It’s almost our Birthday!
Can you believe it? It’s been 16 years since we got our start here at the garden center, and we’re throwing a party – our annual birthday party!
The party weekend is set for July 13th and 14th. We’ll be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days!
We’ll have great discounts across the garden center, with coupons for 5%, 10% or 15% off, good for any regularly-priced item up to $150 in savings. You can choose which regularly-priced item you’d like to apply them to.
Are you thinking about a new piece of pond equipment? Have you been eyeing a gorgeous piece of garden art? This is the weekend to take advantage of the biggest discounts of the year! We’ll also have snacks and refreshments and some fun activities for the weekend!
Pond Classes
We’re also bringing back our popular pond classes! For our Birthday Party weekend, we’re having our first Pond Building 101 class. It’s free, and you’ll learn the basics of building your own pond at home!
If you’d rather the pros handle the hard work for you, check out our portfolio of water features we’ve installed over the years or plan to visit us at the Garden Center. It’s become a demonstration garden of sorts, with an incredible collection of koi and goldfish ponds, waterfalls, pondless water features, display gardens and a 250-ft stream. We also install patios, decks and gardens!
Summer Jobs
Are you looking for summer employment for your high school or college student? FWG is hiring gardeners and sales people. We are also hiring a full time landscape technician. See our job postings!
Scheduling note: We will be closed for Independence Day on July 4th so our employees can enjoy the holiday with their families.
Pond Classes
It’s been a few years since we offered our popular pond classes here at Falling Water Gardens, and we’re THRILLED to bring them back again!
We started with the Bubblers, Spitters and Pots class on Sunday, June 30, and we’ll have our Pond Building 101 class on Sunday, July 14.
Several of these classes will repeat throughout the summer, and you’re always welcome to come take the class again! The classes are free, and don’t require an RSVP – though we’d be thrilled if you sign up on our Facebook page!
Pond Classes Schedule
Sunday, June 30
Sunday, July 7
No class because of the holiday weekend
Sunday, July 14
Sunday, July 21
Aquatic Plants, Choosing and caring for them.
Sunday, July 28
Sunday, August 4
Sunday, August 11
Sunday, August 18
Sunday, August 25
Sunday, Sept 1
No classes because of holiday weekend
Sunday Sept 8
Sunday Sept 15
Recent Projects
Both of these jobs are Koi pond renovations, and both took just four days to complete.
On the first job, the customer’s pond had been installed by a previous owner and the homeowner was unable to move the giant boulders. The previous owner attempted to glue the liner to the boulders, which is never a good idea.
The current owners of the property were constantly trying to deal with the liner falling off the boulders and draining the pond. Falling Water Designs came in with our equipment, removed the giant boulders, reshaped the pond making it even larger and then installed a new Koi pond with all new equipment.
The second customer had a small Koi pond that was not more than two feet deep. We took apart the existing pond and enlarged it dramatically and dug it four feet deep. We built a new waterfall and installed all new equipment.
If you’re interested in a pond renovation or install of your own, submit a request for a quote!
You can take a look at past projects in our project portfolio.
We don’t have a featured koi this month, so let’s take look at how koi breeds and colors are identified!
Much of the identifiers have to do with color. Red coloring, one of the most popular, is either Hi (hee) for red markings or Aka for general red background.
Blue coloring, which looks like a light blue sheen, is called Ai. Silver metallic koi are called Gin, while gold metallic koi are called Kin.
A fairly rare koi, and one of our past featured breeds, is the beautiful Karasu koi and is all black. A sumi koi, is one with black markings. Shiro koi are white!
A metallic koi typically has a sheen over their entire body and can make them reflective of light. A doitsu koi is partially or completely scaleless!
We have many, many of these breeds and colors at our greenhouse at the garden center in Monroe! We also have many different sizes of koi, everything from smaller koi to breeding stock, as well as two varieties of goldfish.
Keeping your Fish Safe in Hot Weather
Koi are happiest in water temperatures between 59 and 78 degrees. Of course they survive in our ponds in the winter in much colder water and they should be able to handle water warmer than 78 degrees if we give them some help.
High water temperatures are a problem because the warmer the water gets the less dissolved oxygen there is in the water.
Ammonia becomes more toxic as water warms and the higher your PH is in the pond.Here are some simple steps to help your fish through the heat wave:
Provide shade
Hyacinth and Lettuce plants, big beautiful water lilies or other aquatic plants. A carefully aimed patio umbrella, or simply floating a pool toy in the pond. Pond dye will darken the water and allow less light to enter the water.
Provide Oxygen
Turn up your pump if you can to provide more vigorous waterfalls. Add an aerator or an extra pump to splash more water. Ensure that your pumps run all night, don’t turn them off!
Reducing water temperature – methods
Reduce the water temperature by doing a partial water change. Pump out some of the warm water from the pond and put fresh cooler water in. If you do this you must ensure that you dechlorinate the water!
The hotter the day the more chlorine our municipalities put in the water supply, so it is vital that you dechlorinate before adding the new water. Dechlorinator is added before you add the freshwater, not after you’ve filled the pond.
Reduce or eliminate food to reduce ammonia
Reduce or eliminate the amount of food you feed to help reduce ammonia. As we mentioned ammonia is more toxic at higher temperatures and higher PH, so stop feeding to help reduce the ammonia. Fish go months barely eating in the winter, so they can go three days through a heat event without any problems.
DO NOT USE algaecides in this heat! Algaecides reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. You will kill fish using it now.
Expect more algae in your pond in the warm weather. Algae does not harm your fish it is just unsightly.
Falling Water Gardens is open seven days a week from 10am until 6pm. We have all the plants you need to add extra shade and dechlorinator to allow you to make cooling water changes. Come in to get what you need.
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.
Our 2024 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 2024 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! We are currently running a special on 2024 dates, and have a handful of openings for engagement parties, birthdays and family reunions.
Sunfire Hardy Water Lily
Intense large pink to deep pink blooms with yellow center petals. Color varies by flower maturity and season. Amazing large blooms, and a pink and yellow center that appears to glow.
Flowers all summer, should be spaced at least 2 feet apart. Prefers 12-24 inches under water.
These lilies are potted and simply rest on the base of the pond! We have several sunfire lilies in our raised lily pond, along with pink and white varieties.
Society Garlic (Tulbaghia Violacea)
Tulbaghia Violacea ‘Variegata’, is a species of flowering plant in the onion family Alliaceae, indigenous to southern Africa. It is a clump-forming perennial with narrow leaves and large clusters of fragrant, violet flowers from midsummer to autumn.
This plant smells strongly of garlic or onion when bruised or cut. Grows to a height of about 1 foot.
You can find Society Garlic in our aquatic plants section just behind the big red barn.
Hydrangea
This is a popular one each summer! Hydrangea is well-suited to Washington’s climate and comes in some pretty wild colors and shapes.
We have a good collection of hydrangea in pots here at the garden center, and they’ll do incredibly well at home – blooming for years to come and growing into venerable shrubs that will last decades if cared for properly.
Hydrangea tends to prefer morning sun and afternoon shade in hotter areas, and thrives in moist but well-drained soil.
