Carter's Water Garden


Monday Morning Moment of Zen | Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Early morning, before daybreak… The Pond Lights are still on. No other sounds exist but the Flowing Waterfall, and the waking birds… All is Zen…

Are you ready for the week ahead?

Enjoy your morning! And have a great week!

“When once thy day shall burst to flower, 
When once the sun shall climb the sky, 
And busy hour by busy hour, 
The urgent noontide draws anigh; 
When the long shadows creep abreast, 
To dim the happy task half done, 
Thou wilt recall this pause of rest, 
This morning hush before the sun.”

~ Susan Coolidge

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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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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Sunday Reflections…

What a gorgeous morning! We started around 30 degrees with full Sun ☀️ and it has steadily warmed… It will be mid 60’s soon and it sure is nice 😊

I am so ready for flowers and garden plants again! It wont be long now 😊

We are gonna work in our yard a bit today, burn some leaves and maybe some steaks 🥩 on the grill as well! A little glimpse of Spring is pretty sweet on a Sunday! 🙏🏻

“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


Enjoy your day!

Spring is Coming!

Mark C.



Monday Morning Moment of Zen | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN

Yesterday was so nice. I was outside most of the day, watched the sunset and then made this short little video of my Pond and Waterfall.

Spring is finally here 😊 And I love it! I hope this little clip somehow conveys the feeling of Zen that I get sitting out by my Pond.

Have a Great week!

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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Year Round Beauty! Outdoor Living At It’s Best | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

The beauty of a Garden 🪴 in the Spring and Summer is a given. But this evening as I was walking up the hill I just happened to look up and Boom 💥 The moon 🌙 the bare birch trees, the lights and the sound of the Waterfalls… Even on a night in January, I had to stop and enjoy the beauty. Now, I’m thinking a fire 🔥 is in order …

I truly love my garden and outdoor patio area Year round! Getting ready to start a fire 🔥

Have a great evening!

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



The Magic Of Water Gardening with the Helen Schult Garden Club | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio

I recently had the pleasure to meet the Ladies of the Helen Schult Garden Club in Caruthersville, Missouri and to speak for their members on my favorite subject- Water Gardening!
Any time I can share my knowledge of this wonderful hobby and Lifestyle, I’m in 😊

Practicing with my new selfie 🤳 stick…
The host is preparing to introduce me…
I did a video presentation followed by a Q&A and then we did a garden walkover/tour of the hosts backyard paradise!

The meeting took place at a local members beautiful home, that actually has a Water Garden (that we helped her with)… Her family really enjoys the “Outdoor Lifestyle” that I talk about all the time. Her backyard living area is second to none! Custom paved patio space with an outdoor kitchen, bar and sitting/lounging area beneath a custom Pergola. Complete with a Fire 🔥 feature, a Water Feature and gorgeous pottery and plants… Shang-ra-la…

The real star ⭐️ of the show ❤️
The Water Garden sits right beside the patio and provides views from all areas of the backyard. The sound is wonderful! And the Koi are growing and multiplying 😊
The sun was in my eyes when I took this one so please forgive the squint 😎 What a wonderful group of Ladies! Thank you to all the members of the Helen Schult Garden Club! Happy Halloween 🎃 And Happy Holidays from Mark Carter & Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio!

Have a great “Hump 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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It’s October, Season Of Fire 🔥 and Water 🌊 | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

The leaves 🍁 are turning and starting to fall. The air is crisp and cool… Football 🏈 is back in season. Fall is an Awesome time! One of my favorite ways to enjoy the season is to grill out by the pond and to have a nice Fire 🔥 

There’s no nicer evening than sitting by the Pond and feeling the warmth of a Fire 🔥 Fire and Water make a heck of a pair 😊

We also love to burn leaves 🍁 in the Fall. An open wood burning fire pit can help with a safe controlled burn area.

A fire pit is a great way to enjoy the evening and watch the sun go down! It’s also a fun way to get rid of fall leaves too!

Check out a few of the unique one of a kind Fire Features we have designed and created. You might enjoy one yourself 💡

https://pin.it/J4zk2px

Today is October 1st.! Get out there and enjoy this wonderful Fall weather! 🍁

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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Staycations Are In Our Futures | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

We have been stuck at home more and more this year… Now they are talking about maybe mandatory home school for everyone this Fall 😳 With all the uncertainty, more and more people are turning their homes into their destination spot! Forget the vacation- Lets create the perfect spot for a “Staycation”! 



Do you have a place to relax in the Landscape? A patio, pergola structure, Outdoor kitchen, pond or pool? 🤔 

The possibility’s are endless! Let me know if I can help. 

 

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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Gardening Ideas & Tips : A Reboot From The Bill Way Show…

I do a weekly Gardening Show on the radio with Seabass (The 180) @ 101.5fm radio. It’s a call in talk show where people ask questions about all sorts of things. Last week “Lasagna Gardening” came up and it brought back some old memories from way back when… Here’s a Blog I wrote about Lasagna Gardens back in the day with Bill Way. 2009 Or so I believe. Bill was a HUGE Lasagna Gardener 😊 Enjoy –

 

“My friend, Bill Way, turned me onto this idea of simple, organic style gardening and I think it is really catching on here in my neck of the woods. It’s not a new idea really, just a cool take on an old one… Best thing is, IT WORKS! Below is a very simple breakdown on ‘How To’ make your own Lasagna Garden… ENJOY!

