Carter's Water Garden


Waterfall Wednesday | #Waterfallwednesday | Carters Nursery Pond&Patio | Jackson, TN

The month of November is quickly advancing, 2 weeks from tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day! But today is my buffer from the quick passage of time! Today is Waterfall Wednesday!

This is a unique viewpoint of a very cool Water Feature! This is a picture right after it was first turned on! The deck you see in the distance is right off the house – From that viewpoint your overlooking the Pond. You can sit on the edge and put your feet in the water 😊 Pretty nice 👍🏻 But there are many viewpoints and each one reveals something special. The view you are enjoying here is from the lower portion of the feature. The Pond overflows into a stream that flows under a Bridge & into this lower chamber, which is really a hidden pump chamber and water holding area. This is a brand New Custom Water Feature! And I Love it!
This is my offering for #Waterfallwednesday!

Have a great day!

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

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Sunday Reflection’s…

This Summer has just flown by for me… I must be having fun right 😊 Most Sundays are family days. Eat breakfast together, spend time together, etc… Today is both different and the same 💭 Today my wife and I are at a work conference that we attend yearly for training and CEU points for our certification as Pond/Water Garden Specialist. We have been working and training with some of these folks for well over 20 years… So many of these folks are like an extended family!

An extended family I have 
I am so glad 
To have you all 
I feel ten feet tall 
And I give you my all 

If you need 
You will not have to plead 
I will feel glee 
If I can give you what you need 
There is no need 
For you plead 
My love for you all is a guarantee 

Let me know you are in need 
And I will be there in lightning speed 
To help you all in your time of need 
So remember there is no need 
To plea 
I will help you in time of need 

~ Keith Wells

~ Mark C.



Waterfall Wednesday | #Waterfallwednesday | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

It’s Springtime in Tennessee and the Waterfalls are flowing! AND… today is Waterfall Wednesday! Here is a small sampling of some of the Waterfalls that we have designed and built at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio! Flip through these beauties and see if you can find some inspiration for #waterfallwednesday

Wednesday is always a great day! We get to talk about Waterfalls, and we are at the halfway point of the week! Its all downhill to the weekend from here 😊

Enjoy the Pictures! And the rest of your day!

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

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Monday Morning Fun | Meet Marty, The Laughing Kookaburra | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

I am an animal lover! That love of animals is where I got the motivation to start our Annual Parade of Ponds to raise money for our local Humane Society. Earlier this year I found myself in South Florida to earn CEU’s (continuing education units) for my company’s Professional Pond Certification (CAC). The class was at a really cool place! Blakes exotic animal farm! This place has so many different animals! Lizards, fish, otters, turtles, birds and more! We spent 3 days there building some really cool Water Features! But todays video is about a really cool bird I met there… His name is Marty, he is a Laughing kookaburra and he is from Australia. Check him out as Blake tells you a little bit about him and shows you HOW he got his name 😊

We always have fun designing and building Water Features, but having animals like Marty around is just Awesome! We have native Kingfishers all over Tennessee, but they are small compared to this guy.

Have a great ’Fun’ Monday!

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

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Waterfall Wednesday | Water Feature Wednesday | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

One of the big reasons I went down to Florida recently was to train and earn CEU’s (Continuing Education Units) for one of my Certifications, namely my certification as a Master CAC (Master Certified Aquascape Contractor). We took part in 3 different Water Feature builds, one of which I am sharing here today. This is a custom Fountainscape with color changing lights in a very beautiful garden setting. check out this short video of the finished product

Can you imagine having this in your backyard garden? The sound, the movement, the 24 hour interest! A Water Feature will change your life for the better! Enjoy #waterfeaturewednesday!

