinths, and even carnivorous native pitcher plants. They stock critters for pond ecosystems too, including crayfish and bullfrog tadpoles for natural algae control.
" It worked. Dietter's is as much a service operation as a retail store. m.
as promised, done in two hours. Several reviewers specifically mention the consultation aspect: staff take time to explain which plants, fish, and organisms will create a thriving, balanced pond ecosystem. They sell koi food at prices that undercut online retailers, and they carry a full line of pond supplies.
Prices on fish and plants run higher than some Connecticut competitors — expect $45+ for a quality 3-4 inch koi and $50+ for a pot of lily pads — but most customers find the premium justified by the health of the livestock, the breadth of plant selection, and the depth of expertise available on-site. The atmosphere itself is worth the trip: walking through greenhouses full of aquatic plants and watching koi glide through the display pond offers a genuinely serene experience. For anyone serious about building or maintaining a pond in Connecticut, Dietter's is the specialist.
SM Mizanur Rahman
2 reviews
We get our koi fish food from here. Cheaper than online. They also cleaned our pond and replaced our pumps. Very happy with the service.
Julio Salas
6 reviews
There the best got a lot of nice fish and plants and hope everyone goes there see for there self been. Going there for years and drive hour and half just to give them a chance and see thanks.
Logan S
23 reviews
Dietter’s Water Gardens helped me create a diverse and thriving ecosystem with their knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly staff. Gave me the proper insight on which plants, fish, and tadpoles would be suitable for my pond. Best place for ponds in CT! Worth the drive even just to enjoy the serenity of the ponds they have on site!
patrick church
85 reviews
Great service and they fixed my algae problem with just a simple "you need a few plants" amazing how fast it worked. Great experience!
michael Warn
17 reviews
The staff is amazing, I’m sure I’m not a big buyer, but they treat me like I’m the most important customer they have. I’m sure they treat everyone that way.!!!
Vincent DelPrete
78 reviews
They were the best. Spoke with Rob the owner he said Thursday at 10am and sure enough the crew was there right on the dot! 2 hours later a clean pond. They even helped to repot some of the plants and educated us on repotting. So glad we went to them.
Gregory Yorkshaitis
145 reviews
Great fish pond store they have everything you can possibly need to create a beautiful pondscape. They also have many varieties and sizes of Koi and goldfish. The staff are all very kind and friendly. I highly recommend this water garden store.
Jean-Pierre Diels
27 reviews
Great pond and water garden plants
Jeffrey Stobierski
13 reviews
amazing very impressive
Ellen Waskewicz
9 reviews
A small hidden treasure tucked in a residential neighborhood that is totally worth the visit! They have multiple greenhouses on site with a wide variety of aquatic plants for waterscaping, several species of critters for your pond ecosystem including crayfish and bullfrog tadpoles for algae. An entire greenhouse dedicated to multiple sized koi as well as any supplies you need to maintain a healthy, cycled pond ecosystem. They also have a beautiful little pond with a deck that runs right up to the water stocked full of friendly koi. They can get busy on the weekends but we got lucky the other day. The owner is super kind and knowledgeable. If you can get his ear for a few minutes he's an absolute pleasure to talk to. We've been three times now and every time he's always been very kind to us despite being BUSY. You do pay a little bit more than online pricing for certain items but we go there for knowledge and overall experience as well as the convenience of having what we need all in one place as opposed to shopping online. Where else can you find beautiful exotic plants in stock like lotus and carnivorous native pitcher plants? Dietter's Water Gardens, that's where!
Note: Store information and services may change. Always call (203) 239-0128 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Dietter's Water Gardens.
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151 Mill Rd, North Haven, CT 06473
February 7, 2026
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