Garden Shots- Share your "whole garden" pictures here!

Hey Huggergirl,

I live in a tiny little burg between Decatur and Van Wert OH. I had some friends that lived on the lake in Celina up until a couple years ago and we used to spend a lot of time boating in the summer.

I don't have a bike myself *pout* but many of my friends do (are you catching on that my friends are the ones with all the cool toys?) and I've been to River City a time or 2.

(Love the color scheme in your 'wheelbarrow pic.')

Lala,the campground river city?? ,thanks the wheel barrow was not a planned thing,I actully took out some white bocca and put it in another pot,it was getting lost under the petunias ,I have another pot with just different shades of purple,I like it alot .Go figure my bike is dark purple !!dh bike is bright purple !!!

huggergirl, I really love that border you did! I wish I liked something I did that much . : )

huggergirl, I forgot to say earlier how much I like your border along the house, very nicely done! You have a good eye for color and form. The wheel barrel is so cute, and such a great way to soften the look of the cement wall and make it part of the garden.

meridith79 and gemini_sage, Thank you ,actually that is our garage,it sits in the ground like the house does.Iam not tooo happy with the plantings on that side (west),its really messy,I have boat loads of Larkspur growing everywhere in front of the cone flowers,mums,zinnias,african daisy , I dont have the heart to pull them out.The garage another project ,paint trim and concrete wing walls.

HG I meant River City the Harley shop. LOL.

Lala,LOL too funny,there is a nice little campground named that,its real close to us !!We use Jim Bailys HD dealership on I-69 on the southside of ft. wayne,that went right over my head,duh,not like I havent been there a time or 2,still laughing !!!

Hugger girl I don't think it looks messy at all! I really love the blue and white delphs. They look beautiful! : )

Meredith_79,Thank you,Iam a perfectionist,I try not to be.!!!

I decided to put up a couple of my "in progress" beds even though you'll have to use your imagination until they fill in nicely (I hope) like all of yours!!

Huggergirl - I'm happy for you that your wheelbarrow is getting a rest from moving all that heavy stuff lol!

Here is a pic of one bed near the house - for some reason the green bush in foreground (rosa the fairy) is taking awhile to bloom this year but the flowers are finally coming (yay).

Here is same bed further around, I'm thinking I've made a definite summer garden because the blooms are just seeming ready to kick in now, I'd like to add some good late Spring/early summer color next year.

This area (please ignore unpainted arch and air conditioners lol) I'm really hoping to have luck with actual cane hardy climbing roses. I was thinking of doing viking queen and I also planted an autumn joy clematis to go with it. Any sugestions? The are to the right is the david austins I planted but they've kind of wound down for now.

This is the long view of a shade garden, hard to get all the plants you want in these pictures darn!

Okay, last picture lol. I just actually wanted to ask all of you a question - this vine just sprung up as a weed in one bed but I like it and I'm wondering, could it possibly be a ductchman's pipe vine?

Oops I forgot one, this is a small bed on the side by my neighbors house. David Austin roses in the middle took a huge beating this winter but they're creeping back and now that the peonies in front are done the coneflowers are starting to make an appearance. Wish I could think of what to put in the front when the peonies are done to round this bed out.

peonyrosegirl,All of your gardens look wonderful,nice work,.

peonyrosegirl, your gardens are very lush and lovely.

Oops, wasn't thinking about bloom time. The Bevans and Spessart will have finished blooming when your peonies stop.

Aster? Monarda? Astilbe? Perovskia atriplicifolia? Achillea? Coreopsis 'Little Sundial'? Delphinium? Campanula?

peony8 - oh I know I have so much work to do to get to what I want - that nice full cottage look so many of you have! I know I just need patience to let things fill in and find the right self-seeders (very hard lol)! Thanks for the encouragement though. And thanks for the ideas to fill in after the peonies, how do you all go about planting your second layer of plants when you've already got mature stuff in their spots? I'm a little confused about layering for a longer planting season, where do the plants actually go, how close can you layer them etc.?

I am sure you will get much more expert advice from other members who have been gardening much longer than I. I have developed a bit of an obsession, though, and I read every book I can get my hands on about cottage gardening. I am especially interested in plant combinations.

I actually got it right by accident last year, when I plopped a new apricot yarrow and blue campanula next to an existing foxglove. They are in bloom right now, and their heights, foliage and colors look really gorgeous together.

Like you, though, I have to be patient. I installed a new 156-ft garden bed on June 1. I usually space plants 12" apart because I want instant gratification and I later divide and give plants away to neighbors when the beds get crowded. But in this new bed, I wanted to make sure the tiny plants I bought got enough light and air, so I planted everything 18 inches apart. I bought 3 or 6 of each plant and put them in the ground somewhat randomly, intermingling them with their contrasting and/or complementary buddy: for example, yellow-yellow-purple-yellow-purple-purple in a sort of W shape.

