Just like that, and we’re looking at the home stretch of the summer season! There’s still plenty of time to enjoy your garden and plan for improvements as we get into the fall, including our ongoing pond and garden classes at the garden center!
It’s nearly that time of year when the Black-Eyed Susans take over the garden center, and we see some of the beautiful lilies and other aquatic plants that really come into their own as we get into August and September. New lilies bloom in our raised lily pond almost daily!
Ask about a new water feature
We’re also filling spots for pond and water feature installations over the next few months. Considering a new water feature or pond? More details in our pond corner!
Lastly, come visit us at the garden center for some great deals on late-summer color for your garden or a new piece of garden art!
Pond Classes
Our popular pond classes continue through mid-September, so there are still plenty of opportunities to join in the fun!
We have everything from classes on your own DIY ceramic pot water feature to more involved classes about how to install and maintain your own koi pond at home – even build waterfalls!
These classes are free and open to the public. You can see the list and find more details on each class on our Facebook Events page!
Sunday, August 4
Bubblers, Spitters and Pots
Sunday, August 11
Pond Building 101
Sunday, August 18
Pond Fish, Goldfish and Koi, how to ensure their long life in your pond.
Sunday, August 25
Pond Building 102
Sunday Sept 8
Bubblers, Spitters and Pots
Sunday Sept 15
Pond and Garden Lighting
This month, especially since its lily season, let’s take a look at one of our most popular photo ops here at the garden center – our raised lily pond!
The pond is nearly 100 feet long and eight feet wide and stretches between the back of our main display koi pond and the upper lawn popular with weddings. The pond is raised above ground by two feet and built from concrete blocks.
We have three small fountains in the pond – partially for aesthetics and to keep the water moving. The pond is operational year-round, but really begins to show it’s splendor in the summer season as the hardy water lilies begin to bloom.
The lilies – these are all for sale – sit at the bottom of the pond in pots and cover much of the raised lily pond in the green foliage well before the striking lily blooms appear. There are sections for red, pink and white lilies and just about everything in between!
We also have a section cordoned off for water lettuce and hyacinth so those two don’t take over the pond. If you look closely, there are a few koi in this pond as well as a host of tadpoles and the occasional frog!
This raised lily pond makes a great display case for our water lilies, but it’s also a showcase for our pond install division – we can build ponds like this one for wedding and event venues, corporate settings and the homeowner with big dreams.
Our install and design team is often busiest in the fall, so if you’re considering a pond like this one or another at our Monroe garden center, contact us to schedule an estimate before the remainder of the season is booked up!
Featured Koi
This is one of the most popular breeds of koi, Kohaku.
What must you consider when picking out a Kohaku?
- skin quality
- pattern
- body shape
Kohaku are known for their lustrous white skin and vibrant red markings. The red markings across the body are called Hi and the radiant white is called Shiroji. The more Shiroji and balanced Hi on a Kohaku, the better!
Another aspect to note is the koi’s body type. You want the koi to have a thick caudal peduncle and a broad upper body.
Kohaku enthusiasts also look for vibrant and balanced Hi, with crisp lines, contrasting the white and red.
For more information, and for info on other breeds of koi, visit our page on all things koi fish!
Weddings & Events
We’ve had a busy 2024 wedding season, and we’re looking forward to another great year next summer! If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, now is the BEST time to come and see the venue while everything is in full bloom.
We will have the tent and other portions of the wedding venue set up through Labor Day weekend, so if you or someone you know have been waiting to take a tour now is the time.
The venue is in near perfect form! We have the footbridge just off the upper lawn with string lighting and a circular flagstone dance floor. The bar sits at the edge of the upper lawn, ringed by luscious bamboo and florals.
In the formal sunken garden, there’s a stunning carpet of white and purple with the lavender in season. Here we have the lawn games and tables surrounding the central green with the large white tent on the south end of the lawn.
Just beyond the entrance to the formal garden are our glamping tents, which are available for the wedding party to get ready for the big day! These are also available to rent on a nightly basis when we don’t have an event – see more in our Glamping section below.
Come tour with us while we have this beautiful weather in the forecast! The gardens are still gorgeous into the fall, but nothing compares to the venue in the height of the summer.
To schedule a tour, visit our wedding website or see our profile on Wedding Wire – or you can call us directly.
Lotus
These beauties typically go really quickly when they’re in stock – we’re getting a handful of lotus plants in this weekend, so come get ‘em before they’re gone!
Lotus thrives in warm, sunny conditions and requires a lot of sunlight, ideally six to eight hours a day. Keep the water level consistently high, as lotus plants grow best when their roots are submerged in a pond or container with 6 to 12 inches of water.
Royal Pickeral
Tall, upright plant that makes a beautiful addition to the pond or water garden.
Produces intense blue flower spikes that continue all summer long. The mature size of 3 to 6 feet. Produces intense blue flower spikes that continue all summer long. A beautiful addition to the pond or water garden.
Hostia “First Frost”
Hosta ‘First Frost’ is a perennial plant also known as the First Frost plantain lily. It’s a cultivar of the Halcyon hosta and is known for its attractive foliage and pale lavender flowers.
In spring, the leaves are heart-shaped and blue-green with broad gold margins, gradually fading to white as the season progresses. These leaves can reach up to 7 inches in length and stay visually appealing until the first frost.
Here are some of our favorite finds at the garden center! When you visit, be sure to check out the gift shop and see everything Falling Water Gardens has to offer.
