Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: Beautiful Day, bird call, Birds, Birds and ponds, Breakfast, Coffee, Coffee Mug, Feeding Birds, Flowers, Fresh Lemonade, Get Outside, Homemade Lemonade, Lemon Trees, Lemonade, Love, Morning Coffee, nesting birds, Pottery, Potting Containers, Spring, Spring Gardening, Spring is Here!, Spring Planting, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday Gardening, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Songs, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Sunrises, watering, Watering Plants
All I can say is ”What a beautiful morning”! I think every bird in the world is singing the song of Spring! Ive been up and out since early… Coffee ☕️ ✔️ Breakfast ✔️ Watering ✔️ … We have moved pottery a bit and potted some things up as well. Its mid-morning break time, so I thought I would write this little blog and fix some homemade Lemonade 🍋 Nothing tastes as good as a fresh glass of sweet lemonade on a spring morning.

I just Love Spring!
“It’s lemonade in a cardboard cup between the legs of a freshly tanned, sunglass wearing, brown eyed girl. It’s a white Jeep, blaring Enrique loud.
It’s the sweat beneath the dark curls. It’s the country song that brings tears to your eyes. It’s the lessons learned, the mistakes made. It’s the future ahead, bright and beautiful. It’s the laughter, memories. It’s the good things in life.
It’s Spring.
~ Alixis Russell
I’ll see y’all in the house about dark:30…
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, Videos, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Algae Bloom, Birds and ponds, Garden Maintenance, Garden Ponds, I ❤️ Ponds, Koi Ponds, Maintenance Tips, Moment of Zen, Monday Morning Moment of Zen, Monday’s, Place of Zen, pond, Pond Cleaning, Pond Maintenance, Pond Maintenance Tips, Pond Tips, Ponds, Preventative Maintenance, Recreational Ponds, String Algae, String Algae Buster, Summer Water Garden Maintenance, Water Garden, Water Garden Maintenance, Water Gardening, Water Gardening Answers, Water Gardens, Waterfalls, Yard Ponds, Zen, Zen Creek, Zen Feeling, Zen state of mind, Zen Stream, Zen Video, Zen Waterfall
I love my Pond! And I love interacting with it! The fish, the frogs, dragonflies, plants, etc.. All of it! Heck, I even love tending to my Water Garden 😊 This time of the season, I usually cut things back a bit, fertilize my Waterlilies and Lotus plants and do a good physical removal of excess string algae in and around the Waterfalls. Believe it or not, I get great joy from it… And when I sit down and look at the freshness of the newly cleaned, ‘Mid season Pond’ I get that feeling of satisfaction… A very Zen feeling. Check out my little video of me cleaning the excess string algae off the Waterfall. Maybe you will see what I mean 😊
Have a great day!
Mark Carter
Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, Videos, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Birds, Birds and ponds, Driftwood, Earthworms, Enjoy The Day, Fall Day, Feeding Birds, Gentle Sounds, Heron Statue, Leaves, Moment of Zen, Monday Morning Moment of Zen, Mossy Boulders, Soothing Sounds, Streams, Water Garden, Waterfall Video, Wild Ferns
I got out in the gardens a little bit yesterday. It was such a beautiful day! Warm-ish and sunny, it strangely felt like a breezy Spring day… The soil is so soft from all the rain & warm temps & the robins and other birds were pulling worms 🐛 out of the ground and singing.
I took this short video from above one of my Waterfalls looking down the stream as it flows away.
Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Birds and ponds, Disappearing fountain, Disappearing Waterfall, Friday blog, Friday Radio Report, Garden Ponds, Gardening answers, Gardening Info, gardening questions, Gardening Show, Koi Ponds, Organic, Organic Gardening, Organic Pest Control, Ponds for Kids, Recreational Ponds, Water Gardening
Great show today! Thanks to all the folks who called in and texted!
It’s Hot and getting HOTTER! 109 degree HF today! So stay cool! We had a varied list of callers and questions today… Here’s a basic summary from today’s show –
- How to control algae in my pond? The #1 thing we can do for our Water Gardens is to strike a ‘Balance’! Biological filtration, aquatic plants, proper fish stocking rates, etc. Take a few pictures of your pond and either send them to me via e-mail OR come by the nursery and we will help you.
- What kind of fertilizer should I use on my Asiatic Jasmine? I love Milorganite. Osmocote works well too.
- Some of my fish have been going in the skimmer. What can I do? GREAT question! Sometimes you have to “Train Them not to”! You may have to take the weir off the skimmer face plate for a while so they can easily get out? This time of year they like the current the skimmer makes so they are attracted to it. Plus it’s HOT! So it has a cooling effect. Keep an eye out and it will all work out.
- Can I trim wild shoots off my Crepe Myrtles? Yes, it won’t hurt a thing.
- Watermelons are in season! They make a great snack to feed to your Koi! They LOVE it! 🙂
- Is kelp good for you? I think so, but I’m no expert. I do know it’s a good source of calcium and iodine.
ALSO – Tomorrow, Saturday the 21st. – We are having a 1 Day Flash sale on ALL Aquatic Plants at the nursery! Buy 1 get 1 FREE! Even the Lotus and lilies are on this sale! Don’t miss it!

