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Updated: 10.06.24

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2023 July Newsletter

Falling Water Gardens is turning 15!

Come celebrate our annual birthday party on July 15th and 16th, with gates open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

We have discount coupons from 5% to 15% off, good for any regular-priced item up to $150 in savings! We will also have snacks and beverages, and fun activities for the whole weekend. 

It’s also pond season when we’re busy building and improving water features for customers around the North Puget Sound. As a nursery we specialize in providing excellent support for aquatic gardeners and koi lovers, but we also have an extensive portfolio of koi and goldfish pond designs as well as installations of patios, decks and gardens!

New garden stream

Rebuilt stream and waterfall

Falling Water Designs specializes in installations and rebuild projects! We work on everything from small fountains to large koi ponds, garden streams and waterfalls.

We’ve been busy helping customers renovate their ponds lately!

We are often called to revamp existing features and reimagine an outdated or worn-out landscape. 

One customer in North Seattle inherited an old concrete pond that leaked.  We demoed the entire thing and rebuilt a larger goldfish pond with a new stream. We also installed paths throughout the garden using decorative crushed rock.

A second customer in Snohomish had a leaking stream with a lot of exposed liner.  We removed the stream/waterfall and rebuilt it into their existing pond. 

Upgraded pond with all new equipment

A third customer in Snohomish wanted to upgrade their pond equipment so that the water would be clear.  In the process she decided to redo the waterfall/stream as well, so we demoed what she had, brought in seven yards of soil to build a proper mound, rebuilt the waterfall and installed all of her new equipment purchased at Falling Water Gardens.

Hi Utsuri

Our featured fish for July is the stunning Hi Utsuri!

The name Utsuri is short for Utsurimono. An Utsuri is a black koi with red, yellow, or white markings. The Utsuri koi will have evenly balanced markings.

Shiro (white) Utsuri are two-colored koi and are the most commonly seen. The white should be pure with a subtle sheen and the sumi (black markings) should be jet black and glossy. Dorsal and caudal fins have partial sumi.

The Hi Utsuri is red to orange & black, and the Ki Utsuri is yellow & black.

The sumi should begin at the mouth or nose and spaced in a pattern-like manner all the way to the base of the tail.

Chinese Astilbe, Little Vision in Purple

Tall feathery blooms of reddish-purple rise above deep bronze-green foliage on this hardy perennial. This more heat and drought tolerant selection thrives in dappled shade. Valued for their airy quality, the flowers are excellent for cutting. Seed heads add interest to the winter garden. Great in massed plantings. Find Astilbe up front near the barn!

Lily Pons Nymphaea Water Lily

Dedicated to the opera singer who gave lily pons its name, this has one of the most spectacular blossoms of any hardy water lily, with over 100 petals on each sweet smelling flower. This lily is somewhat of a “shy bloomer” but the flowers more than make up for any wait. Blooms in June, July and August.

Fuchsia

While typically associated with Mother’s Day, our fuchsia here at Falling Water Gardens is still beautifully in bloom and would make an incredible addition to home gardens to close out the summer. Frost hardy and grown for its radiant lime-yellow foliage on contrasting red stems and brilliant cherry-red and purple flowers. Its light colored foliage creates a striking contrast with deep green plants and will surely liven up a shady area in the garden!

Water Hyacinth

One of our most-popular plants – and while it’s been difficult to find so far this year we finally have hyacinth in stock and in bloom! Water Hyacinth is a beautiful plant. It has glossy green leaves and lavender blue flowers. The submerged roots are long and hairy and chocolatey brown. They serve as an excellent hiding place and spawning location for many fish. Blooms in June, July, August and September.

Plant Database

Did you see something you’re interested in on a recent visit and can’t remember the instructions to care for your new plant? Check out our plant database, and ever-growing index of the plants we sell here at the nursery. You can get tips on the amount of sun, watering needs, placement in the garden and even other plants that may pair well with what you have!

If you’re ever here on site and are curious about something you see, scan the QR code on the sign to access the database entry on the plant in question.

Our 2023 wedding season is underway! We’re thrilled to have so many couples say “I Do” here at Falling Water Gardens, and we’ve been looking forward to having weddings back for the summer.

We recently held an open house with more than two dozen vendors from around the greater Puget Sound area. You can see photos of the event on our wedding Instagram.

We do have a handful of 2023 dates available! If you or someone you know is looking for a drop-dead gorgeous outdoor wedding venue this summer, have them give us a call or submit a request on our wedding page!

With the summer weather, our glamping tents are also up and running!

With summer in full swing, you may be looking for local getaway – and you can do that right here at Falling Water Gardens in our ‘gram-worthy glamping tents.

We have two setups: a four-person tent and a two-person tent. Both are nestled in the peaceful back corner of the gardens with dedicated parking and front-row seats for our goats and alpacas!

Guests are free to walk the gardens, or enjoy the common area with the BBQ and fire pit. We’re just a few minutes outside Monroe with quick access to local restaurants, and river access at the Ben Howard Rd boat launch and both Monroe riverfront parks.

You can visit our AirBnB listings for more information and availability. We have two setups: The Huntsman sleeps two, and the Satterley sleeps four.