If you have pics to share, please do.
We are a bunch of gardeners and wannabes who began a thread seeking cottage gardeners/ info/ suggestions/ everything.
Welcome all ideas, pictures and thoughts on cottage gardens, what to include, not, how to, planning, evolving et al.
Let's hear from you
Jude
COTTAGE GARDENS, who has and who wants to start theirs?
I'm hoping to start one, so look forward to ideas.
dmc
give us your thoughts for what you want in your CG,
specific plantings?
what size will you devote to CG?
whatever you can share is great. Diffferent areas of the country/world will have differing thoughts, planting, sun/shade etc. and part of the fun will be reading all of that and taking what applies for each of us.
Hi, pweelee--
I am interested to learn what an Arizona 'cottage garden' would be like?!
I always think of the 'cottage garden' in the context of an English cottage (or an ersatz suburban American cottage). Having that, then, planting mixed perennials, annuals, and some vegetables, in a pleasing arrangement--and "letting them find their place in an organized chaos" in beds around the cottage.
(In reality, that pretty much sums up most everybody's garden! (Except gardeners in the Southwest USA!)
When we lived in England (around 1975) we had a bona fide cottage and garden with a couple of fine artichokes and onions in the center right along with the delphiniums and roses in front of the house (a rental). It was most impressive to us -- never having seen such a combination in an American garden. We had a fence around it, too. We loved it.
In this day and age and here in suburbia USA, it seems like our 'cottage garden' is more about native plants and easy care and planting shrubs and trees for posterity. Not in the traditional context of a 'cottage garden' but lets us enjoy a few flowers!
we've gotten a pretty lively thread going over in Garden Talk on cottage gardens. pweelee (Jude) started both of these at the same time so we could catch whoever was interested. why don't you all come over there and join us? I hate for you to miss out on the good stuff. we're hoping to get folks from all over the country, and we even have someone with a real, honest-to-gosh 200-year-old Irish cottage, too.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/667305/
Jude, hope I'm not stepping on your toes, but I think if we get everyone together now it will be even better.
gram ~a girl~
Jo, (roadrunner) started the garden talk thread at nearly the same moment I was beginning this one and YES< GO TO GARDEN TALK, CONTINUATION OF COTTAGE GARDENS.
Jude
I guess you could put some of my gardens in the "cottage" catagory.
early_bloomer
Cottage Photo 2
early_bloomer
Cottage Photo3
early_bloomer
Cottage photo 4..............Do these qualify as "cottage gardens"?
early_bloomer
Great photos early, please put them in the garden talk cottage gardening thread. we've all moved over there.
I don't see a "Cottage Gardening" thread. Where is it?
Happy, I have a link a couple of posts up...just scroll up to my post 11/5 4:34....see you there. we just want to keep everybody together so nobody misses out on anything. your gardens definitely look cottage-y. great pics. want everyone to see them :0)
gram
lovely Early Bloomer....yes I'd say those qualify!
click on garden talk tab at the very top of the page, then on the left, look for garden talk again. click on that
Than, you'll find Continuation of Cottage Gardens....
This is where cottagegardens had moved. sorry about any confusion
Hi, Early bloomer-- even though we're on the wrong thread, I like your garden!
And to me it looks like a very pretty cottage garden.
See you over at the other thread! t.
Our wait is over. Terry announced we have our own Cottage Garden Forum now. :-)
http://davesgarden.com/forums/f/cottage/all/
I may have too many daylilies in my garden for it to really look like a cottage garden, but that is the look I am going for.
This year I plan to do some winter sowing and have more of the cottage type of annuals.
YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, we got the FORUM!!!
you all ROCK!!
Off to class, checking in after. Congratulations to us all
Oh Susan - One can never have too many daylilies! I love the way your gardens look. In fact, that's exactly the way I want mine to look....all along the fenceline. I have a gazillion daylily seedlings started and have alot of other perennials and annuals to start from seed this winter too. I am quickly running out of space so I'll have to either expand the growlight operation, wintersow as many as I can or just rotate the seedlings in and out of the high lighted areas. Most likely all of the above! In any case, it ought to keep me out of trouble this winter. :-)
carol
By Sept 15 when this photo was taken, things are getting a little out of hand. Sure looks different now that everything has frozen.
