Carter's Water Garden


Sunday Reflection’s…

Spring is elusive. It tease’s us a bit. My Saucer Magnolias are in full bloom, my big Weeping Willow is leafing out. The ground is very wet, muddy in fact with more rain forecast all week… Then a cold snap is expected that will nip all these early plants and trees back. This time of year it’s always 2 steps forward & then – 2 to 3 steps back… But that is also part of the magic that Spring brings us 😊 Resurrection, renewal, regrowth… ❤️

My Grandma planted this flowering Almond many years ago. When it blooms, like it is doing now, it brings back so many memories of her and my granddad ❤️

It was a cool, muddy morning, but we got the chores done in record time. I fixed coffee ☕️ Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee to be exact (so good!). Had a simple quick breakfast (bagels & eggs 🥚) and then I got a pot of soup going for dinner (homemade potato 🥔)! No football 🏈 to tie me down this afternoon… Who knows what might happen! 😇

“The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.”

~ Gertrude S. Wister

Have a great afternoon!

Mark C.



The Zen of Spring Frost

If you are like many Gardeners and live by the ”Last Frost Date” given in the Almanac or in your local paper, you may be very disappointed this morning… I’m getting ready to go out and uncover the hundreds of plants that I have under blankets, sheets and in a big cold frame greenhouse.

Late frost caught many off guard last night.

Why does it ’sneak up’ on us so often?

With me its all about staying in tune with the particular season. Spring here in West TN fluctuates from sweaty 80’s weather to 60 mile an hour winds with frost and snow ❄️ BUT, that relationship you form with the seasons and the changes is where the Zen lies…
But, its tough to wait! As soon as the forsythia and the daffodil 🌼 blooms I’m already setting up my planters and pots 🪴 And, I try to be ready for people coming in to my Nursery early, which means we spend a month or more moving plants in and out of the greenhouse… 😊

All these things we do, hoping to solve the ‘Riddle of Spring’! 😊

Finding balance and Zen within ourselves is found within our own Gardens…

PS: The good news is, I think we are past Frost now for real!

“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.”

~ Henry Van Dyke


Have a great Tuesday!

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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After The Storm…

The rising sun revealed varying amounts of damage. Some lost trees, lots of roof damage, hail damage on cars, limbs and debris all over… Thousands still have no power this morning. BUT, in many ways we dodged a bullet! I haven’t heard of any deaths related to last nights storms! 🙏🏻 And it really brought many people together helping each other out, checking on neighbors, picking up debris, etc…

Here are a few images that local people posted of storm damage and a map of power outages that are still being repaired.

All our local workers are cleaning up and repairing damage as I write this. Things like this really bring things into focus. We must all count our blessings 🙏🏻

Now, heres an old cliche’ for ya’… ”If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute, it will change”! Temps in the 70’s and tornados yesterday – Frost warning Tonight! 🥶

Cover tender plants, bring in house plants, etc… Frost in the AM!

Have a great day! Count your Blessings! Love thy neighbor! And cover your plants 🪴 😊

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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Spring has Sprung! NOT SO FAST… Jack Frost Hasn’t Left For The Season Yet! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

I’m the worst about planting to early before the “Last Frost Date”… Depending on who’s frost chart you use, our last frost date is somewhere between March 31st. and April 15th.

Frost Advisory TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING!

I normally wait until April 15th before planting my tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, melons, etc… But as a Nurseryman, I have to be ready with plants in stock! So we have moved plants back inside – tender growth shrubs, flowers, hanging baskets, flats of sedum, roses, and so much more! AND, I still have to get the rest of our houseplants back inside… UGH!!!

I hate to do it, but it beats all my plants getting frost-burnt or even worse – Dead… Gotta move em back in…

This isn’t a ”Late Frost” by any means… It has just been so warm that this is a Surprise! So I thought I would share the news, just in case you havent heard 🥶

📢 Spring is Here! Cover your Plants! 😊

“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.”

~ Henry Van Dyke

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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We May ALL Get Frosted on 4/20 💨

Hot, then cold, then windy then SNOW ❄️ Then FROST… WHAT? Yes, you heard me right! Gardeners prepare! Your about to get FROSTED on 4/20!

Break out the sheets and burlap! 4/20 is here and its bringing a CLOUD of COLD weather!