ALL of our Aquatic Plants are on sale today! Buy 1 Get One FREE! | Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tn. 38305 | 731-424-2206 | http://www.cartercountry.com
Thanks again & I will see you all again on the air next week!

I’m on with the 180 Crew – Dan Reaves & Sea Bass- every Friday from 9-11am Call in with ALL your gardening and Outdoor Lifestyle questions at 731-423-8101.
OR you can TEXT us at 731-277-5155. Listen LIVE at 101.5 WNWS – FM Talk Radio – on your smart phone using your TuneIn app.!
Thanks to ALL! Stay cool! and…
~ Happy Pondering!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, Videos, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Birds and ponds, Carters Nursery, Disappearing fountain, Disappearing Waterfall, Friday blog, Friday Radio Report, Garden Ponds, gardening 101, Gardening answers, Gardening Info, Koi Ponds, Living Display, Nursery, Nurseryfix, Outdoor Living, Parade of ponds, Pondless Waterfall, Recreational Ponds, Water Gardening, Water Gardening's Huge Popularity, Waterfalls, Waterfalls! Get Your Feet Wet!
Really cool show today! We had a special guest in the studio today – Author – Robert Broughton with his book about The State Line Mob/Buford Pusser era – “Louise Hathcock – Queen of the State Line Mob”.
I met Robert several years ago in this very studio when Bill Way was interviewing him about another of his books ‘Sheriff Buford Pusser: Headlines and Pictorial History’. Really interesting writer & GREAT local history in his books! Robert is having a Book Signing at the Buford Pusser Home & Museum tomorrow. Stop by & Check it out – https://bufordpussermuseum.com/
We also talked a LOT about gardening! And of course the heat!
– It’s Hot! 100-106 heat factors! & Getting very dry! Water!!! Don’t wait folks! Drought stress is bad on your plans & trees!
– Planting is still going strong – Shrubs, trees, etc. Just remember, mulch & water properly.
– All annuals at the Nursery are 50% off! Flats, Pots, baskets, etc etc…
– Early voting starts Today! Go vote!
Today is Friday the 13th. To some, a scary day… Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13!
And fear of Friday the 13th specifically is similarly called – paraskevidekatriaphobia! So there’s that … 😳
Tomorrow is our event – Waterfalls! Get your feet wet! At Carters Nursery from 9am till 11am appproximately. Come join us 😊 https://www.facebook.com/events/2098385680232692/
Thanks to all the callers and text’ers 😊

I’m on with the 180 Crew – Dan Reaves & Sea Bass- every Friday from 9-11am Call in with ALL your gardening and Outdoor Lifestyle questions at 731-423-8101.
OR you can TEXT us at 731-277-5155. Listen LIVE at 101.5 WNWS – FM Talk Radio – on your smart phone using your TuneIn app.!
Have a GREAT Weekend!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, Videos, water garden | Tags: Birds and ponds, Carters Nursery, Container Water Gardens, Custom Fountains, Disappearing fountain, Disappearing Waterfall, Fountains, Garden Ponds, Garden Tour, Jackson Animal Care Center, Koi Ponds, Landscape Lighting, Living Display, Moonlight Luau, Moonlight Pond Party, Parade of ponds, Pond Tour, Pond Tour Tickets, Pondless Waterfall, Ponds, Ponds for Kids, Recreational Ponds, Underwater Lighting, Underwater Photography, Underwater Video, Water Garden Tour, Water Gardens
Is this year flying by or is it just me? Any way you slice it, we are only 1 week from our annual ‘Parade of Ponds’ Garden Tour!

Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio’s ‘Parade of Ponds’ benefits our own Jackson Animal Care & Adoption Center. 100% of ticket sales goes to support their Mission in our community!
This years Summer Pond Tour will showcase many unique, custom Water Gardens, Koi Ponds, Pondless Waterfalls, Disappearing Fountains and of course LOTS of gorgeous Landscaping! This Self Guided Tour is located in Jackson, TN. (Madison County) and is easy to follow. The Summer Pond Tour is a fundraiser for the Jackson Animal Care & Adoption Center. 100% of ticket sales go to help them, so tell all your friends!