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

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Travel 🧳 is Always FUN! But, the saying holds True! ”There’s NO Place Like Home”! ❤️

I have been absent from my Blog for a couple of weeks now. I was surprised at the # of people that sent comments to me about my absence… The messages were mostly concern that something was wrong since I write something every day… Thanks for that! But, No, there was nothing wrong! I abstained from posting in order to be totally present during a LONG road trip with my wife Jo. We were on a business, training, buying… ‘adventure’, that took us all across the South! Down thru Mississippi, across the Panhandle of Florida, along the Florida Springs trail, across to the Atlantic side and all the way down historic Coastal Highway A1A to the end of the road “Mile Marker 0” in Key West! Then back up through central Florida into Georgia exploring Nurseries and HUGE Ornamental Plant Growing operations! We even spent the night in Greg Allmans bedroom and visited the graves of some of my (and probably your) musical hero’s… Climbed a mountain, and finally ended up back home in the middle of an Ice 🧊 Storm ⛈!!!

This was my worst nightmare! A possible repeat of the Ice Storm of 1994 😳

Thank God that we were spared from a repeat of 94 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 But it was a shock to the system to come back to heavy winds from the north and 18 degree temps 🥶

This is a garden I just left down in South Florida… All I can say is ”Come on Spring”!

Over the next few days I will share some pictures and stories of our recent travels and some news of things to come 😊

To boil it down – I’m back & I am excited about 2022!

And, I’m so glad to be back home again!!!


Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com



Pond Tip Tuesday | Design Tips For The Perfect Pond | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio

Water features are popping up everywhere and it seems everyone wants a backyard Pond or Water Feature.

Water features come in many forms… Bubbling Fountains, Pondless Waterfalls, Ornamental Koi Ponds and so much more! My single biggest request is to design and install Custom Residential Watergardens and Ponds! Everyone wants their own personal Oasis! And Why Not? They add so much to your life. But remember, If it’s worth doing , it’s worth doing right.

Like any project you undertake , you should first do some research and gather info .

– First , look around at some local Water Features and talk to some people who have one in their life. Identify some interesting design elements that you like and may want to incorporate into yours. Streams, bridges, lighting, fish caves, waterfalls, jets, etc, etc…

 Go on a Pond Tour! There’s no better way to see some awesome Watergardens and talk to actual Pond owners than on a Pond Tour ! I have been on dozens of Pond Tours all over this country and there’s no better way to learn about what its like to have a Waterfall in your own backyard than on a good Pond Tour! In fact, we have our Annual ‘Moonlight Pond Tour’ coming up on Saturday, September 18th.! See some gorgeous Ponds and Waterfalls with extensive night lighting. You will find Inspiration and ideas galore! 💥

– If and when you need some help with your design, call a professional Pond Designer! When I need help outside of my Specialty, and I want something done right the first time, that’s what I do. AND – Be choosy! Make sure your dealing with a qualified Waterfeature Specialist ( like a C.A.C. – Certified Aquascape Contractor ), PS: it’s probably NOT the guy mowing your grass… Check references! Look at Their work (older and more recent)! And Always get a written contract! I have successfully installed thousands of Water Features over the last 32 years and would be more than happy to help you in your quest for the perfect Backyard Water Feature!

Getting a Backyard Pond is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do for yourself!

Viva La’ Ponds!

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

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Throwback Thursday | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

Throwback Thursday is always fun! It seems like most of my Throwbacks have lots of meaning and importance to me… I guess that’s what makes them worth the time 😊 This one for sure! My son actually tee’d this one up for me today ❤️ He made a post on Facebook today that I’m using my for this Thursday’s Throwback, check it out 👇🏻

Jacobs post – “I’m part of an amazing Tribe! The word got out we were looking for some help on a Pond Squad build and 22 Certified Aquascape Contractors showed up on their own! We are shooting in Alabama and people came from Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and one couple drove all the way down from New Hampshire! I love what I do and the people I do it with! “ #pondsquad

