A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 What a Store!!!

I wish you all could've been with me today!!! This is in no way an advertisement for this store. I just wanted to share a very nice place that I found with you all.

Most of you know that I was going to a pond store in NJ this morning, after dropping Amy off at school for her test. It was an easy 1/2 hour drive to the place. When I turned into the site, there were gorgeous flowers in huge urns, and gardens along the roadside. It smelled really nice, too. Had to pull around to park way in the back.

Ok - so first you see a bunch of plant pools outside, while you walk up the walk to go indoors. Then you walk through a GINORMOUS double wide greenhouse FULL and BRIMMING with aquatic plants. The walkways are very narrow, and I could barely squeeze through, but I didn't mind a bit! I even got wet, but that's par for the course. They even had a section chock full of pitcher plants - very healthy too.

Then you come into an opening where the desk and register are, and there is a sign that says to take a number and then you will be paged. Since it was a slow weekday morning, no need for that. I walked through into the next double wide greenhouse JAM PACKED with more aquatic plants - everything your heart could desire!!! They even had 2 aviaries, but I only saw 1 cockatiel. There were so many plants in the cages and they were higher than my short 5'1", but it was nice to see.

Then you walk out of that greenhouse and into an outdoor area of pond forms, statues, and a few other goodies. Just past that is the indoor florist - WOWZERS did it ever smell yummy in there!!! Just past that... YES THERE WAS MORE!!! Was a beautiful, fully landscaped huge pond, with many large koi coming right up to the edge to greet you. I soon noticed that they had feed machines right nearby - no wonder the fish were so friendly!!! A few scattered chairs and rock walls to sit on - some older couples were just taking it all in, and going through the catalogue. What a pleasant escape!

oh, yea... in the cashier area is a smaller room with koi fish from GIGANTASAURUS size to itty bitty 3 inch size - just beautiful!!!

The staff could not be friendlier, and the owner was very pleased when I told him that I was sent there by one of my local nurseries. He offered me a catalogue - it's like a fancy magazine!

By the way... I was able to go down the narrow walkway and hand pick the nice water hyacinth that I wanted - we must have gone through about 10 or so before I found one just the right size for the bathtub pond. Got some salvinia and a small bunch of parrots feather too - all for $12. Their prices haven't risen in about 5 years or so, they told me. So nice to hear, when all the nurseries here have dramatically raised their prices this year, including Home Depot.

Here is a link to their website, if you are curious. It hasn't been updated since 2004, but as I said, most of the prices are still the same. You can order a catalogue for $2.50, but I got 2 for free there. I would offer to share them, but it's pretty heavy and would probably cost that much just to mail!

Waterford Gardens

Wow Lynne, I could envision it all....I'm gonna check out their website...Thank you for your descriptive explanation of your day there.

It sounds so nice, I wish I could walk through it!

this place is the bomb!!! Love it gonna place an order!!! Thanks Lynne!

I would love to go into a store like that!
I would go absolutely hog wild in there!

I checked out the website but I'm out of their "2 Day" zone.

What a place. Going there would be like going on vacation!
I'm outside the 2-day zone also. I might try putting in an order and see how much shipping would be anyway.

Now that's my kind of place!

I'm glad you all liked it.
Sorry about the 2 day zone - I wasn't aware of that...

Here are my new plants when I first place them in their new home. The fish are loving more places to hide from me now! I hardly ever get to see them at all - mostly only when I feed them! :rolleyes:



(this was taken 2 days ago just after the rain - you can see the raindrops on the elephant ear leaves)

Looks great Lynne!

Lynne, is that a gazing ball in a clump of grass at the back of the picture? It looks really neat!

Hi Valerie!

The glass balls that you see, both in the sweet flag grass, and the pond,
came 3 strung in jute rope at Christmas tree shops for $3.99.


They sell these balls at the Jersey shore for SOOOOOO much more,
that I bought the trios and cut them out.
I've popped them into various places in the gardens.

It looks great Lynne!!!

I need to see if they have a Christmas tree Shop online.....

Unfortunately, they don't loz.
But... I do think they are expanding, so you might get one down your way in a few years...
My mom said they are opening one near them, on the other side of the river here - not her "cup of tea", but another one for me to explore when I visit my parents!

Another place I have one of those glass balls...

wouldn't take much for me to be jealous!