Things we can do –

  •  Bring in potted plants 
  • Cover tender plants with sheets and/or plastic!
  • Cover veggies 🍅 🌶  🌽
  • IF you have an irrigation system, time it to come on before sunrise and run till after. The thermal properties of water are amazing.
  • We can’t change the weather, but we can be prepared! 

We have to move all tender plants back in the cold frames and cover all sorts of things… I even cover my Japanese Maples!  Lots to do, but it’s worth the effort! This has been an eventful weather year, but fret not! We will get past this & see smooth sailing soon 🌞

Even if 4/20 is a holiday for you, you need to be ready! Cold temps, snow and possible frost are in your forecast, starting tonight😳

It always pays to be ready when you live in West Tennessee! Crazy weather… But hey, it’s Springtime in Tennessee! So we got that goin for us!

Have a great day & be ready! You have been warned…

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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Are You Ready For Frost & Freezing Cold Thursday, Friday & Saturday Morning?

This is just a friendly warning to be ready… We have 2 nights of below freezing temperatures coming and 3 mornings of probable frost! Be prepared!

Bring houseplants back inside. Cover tender plants with row covers, sheets or whatever you have available to protect them. Unhook and drain your hoses… It’s a lot of work, but worth it in my opinion.

Many peoples ornamental trees have started to emerge (Japanese Maples) as well as perennials and have even set out peppers and tender annual crops…

Things we can do –

  •  Bring in potted plants 
  • Cover tender plants with sheets and/or plastic!
  • Cover veggies 🍅 🌶  🌽
  • IF you have an irrigation system, time it to come on before sunrise and run till after. Waters thermal properties are amazing.
  • We can’t change the weather, but we can be prepared! 

I even cover my Japanese Maples!  Lots to do, but it’s worth the effort! This has been an eventful weather year, but fret not! We will get past this soon. Don’t you just LOVE Tennessee Weather 😊

Have a great day & be ready! You have been warned…

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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Winter Waterfall Beauty | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

I just LOVE my Waterfalls and my Pond! And I get to enjoy the beauty year round! All 4 seasons bring something special to my life. This bitter cold and snow is rough, in one way, but in another it brings extreme beauty to my door! It’s not safe to be out on the roads right now, but here in my Landscape… It’s all good 😊

I hope this morning finds you safe and warm! It’s very cold 🥶 out there… But seeing my ‘Winter Wonderland’ somehow makes it better… More beautiful. More bearable… And I know that this is really the foothills of the coming Spring! And I am ready!

Be careful out there!

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, Calico Style 🐈

Get up and enjoy the sunshine ☀️ It’s #waterfallwednesday!

Meet Luna, one of our ‘Staff Nursery Cats’… She LOVES the ponds! She climbed up in this Japanese Maple to better survey the area this morning😊

I went down to get a frosty 🥶 picture for my Waterfall Wednesday post, and Luna was with me step for step. I think she likes to be the subject in every photo … Cats 🙄

It’s not real Icy this morning, just a little bit. But we are past Groundhog Day and Spring is Coming!

I hope you enjoy your Waterfall Wednesday! A little frost and ice just adds to the seasonal beauty that a Waterfall brings to your life 😊

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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Get out the sheets & plastic! Chance Of May Frost! 😵 | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

2020 has been a CRAZY year so far!!! Now to top it all off, we have a chance of a VERY Late Frost! 🧊 A RECORD LOW!!! 

Break out the sheets and plastic, we got a crazy late frost heading our way Friday night into Saturday morning that’s gonna break records & some hearts! 😢

Things we can do –

  •  Bring in potted plants 
  • Cover tender plants with sheets and/or plastic!
  • Cover veggies 🍅 🌶  🌽
  • IF you have an irrigation system, time it to come on before sunrise and run till after. Waters thermal properties are amazing.
  • We can’t change the weather, but we can be prepared! 

I even cover my Japanese Maples!  Lots to do, but it’s worth the effort! This has been an eventful weather year, but fret not! We will get past this & see smooth sailing soon ⛵️ 

Have a good day & be ready! You have been warned…

 

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 Reflections…

The leaves have been coming down like rain the last couple of days. It’s beautiful to watch. Add to that the 4 strait nights of freezing temps … November has made itself known 😊 Thanksgiving is coming!

Many trees are at peak color and the leaves are raining down when the wind blows…

 

“November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.
With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.
The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.”
    ~ Elizabeth Coatsworth

 

Mark C.