When I plant around existing plants, I just poke the spade in, and plop in the plant, loosening up the sides of the hole with my fingers. Normally I'd dig a wider hole to encourage root growth, but I haven't had any plants die from taking the lazy way, and I try to minimize damaging established roots. If I cultivate near rhododendrons, I dig only outside the drip line of the shrub.

Beautiful beds Peonyrose!

I'm afraid I don't have the knack for planning bloom times with my perennials either which is why I use so many annuals. After a perennial blooms I cut back the foliage (if it's gotten scraggly) and often get a 2nd flush later in the season. In the meantime the annuals can carry the bed and keep it full of color.

peonyrosegirl,You are well on your way to the cottage look ,me on the other hand Iam just starting to get the look ,the right combinations ,and my dh finally understanding that I need more varity of different bloom times.I have a 20-25 ft long row of peonies,with phlox growing at the base of them,but thats just early spring color,now its just green!!! I also trim the peonies back a little after they bloom to shape them up,then it looks like a neat and tidy row ,and they arent drooping over covering the phlox the rest of the summer.You are heading in the right direction,keep up the good work!! You can see the row of peonies at the top of the photo,Just trimmed them ,they will look great in 2 wks .

This message was edited Jul 3, 2009 8:21 AM

Lala_jane ,Thanks for mentioning annuals I do the same,lots of annuals to fill those gaps !!! Iam trying to watch the garden centers to see whats now in bloom,I just added a foxglove ,a few delphiniums,butterfly blue,penstemon red ridinghood.

peonyrosegirl,I got a subscription to Garden Gate magazine,It has helped me tremendously,its a really wonderful source and wealth of info.No ads,also its ready for a 3 ring binder.Heres my 2$ rose bush, starting to take off,color is washed a bit in photo.

Thanks for the ideas everyone, annuals are definitely something I need to get in there! huggergirl BEAUTIFUL photos!

I had the day off and spent a little more time than usual browsing. I love this thread!
You all have lovely gardens. I like the full scope pictures.

I'll have to see if I have some... my beds are not originally intended as cottage gardens
but that's what they look like. :-)

Tam

This is a "garden room" in an old horse pasture. I have a couple
"big picture' type photos I took a few days ago. Here's one looking in
thru the rose arbor.

And looking from the opposite side - up from the pasture

The clematis is really amazing this year.

I second a thumbs up for Garden Gate magazine.

Tammmy, I would love to sit in your yard, admiring all the flora.

Wow, that's clematis??? I thought it was a shrub. Very nice, indeed.

I planted a "shrub border' along the south edge. There are too many
shrubs for the space. Of course.

Thanks! And yeah - I think it looks like a shrub too. Its the Jackmanii Superba.

Here's a pic from the same shrub border ... I put 4 knock out roses I'd started from
cuttings at the corners next to the path I put in. Soapwort has self seeded into the
pathway and now its a foot wide at most. Of course, I can't pull 'em.

You have quite an eye for placement, color, and texture, Tammy!

Tammy,I ll say very nice too,boy iam learning alot just by seeing everyones gardens ,color and texture,happy happy,that climatis I only dream of!!!

Tammy - I am drooling over that rose arbor - just beautiful. That is what I have pictured for my arbor leading to the garden and guess what - actually got it painted and planted those roses today - whew!

Peonyrosegirl - I have to admit I replaced the roses in the "rose garden" two or three
times before giving up and putting in tree peonies. The Knock Out's do well, that
New Dawn climber does well and The Fairy does well. But I've killed Memorial Day,
Mr. Lincoln and many more.

Do take lots of pictures of that arbor! Its so fun to see it mature. What rose did you
plant on it?

Huggergirl - your beds are beautiful too. Have you tried larkspur in that bed with
peony & phlox? I love them for cutting and they are really pretty.

I'm really into dianthus and geranium. I've got tons of each - I start the dianthus from seed
and have had some luck with geranium too. And lilies...

Here's a shot of a different area. I guess its really not cottage garden

Love all the garden photos here! So very pretty!

And, Tammy, I sent a photo of your arbor to my son, hoping he will replicate it for me!

Our garden isn't so picturesque or bloom-y this year, but, oh, well...maybe next year!

Here's a long shot of our front yard area.

Not much in bloom, but I'm working on it.

Tammy,I was thinking that too!! and maybe some candytuft.Your gardens are beautiful.

tabasco, you have a lovley peaceful setting,I know what you mean about color,I have spots of color for summer bloomers,I always plant annuals.I am really working on summer color,companion planting.