the 2023
I N F O M A N I A C
Garden Photos Event Finale
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Hello, and thank you all for -
- coming.
Sorry about that. The Official Hexenhäusli Device Woodsman is clearly keen to get going with my wood and couldn't wait for me to finish the introduction.
Oh, before I forget, two years ago Mr Tonking suggested a little music to accompany these GPE recaps. I don't know why I didn't make good his suggestion last year, but I've picked three tunes for this year.
First is "Since Yesterday" by Strawberry Switchblade - one of my favourite 80s songs. I picked this to go with Ms Scarlet's and Mr Tonking's strawberries (and mine!) - as well as those lurking behind Melanie's pitchers.
[Strawberry Switchblade recorded a demo track suitably called "Trees and Flowers" but it's a bit wishy-washy for my tastes]
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In case you need a reminder of this year's gardens:
Programme of Events
Terrifying Triffidery
The Infomaniac Garden Photos Event is officially launched by the Infomaniac herself, The Very Mistress - and her duck! With a special cameo by Savvy!!
Mr Peenee displays his houseplants on a sideboard so resplendantly shiny that you may need sunglasses to view it!
Ms ProximaBlue, Melanie, offers pictures and pitchers of something cool.
Ms Scarlet wows not only with her Big Pink Bush, but her Even Bigger Pink Tree!
Maddie, the Mistress Borghese, treats us to a moonlit ballet.
Mitzi shows she's got what it takes with her whopping ten incher!
[Visit at your peril!]
Mago invites us in to his house of wax.
UptonKing brightens up the darkest day with his sunny display.
I pretend that bijou is palatial (notes of royal purple notwithstanding)...
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The second tune is "The Whole of the Moon", by the Waterboys, inspired by who else but Mistress Maddie!
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Most Popular Plants
Despite our differing climes, aspects, soil types, and experience, all of us grew plants that could be found in at least one other Blogorati garden, so I've come up with a list of the most popular.
As with last year, I'm only counting featured or easily recognisable plants, not those blurry, out-of-focus ones lolling around in the background (with a couple of non-blurry but not focus plant exceptions).
First, the runners up on show in three different gardens:
Salvias at Jon's, Maddie's, and UptonKing's.
Pansies/violas at Melanie's, Ms Scarlet's, and Maddie's.
Fuchsias at Jon's, Mitzi's, and mine.
I must give a special mention to the Hydrangeas as without a small sprig in Savvy's vase, those of Ms Scarlet and mine wouldn't have made it.
Strawberries at Melanie's (lolling about, but quite recognisable, behind her pitcher plant), Ms Scarlet's, Mr Tonking's, and mine.
Roses at Jon's, Maddie's, Mitzi's, and in Savvy's vase.
But the actual winners which were always ready for their close ups Mr DeMille, were the:
Orchids at Peenee's, Jon's, Dinah's, and mine.
As well as those cliques of popular plants, there were also the Unique, such as Melanie's pitcher plant, Jon & Madam A's Taro, Maddie's Datura metel "Ballerina Purple", and almost everything from Dinah's garden!
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Official Plant Spotter Observations
Where would we be without Jon, the Official Plant Spotter of Hexenhäusli Device and its Extensive Witchdom, nay, All of Blogdom Itself? He has earned his keep yet again with:
☙ Fuschia "Waltz Jubelteen" for Mitzi
☙ Asiatic lilies, Salvia splendens and Amaranthus for Mr Tonking (the Amaranth was confirmed by Peenee and his Picture This app).
I thought there were more, but four is pretty good. We must be getting better at recognising and labelling our greenery so that Jon doesn't need to work as hard!
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Wildlife
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The Most Splendid Sideboard
Well, it's got to be Peenee's, hasn't it!
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The "Did I Win Yet?"s
☙ The Very Mistress (who should know better!) for Peenee - and the very first comment on Peenee's post, too!
☙ Hound for Melanie - kind of.
☙ "Thank you for organising the Garden Competition 2023!!!" - Ms Scarlet!!!
Sigh...
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To play us out, here is the third vaguely garden-related tune - and the first that sprung to mind - inspired by the close confines and luxurient growth of Jon's & Madam A's back passage:
"(In the jungle) the Lion Sleeps Tonight" by Tight Fit
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Thank you all once again for taking part and making this such a success and so much fun, and I hope to see you and your greenery at next year's Infomaniac Garden Photos Event!
Now, I must go, my Woodsman's got his chopper out so I'll need to be on hand for safety reasons...
P.S. Whoever made off with Gavin, please can you return him when you've finished with him. Thanks.
Fantabulosa! A great event - I have thoroughly enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteRoll on next year!!! Jx
Oh, it was wonderful, wasn't it! So many gardens - and even something from Mr Mago.