This project was 5 years ago in Gulf Shores, Alabama and was hosted by Gulf Shores Aquascape (shout out to Motel and Buford!) Jacob was 13 years old at the time & was over the top Thrilled to able to go with his dad! But the BIG thrill was the fact that we would be working on the ‘New’ Gulf Coast Zoo project! 💥 A little backstory here – he has grown up loving the Gulf Coast Zoo! Nicknamed “The little Zoo That Could” after surviving Hurricane Ivan in 2005! The little zoo won worldwide love and acclaim and the donations started rolling in. The writing was on the wall. The Zoo must grow and must never face another disaster like Ivan again! Which meant, Relocation! Cut to 2015 and the 1st Water Feature was being installed in the New Zoo – “The Little Zoo That Grew” in its New Location! The Waterfalls and Landscape on ‘Spider Monkey Island’ was the first BIG Water Feature for the Zoo, and it was being installed by Professional Waterfall Builders (CAC’s) on a TV 📺 Show to boot! Jacob was strait up thrilled!

Spider Monkey Island turned out fantastic! Tens of thousands of people a season will enjoy this one for years to come 😊 Jacob has a lifetime pass to the Zoo, given to him by Joey, the owner for his help and dedication to the Zoo! 💥 So he’s got that going for him 😂

Here’s a picture from many years ago at the Little Zoo with Sita, a white tiger cub. He’s gotten to have many animal encounters over the years, but he really loves those Tigers!

Here he is at a much younger age, playing with a young Tiger Cub named Sita’. Jacobs love of the Gulf Coast Zoo runs deep 😊


After we finished the Zoo, we did the residential project pictured above with the group that worked on both. Here’s a cleaned up picture with the landscaping and mulching complete and ready for the “reveal” on TV.

Jacob, Shane and I got up early early the next morning, bought 50 bags of mulch and went back over to this one and did all the mulching and touch ups to be ready for the cameras. Things like this were great teachable moments for him! Attention to details and the last touch ups are the difference between a good job and a Great one!


Here he is learning a bit about how to operate a track hoe, at 13 years old! Yes, he’s experienced for a young un’!

Yep, he’s good sized for a 13 year old! You should see him now 👀 6’3” 225!

I hope I didn’t get too carried away 😊 It’s just, good memories are worth gold. Especially on #Throwbackthursday!

Have a great night!


Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

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Throwback Thursday | #throwbackthursday | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

Its “Throwback Thursday” again and I have a good one for ya… Here’s our team of CAC’s (Certified Aquascape Contractors) that went down to Epcot and built this totally Custom Water Feature for the International Flower & Garden Festival. We were there to show the world what was possible with Water Features in your own backyard. We did this several years in a row & I think it went a long way in educating the public on what was possible and that there are Trained, Certified Professionals that can help! 

We all worked through the night for several nights to build this “One of a kind” Water Feature in Epcot. Over 1 million people saw this feature.

When you work in Disney parks, you work at night! Midnight to 8am to be exact. It’s a shock to the system, but totally worth it!

Here it is after clean up and landscaping. Quite the showstopper!

The reactions of the people who view Waterfalls are amazing! People laugh, hug, stare, cry & more. Waterfalls are unique and very special…

The International Flower 🌸 & Garden Festival is Awesome! It was an honor to go down and build Water Features with my fellow Pond Builders for so many seasons! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio

This is my offering for #throwbackthursday!

 

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd. 
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
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Waterfall Wednesday | Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

I posted about this Water Feature when it was newly built several years ago. This Large Pondless Waterfall was built by our CAC group (Certified Aquascape Contractors) at our annual Training Event in Illinois (Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio are Master CAC’s). This morning my son and I had breakfast by this Water Feature & I took this picture from my seat 😊 My contribution to #waterfallwednesday !

The Landscape has really filled in nicely. This feature looks and feels so Natural! | Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

Training and keeping up with new technology and techniques is all important if your to stay at the top of the game! That’s why we work at constant improvement! This year I took a very important person to this wonderful training event so he could grow and get better too.

My son Jacob is working in the business now! He grew up in and around the nursery & our family business, and is learning more and more every day 😊

Even Greater things are yet to come 🙏🏻

 

Have a Great Day! More updates coming soon…

 

Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com

YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw

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