GPE #8 : UptonKing Does Double Duty

M R  T O N K I N G' S

 

Marigolds!

 

 

Hurrah!  At last we get to see UptonKing's oft mentioned marigolds!

 

So, there is a story to go with this.

You see, several years ago, we hired a contractor who was to build steps over some crumbling steps at the rental The Boyfriend resides in.

 

1/  This is what he left us… and it warped over the years.  We couldn’t sue, because he’s a friend and that simply won’t do.  So, this year, I painted the railing and put in marigolds.  I collected the seeds from the previous year’s crop.

 

 

2/  With 12 hours of notice, the property manager - The Ex - informed me that a new deck was to be built over the shoddy wooden steps. My garden (such as it is/was) was in, and I worked that day, so, there I am, at 8:00 pm - replanting everything, because I didn’t want to see things die needlessly.  This was the end result.  And I literally dug everything up and just shoved it in the ground wherever.

 

 

3/  Four well-established hostas - my favorites (yes, I have no horticultural taste whatsoever) - were transplanted on either side of the walkway.

I fear they will not come back next year, but… hostas are hardy.

 

 

4/  I purchased the three mums pictured at a grocery store on a whim,

as I was trying to compensate for my rather dreary attempts at gardening.

 

 

5/  You can see there is a row of mums to the left, all of which used to have prominent placement, but had to be uprooted and transplanted before the construction of the new deck began.  And, yes, weeding?  Who knew?  Not my thing.

 

 

6/  All the marigolds in this circle were torn out and transplanted the night before construction on the deck began.  I couldn’t let them die, but I also lacked the ability to make it look right.

Remember that scene in Mommy Dearest, where Joan, in a fit of rage, destroys her rose garden?  Yes.  That.  Minus lipstick and heels.

 

 

7/  These are my strawberries.  Last year, in October, my youngest sister handed me six strawberry plants she didn’t want.  I planted them and covered them with leaves, thinking they would never survive.  Well, they did, and took off this year.  Again, my lack of foresight…  I will need to rethink how large that patch should be.

 

 

8/  The raspberries almost died away completely.  But then, I cut the dead stuff out and tah-dah… they took off like crazy.  Go figure.  We leave the fruit for the birds to eat.

 

 

9/  This is the flower that comes from some beans that I was given.

No, I don’t know what it’s called.

I took an old clothes line post and created at a climbing trellis.  I would show you the whole thing, but its very underwhelming, as the soil is bad - did I mention how bad the soil is? - and looking at it makes me feel like a member of the Joad family in Grapes Of Wrath.

 

 

10/  My pathetic side garden past it’s peak.

The fennel had gone brown and the lilies were all done, but, you get the idea?

It had its moments.

 

 

11/  The side of the house has the worst soil - its basically sand.

 

 

12/  Still, with enough water, anything will grow.

 

 

13/  These are three hostas I rescued.  I rescued ferns, lilies and irises, too.  The ferns probably won’t make it and the irises got coverd up by the grape vine in the back.  You’ll see…

 

 

14/  The morning glories on the back fence.

They come up every year.  The birds love them.

 

 

15/  The grapevine.  And you don’t really get an idea of how wild it is.

It covers that whole back area.

 

☙❧

 

16/  So, this is the start of the pics for my other domicile - the one shared with The Ex.

He gets most of the credit here.  I just water and weed on occasion.

This was the deck plant.  It’s now in the living room shedding leaves.

 

 

17/  The bird bath.  I convinced him to do marigolds this year.

Note the caged one on the old clothes line post.

 

 

18/  The backyard is one big memorial garden.  This is a memorial for his brother, Chris,

who has gone missing and is presumed gone from this world.

 

 

19/  He has 8 varieties of roses, all a tribute to his mother, who was a dear, sweet woman.

No, my timing as a photographer is not good.  This is what you get.

 

 

20/  Another rose.  He has a little memorial rock with a plaque next to the roses.

 

 

21/  Everyone loathes these wild lilies, and I adore them.

They are crazy looking and grow without help, so that is their appeal for me.

[This is, of course, the full, uncropped photo that became one of the

giant gastropod-like "hideous sea monsters" from Terrifying Triffidery - IDV]

 

22/  The backyard.  Another memorial urn.

 

 

23/  That’s the carport.  There’s a garage, too, but, had The Ex parked his car in the carport, like he was supposed to, it probably wouldn’t have gotten stolen this summer.

I don’t know why I feel the need to share that, but I do.

 

 

24/  This is the memorial to my little loves.  Their ashes are actually inside the rocks.

I talk to them every day.  I miss them all so much.

 

 

25/  Another view.

 

 

26/  The front yard is a mass of vines.  It was once a sculpted garden and that all exists under all those vines.  We keep it this way for the bunnies, the birds, the feral cats, the squirrels, the possums, the river rats, etc.  We wanted to create a safe haven.  I leave food and water out.  You never know who is in need.

 

 

27/  Another view of same.

 

 

28/  The front planter.  So, The Ex is a gardener.  And he serves as a fine example.

Not sure if I will ever measure up.  Oh, I mow the lawn!  So, that counts, yes?

 

 

29/  The morning glories took off all on their own.  And I just loved looking at this all summer. It’s a lot of watering.

 

 

Anyway… that’s the whole tour.  As you can see, I have a lot to learn and who knows what next year might bring.  Weeding?  Will still probably not be my thing.  Thanks for hosting this garden event.  I hope you all got a laugh… or felt pity.  Kizzes.

 

☙❧

 

 Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I felt some envy at some of your green-fingered results, Mr Tonking.  The vine-covered front yard is right up my alley, as is your morning glory - the one on your back fence, of course! (Rude!)  And, your marigolds surpassed my expectations - the feature ones in pots are spectacular!  I'm not usually a fan of French marigolds - Tagetes - but that's probably because I've only ever seen piddly little specimens in twee, dated displays in parks and the like.

 Anyway, thank you UptonKing!

 The final garden of this year's event is my own, so tune in on the 23rd to see what I've been up to in the garden (and allotment).