DeleteSpring can't come soon enough - I'm raring for another go!
P.S. I meant to say that I'm rather enamoured with your lovely Phloxes, so I might see if I can surrepticiously squeeze a few in the borders here.
DeleteThey are wonderful plants! Flowerr for months, cope well in pots, and they're scented too - what's not to like?! The only thing you need to watch for is powdery mildew, but that's easy enough to treat. Jx
DeleteI second Jon, what a fabulous event it was!!!! I was truly blown away from everyone's submissions. And I couldn't agree more with the unique plants you put together. Some of those were downright glorious. Also, interesting to see all the one you all had in common.
ReplyDeleteI'll never unsee Maddie's posterior.... fine as it is.... which brings me to Gavin. You really should have frisked Mistress Maddie before you let him off your fine property. Don't think I didn't go back to see the ones I missed.
I know! You'd think I'd know better by now, but no, I let Maddie go without a stop-n-search!
DeleteI love seeing all the different plants that our talented Blogorati grow. I always want to grow them myself, but many are unsuitable or hard to get, so it's just as well that I - and everyone else - get to see them in thriving elsewhere.
I don't know if you saw my reply in an earlier post, but I hope that you might take part next year so we can see how your beach garden grows!
Did I win yet? DID I?
ReplyDeleteWell, you might not have won the GPE because, as I am sick to death of saying now: The Infomaniac Garden Photos Event is NOT a competition!
DeleteBut, you DID win the Most Splendid Sideboard. Congratulations, Peenee!!!
Oh, I adore the music. I did a Weekend Onesie on the history of Tight Fit. And The Waterboys first three albums remain among my faves. Thank you for including them. And thank you for all your hard work putting together the photos for the garden tours. Kizzes.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm glad you like the music, Mr Tonking. I'm just sorry it took me two years to act on your suggestion.
DeleteI feel rather ashamed to say that "Whole of the Moon" is the only Waterboys song I know. I must remedy that.
I concur that pansies ARE very popular here.
ReplyDeleteI know, they're simply EVERYWHERE! Why, I've stumbled across three just getting to you!
DeleteThe pansies invited themselves here. I'd had a few in pots sure, but then they decided to escape the plant version of Alcatraz island and colonize my front lawn!
DeleteOh, dear, Melanie. Your lawn will be a mess of glitter, empty poppers bottles, and spent twinks when they leave!
DeletePetunias and big lilies too.
DeleteIt was all rather splendid. Aside from the CROCS. And no one commenting on my wonderful duck. But aside from that.
ReplyDeleteWe were all too busy buying the pancakes and plum sauce... Jx
DeleteThat's not all it's quacked up to be.
DeleteWell, what recipe is it that calls for putting a duck in a bain marie like yours, Very Mistress?
DeleteP.S. I'm still mortified about the unmentionables in some of my photos.
Mortified about your unmentionables? As you should be, Mr. DeVice.
DeleteConsider me chastened.
DeleteHooray! I'm already looking forward to next year! Thank you for being the ever gracious and delightful host, IDV!
ReplyDeleteMe, too! And I do rather enjoy sifting through the photos and hosting the Event, fortunately.
DeleteWow I always enjoy the 'I N F O M A N I A C Garden Photos Event' and look forward to it every year. This year you have surpassed yourself Mr De. It was Fab U Lous and your recap on the event is inspired. My back passage is a 'Tight Fit' but I am sure we could squeeze Steve Grant in.
ReplyDeleteWell, thank you, Madam A! I'm glad you liked the recap - I would have liked a little more time to spend on it, but it came out satisfactorily nevertheless.
DeleteOh, and I'm sure Steve Grant would be thrilled to spend some time up your back passage.
It was me. I made orff with Gavin because I needed something to hump after Wimowaying away with Tight Fit.
ReplyDeleteHe's tied up in the kennel and I'm feeding him until his ridiculous muscles lose their gym definition and his body hair grows back.
At that point he will grow a moustache and be Mine. Bwahahahaha!
Drat, and double drat! (Although I'm not averse to body hair and a moustache...)
DeleteLate again, but this summary was delightful, sweetpea! I want you to know that I've already put a note on my 2024 calendar to take photos during Spring and Summer! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThat you made it is enough, dear Savvy. And I'm already looking forward to seeing what you come up with next year - an outside potted garden as some suggested, perhaps?
DeleteI love you, IDV, and thank you! xoxo
DeleteI feel quite proud of my badge of honour for the unmentionables! And, of course, I've loved all the garden pics. I wonder what next year will bring...?
ReplyDeleteHuge hug for all you hard work, Mr de V. xx
Send the woodsman and the moon-man to me when you're done, I need them to do me.....I mean see me about my garden :)
ReplyDelete