Current Pond 54° F
Updated: 5.01.25
Can you believe it’s already the month of May?!
Mother’s Day is around the corner, and we’re prepping for our biggest weekend of the year. Mark your calendar to join us on Saturday, May 10th or Sunday, May 11th here at the garden center.
We also have our spectacular open house for our wedding venue on Saturday, May 10th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.! See details below, or click the button to RSVP on our venue’s website.
If you’ve got plans for Mother’s Day Weekend, cancel ‘em and come visit us at the garden center!
If mom loves koi, goldfish or simply a relaxing stroll by the water, you won’t want to miss it. Just five minutes outside Monroe, our garden center is at its springtime best, with ponds, streams, and waterfalls sparkling with life.
Our koi and goldfish are always a highlight for visitors, especially this time of year when they’re more active and colorful. We have a sprawling network of display ponds featuring beautiful koi and goldfish, including hard-to-find varieties, plus helpful staff on hand to answer your pond questions or help with setup ideas if you’re looking to start your own water garden.
If you’re thinking about adding fish or plants to your own pond, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to get inspired. We have the largest selection of aquatic plants and pond fish in the Pacific Northwest, with new stock arriving just in time for spring.
But that’s not all — we’ll be celebrating with:
🪴 Special weekend pricing across the garden center
🪴 A free plant for mom
🪴 Seasonal hanging baskets and colorful blooms
🪴 Complimentary refreshments and treats
Wander the grounds and explore the show ponds, the garden stream, the lake, and our waterfall features. Visit the sunken wedding garden, enjoy the views, and spend time with the animals — chickens, peacocks, pigeons, goats, and alpacas.
If mom’s a gardener, she’ll love our mix of unique garden art, flowering plants, and pond décor. And if she prefers to shop later, you can pick up a gift card so she can come back anytime.
Now that we’ve had a solid stretch of good weather, our ponds are now consistently above 50 degrees and we’re starting to feed the koi again! After a long winter – and confusing, stubborn spring weather – it’s exciting to see the fish become more active. As late spring rolls in and you spend more time outdoors, it’s the perfect moment to get your pond ready for the season ahead.
Dreaming about refreshing your setup at home? Thinking about a brand-new pond, water feature or garden space? We’re here to help – just give us a call.
Clear out debris. Winter winds likely left behind fallen leaves and other debris. Remove them to improve water quality and clarity.
Inspect your pond. Check for any damage to the liner, edges, or equipment. Repair or replace as needed.Start your pump. If your pump was off for the winter, now’s the time to restart it — typically when water temperatures rise above 50°F.
Test your water. Monitor ammonia and nitrite levels — both should be at zero. If they aren’t, perform partial water changes.
Feeding time. Don’t rush to feed fish too early. Once water temps consistently stay in the 50s°F, offer a spring/fall formula. When it reaches the 60s°F, switch to regular summer food.
Fertilize hardy aquatic plants. Once water temperatures hit 50°F, fertilize any hardy plants that survived the winter. Some may also need dividing if they’ve outgrown their containers.
By taking these simple steps, you’ll set your pond — and your fish — up for a healthy, thriving season. Need to have your pond cleaned? Get on our schedule before it fills up!
Can you spot this fish in our big display ponds? Tancho Koi are one of the more recognizable breeds of koi because of the specific marking – the singular red spot, known as hi, centered on their head.
The ideal Tancho features a round, symmetrical hi that sits squarely between the eyes and just above the nose. The best examples have a deep, rich red color with well-defined edges. Because the hi is the sole marking on the fish, its clarity and placement are especially important in judging quality.
The rest of the body should be a flawless, unblemished white with no other spots or discoloration. A clean background helps the red marking stand out even more and adds to the visual impact of the fish.
Highly prized in Japan for its resemblance to the Japanese flag, the Tancho koi symbolizes good luck, longevity and celebration — making it a popular choice among collectors and hobbyists alike.
Interested in adding fish to your collection? Come see the koi tanks in our greenhouse, and ask one of our employees for advice on how to choose a new fish.
For more information on the different breeds of koi we offer, visit our page on koi breeds.
Free & Open to the Public!
Saturday, May 10th
Walk through the blooming gardens and meet face-to-face with some of the best wedding professionals in the region at our annual Wedding Open House — a free, one-day event and the biggest wedding-themed celebration of the year at Falling Water Gardens!
Couples, families and bridal parties are invited to tour the grounds and explore three stunning ceremony and reception spaces, including the formal sunken wedding garden, the upper lawn by the footbridge and the labyrinth. You’ll also enjoy the sights and sounds of the lily pond, koi ponds, waterfalls and our 250-foot stream that winds through the property — all in peak spring bloom.
This is a chance to envision your special day and connect with a curated group of top-tier wedding vendors, including:
Photographers
Florists
Wedding planners & coordinators
Caterers (we have an open catering policy!)
DJs & live music
Cake artists
Photo booths
Pet-sitting services
And more!
Open Catering Policy: Choose any caterer you love — no restrictions.
Flexible Alcohol Policy: No limits like “beer and wine only” or timed service windows.
No Hidden Fees: Tables, chairs and many decorative items are included at no extra cost.
On-Site Amenities: Includes a 30-by-50-foot event tent and multiple ceremony/reception locations.
Exclusive Glamping Tents: Get ready in comfort and style before your big moment.
We are currently booking weddings for summer 2025 and the 2026 season.
Interested vendors can contact Candie at CNWevents@gmail.com or events@fallingwatergardens.com
Please note: This is a public event and completely free. No one from Falling Water Gardens will ever request payment for vendor registration via social media. Vendor outreach is handled privately by our team.
This is the most popular aquatic plant we offer – by far! Water Hyacinth is a favorite because of the delicate purple color they provide throughout the summer season without the need for cool-season care like a potted water lily. It’s a free-floating perennial and can provide good shade and shelter for fish, and grows incredibly quickly during warmer months.
Customers often buy these plants in batches, and then marvel at the stunning blooms all summer long! If you’re looking for an easy way to add some life to your pond or water feature, this is a good one.
These are another favorite, and something you’ll find in our greenhouse in several varieties including Royal Valentine (red), Dynamo (yellow), black and a striking firey orange Morning Sun.
Calla lilies are among the most elegant additions to any garden, with their distinctive trumpet-shaped blooms and speckled foliage. These low-growing beauties are highly sought after in spring and early summer bouquets and often fetch top prices at the florist. Callas are ideal for garden borders, patio containers or decorative beds.
Poppy anemone is a spring garden favorite, known for its bold, velvety petals that come in a wide range of vibrant colors – and something you’ll find in several prominent spots here at the garden center! Blooming from mid- to late spring, these flowers not only attract butterflies but also make stunning additions to cut arrangements. You’ll often spot them in florist bouquets, though they’re just as lovely clipped fresh from your own garden — expect a vase life of about three to five days. Once established, poppy anemones are reliable perennials that will return and bloom beautifully year after year.
Falling Water Designs is an award-winning Seattle, Washington-based landscape design and pond installation company serving the following areas: Seattle, Bothell, Bellevue, Sammamish, Redmond, Kirkland, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Clyde Hill, Medina, Mercer Island, and more.
