Monday, February 22, 2016

Growing stuff

WE were in our twenties when we moved to Rutherfordton, NC. We had a neighbor  who had a nice garden. He kept it neat and the rows were perfect.  He was an OLD man probably in his sixties (smile).  WE talked often but I never asked him what was in the garden. I automatically figured, corn tomatoes, cabbage, beans and okra, the normal southern garden.

But one day I noticed a lot of color over there.  It peaked my interest so I walked over to see, I saw several rows of flowers.  I thought now that is neat,  Mr Nelon is growing Mrs Nelon some flowers as well as vegetables.  Before the week was out, I began to notice the whole garden, about 200' x 60' was flowers.  I was in my twenties, I had never seen a real flower garden, I was fascinated. 


I know a tulip, rose, pansy and carnation (if I smell the carnation), but many of the flowers I did not know. Mr. Nelon introduced me to them, but I soon forgot.




My fascination continued when I saw folks stopping by to purchase bouquets, I thought, "Well, I'll be danged, I thought only florists sold flowers." I learned he also sold to florists.  He loved those flowers and seemed to carefully cut them with love.  They were there all spring and summer. I never saw grass growing in the rows, it was a beauty to behold. He would give me one every once in awhile to take to Sherry.

My Nelon was a tall fellow, not skinny but well built. It seemed to be a contradiction to see the big man show so much love to flowers.


We  lived next door for a couple years then we moved. We were back by there a year of so ago, Mr. Nelon's house and garden are now gone, and a commercial auto shop is there, they deal with antique cars, I missed the house and garden, but thought it fitting someone was rebuilding history.


You don't meet a Mr. Nelon often, and I never again saw a flower garden except in pictures as I have inserted here.


Nite Shipslog

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 This Red 'B' Model is setting where Mr. Nelons lower rows were.

7 comments:

betty said...

Sad the garden and house got replaced by an auto shop. It must have been so pretty and I bet smelled really nice at Mr. Nelon's garden. Seemed like he found something he enjoyed doing and did it well :)

There is a strip of land off of Interstate 5 in the Carlsbad area of Southern California. There were flower fields there; magnificent to see them bloom in the spring. A bit of it got taken for Legoland and outlet stores. Still pretty, but not as pretty when it was much bigger than it is now.

betty

Paula said...

Beautiful, too bad gardens like that can't go on for ever but they don't.

Lisa said...

Thanks for taking us to the flower garden. Its beautiful. I can even grow a tomato plant. Wild daisies and yellow roses are my favorites.

Dreaming of spring
Lisa


Mevely317 said...

"Carefully cut with love" ... now, THAT's the secret ingredient!
How fortunate you were to witness Mr. Nelon's masterpiece!

Rick Watson said...

I wish I had a knack for beds like that. Mine are pretty, but kind of gnarly by comparison :)

Unknown said...

Flower gardens are beautiful. Maybe we can have a flower garden out
front in the natural area. I have most luck with azaleas and gardenias
Maybe I will just grown them on my deck in pots like I grew the cotton.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Flowers are beautiful and I can hardly wait till Spring comes and we have some blooming around here. I don't have a large flower garden, but have something blooming from April on until October usually. The first to come are daffodils and tulips ! And very often there is a rose or two hanging on the end of October. Beautiful pictures today! Nice to see on a cold but sunny day in February.