Stop by “Pond Central” at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio during the Pond Tour and say “Hi”! Get a drink and a snack and regroup throughout the day.
Summer Pond Tour Tickets are $20 ea. (kids 12 and under are FREE!). Tickets can be purchased at Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio, PH# 731-424-2206. Each group receives a Map Booklet with detailed descriptions and directions. “A number of this year’s Summer Pond Tour stops are new water gardens, along with favorites featured in our prior Pond Tours” says Mark Carter, Owner & Landscape Designer at Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio. “We hope lots of folks will come out and be Amazed by the wonderful effect these Ponds, Waterfalls, Streams and Fish make. It’s always a Fun day and a Beautiful night at our Moonlight Luau. The Moonlight Luau is an appreciation dinner for all those who put their houses on the tour and for the folks who purchase tickets to attend the tour. It’s our way of saying “Thank You!” says Carter.

We will have the beach and food ready for the ‘Moonlight Luau’ to open at 8pm.! LIVE music by Wild Willi X! The Luau is FREE to pond tour attendees.
Don’t miss the “Moonlight Luau”! We always have a GREAT time at the after party at the Nursery! The party has an informal “Luau” theme – AND it’s included in your ticket price! We decorate the Nursery with a Sandy Beach, LOTS of Landscape Lights, Tiki torches, Hawaiian leis AND we cook “Kalua Pork” with all the fixings! WHAT is Kalua Pork, you ask??? Kalua Pork is cooked SLOW, wrapped in Banana leafs, rubbed with spices & infused with tropical fruit juices – Kalua is “Hawaiian Luau style”! 🙂
- We invite everyone to wear your favorite Hawaiian Shirt, skirt, hat, WHATEVER – and come on out for a Cool Evening. I’m giving an award (& PRIZES) this year for ‘Best Luau outfit’ 🙂 – so have some fun.
I am SO Excited about this Pond Tour and PARTY! Y’all come and help us make this a success for the Jackson Animal Care Center! See ya’ next Saturday!

This is the 20th. year for our Annual Summer Pond Tour! The Pond Tour supports JACAAC – The Pond Tour Date is June 23rd. (Saturday). Tickets are $20 and 100% goes to support the cause! Please help get the word out! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
PS: Please share this info to your social media pages to help spread the word! 🙂
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, Videos, water garden | Tags: Birds and ponds, Container Water Gardens, Disappearing fountain, Disappearing Waterfall, Garden Ponds, Koi, Koi Ponds, Parade of ponds, Pond Fish, Pond Tour, Pond Tour Tickets, Pondless Waterfall, Recreational Ponds, Water Garden, Waterfall, Waterfalls
Saturday, June 23rd. – Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio Presents “The Parade of Ponds”!
Here is our promotional video about the Pond Tour. Please help us spread the word 🙂 This Pond Tour supports our Jackson Animal Care and Adoption Center!

This is the 20th. year for our Annual Summer Pond Tour! The Pond Tour supports JACC – The Pond Tour Date is June 23rd. (Saturday). Tickets are $20 and 100% goes to support the cause! Please help get the word out! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
This years Summer Pond Tour will showcase many unique, custom Water Gardens, Koi Ponds, Pondless Waterfalls, Disappearing Fountains and of course LOTS of gorgeous Landscaping! This Self Guided Tour is located in Jackson, TN. (Madison County) and is easy to follow. The Summer Pond Tour is a fundraiser for the Jackson Animal Care & Adoption Center. 100% of ticket sales go to help them, so tell all your friends!
I’m excited! Help us spread the word!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Articles, Landscaping & Gardening, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden | Tags: Bird Feeders, Birds, Birds and ponds, Feeding Birds
I LOVE to watch the birds bathe and drink from my pond! The water is like a magnet to birds and other wildlife. But if you really want to draw in the birds – you need to feed them 🙂 It’s easy! To attract a variety of birds to your backyard, put a assortment of feeders at various height’s and placements in your Landscape and watch them show up in numbers.

Platform feeders are great! You can use a wild bird feed mix OR just use black oil sunflower seeds. They ALL love them!

Black oil Sunflower seeds are great! Most birds LOVE them and if you buy in bulk they are very inexpensive.
I also love to feed the Gold Finches! They flock to our feeders and sometimes come in flocks that number in the dozens.

Gold finches are one of my favorites! Black thistle seed is their preferred food. If you put it out, they will come!
Even in the Winter when most of the plants are dormant, the birds are still here. They still visit our Ponds and Water Features to get a drink or bathe and if you feed them, they will put on a show.

Birds come all day long to get a drink and even bathe. Try setting up some feeders in your viewing area and watch them flock to the WATER!
I hope you enjoy feeding our little feathered friends as much as I do!
Happy Pondering!