There’s no hard and fast rules about what to use for your layers, just so long as it’s organic and doesn’t contain any protein (fat, meat, or bone). Just as with an edible lasagna, there is some importance to the methods you use to build your lasagna garden ‘Layers’. You’ll want to alternate layers of “browns” such as fall leaves, shredded newspaper, peat, and pine needles with layers of “greens” such as vegetable scraps, garden trimmings, and grass clippings. In general, you want your “brown” layers to be about twice as deep as your “green” layers, but there’s no need to get too picky about this. Just layer browns and greens, and a lasagna garden will result. What you want at the end of your layering process is a two-foot tall layered bed. You’ll be amazed at how much this will shrink down in a few short weeks.

Lasagna gardens are a bit less work than a conventional garden. And they are a great way to get rid of grass clippings and leaves 😊

– The basics of making garden lasagnas are simple:

– Don’t remove the sod or do any extra work, like removing weeds or rocks.

– Mark the area for your garden using a water hose or a long rope to get the desired shape.

– Cover the area you’ve marked with wet newspapers, overlapping the edges (5 or more sheets per layer).

– Cover the paper with one to two inches of peat moss or other organic material.

– Layer several inches of organic material on top of the peat moss.

– Continue to alternate layers of peat moss and organic material, until desired thickness is reached.

– Water until the garden is the consistency of a damp sponge.

– Plant, plant, plant and mulch, mulch, mulch.

 Ingredients For A Lasagna Garden

 Anything you’d put in a compost pile, you can put into a lasagna garden. The materials you put into the garden will break down, providing nutrient-rich, crumbly soil in which to plant. The following materials are all perfect for lasagna gardens:

 Grass Clippings
 Leaves
 Fruit and Vegetable Scraps
 Coffee Grounds
 Tea leaves and tea bags
 Weeds (if they haven’t gone to seed)
 Manure
 Compost
 Seaweed
 Shredded newspaper or junk mail
 Pine needles
 Spent blooms, trimmings from the garden
 Peat moss
 Straw
 Hay

If it’s too late in the season this year for you to start one, there is a whole summer of grass clippings and veg. scraps to get started with and FALL is coming with tons of leaves to use! With all this FREE organic material at your fingertips, that you have to dispose of anyway, put it too good use! You won’t regret it!

 Here’s to the Life Abundant!

 

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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Blogging Milestones | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

I like to set goals and meet them! I also like to mark Milestones… Today is the 600th day that I have turned out a daily blog! Whew! It sure doesn’t seem like it’s been that long… Time flies! And – Yes, I have been having Fun! 😊

When I committed to a daily Blog it was a HUGE step! And at first it was a real challenge, but it seems to get easier and more fun the longer I keep the commitment 😊

As many of you know, I started blogging in 2008, but not daily… more weekly and monthly, AND I haven’t missed a month since 2008! But, It wasn’t until January 1st 2018 that I made the decision to blog daily. Now, it’s just part of what I do… And, my blog has developed some daily themes that I hope you like…

Mondays are a video of a stream and/or Waterfall, usually one that we  built, and it’s titled “Monday Morning Moment of Zen”…

Tuesdays and Thursdays are my ‘freelance days’… lately I have been doing my Blog or Vlog On Outdoor Living, focusing on Outdoor Lifestyle Areas (Spaces, patios, outdoor kitchens,outdoor rooms, etc.).

Wednesday (Hump Day) Is ALL about Waterfalls! And – KOI!

Fridays I do a Local Talk Radio Show (The ‘180’ with Dan Reaves & Sea Bass) and I follow the show up with a Blog about what was covered. I call it – The “Friday Radio Report”.

Saturdays I try to Blog about the my Nursery. What’s HOT, Events that are happening and, what is going on in & around the garden.

Sundays Blog is called “Sunday Reflections…” Sunday is a day of rest, reflection and time with my family. I try to share a inspirational thought, poem or story.

I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has taken the time to read my Blogs or watch my Vlogs! Especially to everyone who has “Followed” my Blog! I have gotten many new Followers each & every month this year! Thanks! & WOW! Plus – I have tried to make it easy and painless to follow my blog. I would like to ask you to PLEASE help me introduce my daily Blog to others by sharing my blog with your friends and family on your Facebook page or other social networks.

– To follow my blog, all you have to do is click on “Follow” at the bottom right of the page & enter your email address. You will be sent an email to “confirm” and BAM – your in business. You will receive my daily Blog in your email inbox. You can opt out at any time & we don’t share or sell your address. 

So many ways to share and spread the word now! Please Follow, Like & Share my Blog posts. Thanks in advance 😊

The weekly radio show Im involved with on Fridays has given me LOTS of ideas for my blog too! I have received LOTS of feedback from the show! Emails, comments, likes, etc, etc. Thank you! Remember, you can send a request or question. I WILL answer your inquiry and I will blog on it! Also feel free to call in LIVE on Fridays Radio Show to ask a question or just say Hi 🙂

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.!

Here’s to the rest of 2019! There’s still a LOT to accomplish and enjoy!

 

Thanks for reading! 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