Pondering Creations

Tucked along a road in Terryville, Connecticut, Pondering Creations is part pond paradise, part rustic gift shop, and part farmstead — a combination you won't find anywhere else. Owners Kevin and Liza have built something deeply personal here: a sprawling koi pond that serves as both a showpiece and an education in what backyard water features can become, surrounded by farm animals, birds, sheep, and a sweet shop dog named Willow. The pond side of the business is serious.

Kevin has earned a loyal following for his hands-on pond construction and maintenance work, building backyard ponds and waterfalls from scratch and rescuing damaged ones — one reviewer credits him with restoring a pond after a bear tore through the liner. Customers consistently praise his deep knowledge of koi keeping and water feature design, with several describing their finished projects as transformative. He stocks koi, goldfish, native pond plants, aquatic plants for water features, and pond care supplies.

If you're planning a pond in the greater Connecticut area, Kevin's consultation and craftsmanship come highly recommended by homeowners who've worked with him across multiple seasons. But Pondering Creations is more than a pond shop. The gift barn is stocked with locally made crafts — painted signs, wooden spoons, Tiger Eye essential oil bracelets, handmade creams and scrubs, fairy garden items, jewelry, and art prints from area artists, complete with their business cards.

It's a genuine community marketplace. They also offer crafting classes, making the space a gathering spot as much as a retail destination. Visitors love feeding the massive koi for a quarter and sitting on benches beside the pond.

Kids are welcome, and the farm atmosphere gives the whole visit a sense of escape. The store's eclectic inventory and the warmth of its owners make every trip feel like a discovery. If you have a pond — or dream of one — this Terryville farmstead is worth the drive.