Carol, having enough room is always a problem. I have been gardening here on my little intown lot for 18 years now and have gotten rid of all the grass. Flowers just give me so much more joy. Now each year, I have to decide if I'm willing to give up some old plants in order to plant new ones. At least it forces me to keep things at a size I can handle. Looking forward to seeing all the photos of cottage gardens here on the new forum. This photo was taken mid Oct and you can see the frost already on the leaves of the plants. The blue sage here is one of my favorite cottage garden plants. It reseeds each year and waits until late summer when I really need the color and then puts on a nice how. Can't wait for a new season to start all over again.
Susan
This message was edited Nov 10, 2006 8:46 AM
One more frosty Oct photo. I loved the hot pink cosmos this summer and saved lots of seeds.
They bloom none stop if deadheaded.
Susan
This pink morning glory takes over the garage each summer.
Susan, I want a pink morning glory just like that! Does it run up the eaves or is it on a trellis or what? Will it get under the shingles?
I have a sweet autumn clematis that was half-way up the garage roof shingles to the peak of the roof before it bloomed. Mr. Clean was not worried about it becuase it sits on top of the shingles. AMAZING! He is usually out there with hedge clippers as soon as my stuff (flowers) starts migrating toward his stuff (grass, roof, windows).
The things about the SAC is I really don't like it that well. In bud, bloom & scent it is a little too much like that awful, invasive milkweed vine for my taste.
Back to the question: I have a bunch of morning glory seeds -- how can I use them to look like what you have?
Suzy
Okay, excuse the crazy question, but I just noticed that when I click these pictures I get a nice big picture AND the comments beside them. When did that happen? It's a real improvement.
Maybe my gardens will qualify as cottage gardens next spring, assuming what I planted this year comes back and does well. We'll see. But I guess this is what I have in mind. Seems very wildlife friendly to me.
I love seeing pictures of other people's gardens.
Early & Lincolnites,
Beautiful gardens.
Suzy or any one else who wants some of the pink morning glory seeds, I would be happy to send you some. It is the type that once you have it, it will reseeds each year and you may be sorry you have it, but I like it anyway. I am afraid that I am very much a make do with what you have gardener. It is growing up an old piece of chain link fence I threw over a wooden fence, then I strung wires up to the top on the garage peak. It grows from the ground, up the fence and also down the other side of the fence and just keeps on going. Your Mr Clean would have a fit in my garden Suzy! I like the way the photos are showing up at the side too. Neat!
This message was edited Nov 10, 2006 10:45 AM
I have a litttle neighbor boy who just turned two this month. He has had fun visiting my garden this summer. From his viewpoint, he must feel like my garden could eat him alive. Flower was one of the first words he learned. Whenever he walks outside he starts calling "Susan" because he knows that even if he can't see me, I am most likely down on my hands and knees digging or hiding behind some plant. I think he will grow up to be a gardener even though his parents aren't. They did finally plant 3 plants in their yard this year and he has had fun watering them. Next summer, I will put him to work. Here is one of the arbors my brother made me.
Susan
lincolniess, doe syour brother travel west? He could make an arbor here anytime.
You must have a ball with that little boy next door, and I think you're probably right, he may turn out to be a gardener one day with very fond memories of a lady names Susan who got him started.
Wonderful pics and I really like the change on posting text next to pics, that makes it soooooo much easier.
Your pink MG seeds, do you want SASE or postage sent or what. If you want other colors, I have some, let me know.
Jude
Okay let me get this straight, Lincolness (Susan) -- you have a board fence. It is in the ground and a solid fence, not just leaning against the house, right?
Over the board fence (literally in front of and in back of "over"?) there is a chainlink fence with no posts, just the fencing. Then a strand, or several strands?, of probably sort of thick wire going from the peak down to the gutter on the board of the house -- I forget what it's called, but I know what it is. Did you attach it with a little eye hook thing at the peak of the house or what? I don't want rust from a nail dribbling down the board -- oh, yeah, that would be the end of anything over 2 feet tall in my garden. :(
I need to have this real clear so I can tell him how to do it. LOL!
Suzy
I like this new layout with the pic and the post next to it...great idea.
Lincol, your mums are amazing and those arbors....your bro sounds like a sweetie!
Is that a park across the street? That's neat, it makes it seem like you have so much more space.
My pal David is going to spend his weekend digging my beds for me, while I trot off to another friend's daughter's wedding tomorrow.
What a friend to end the frustration and wracked back. He'll get all the Bgrass out, trench around the beds, cement the trench to ground level of the Bgrass outside the beds and set the border above that once I figure out exactly what I want there. I've been watching the threads in curb appeal and the options are endless. No decision yet but maybe by Sunday I'll come up with one.
Once the beds are dug out, then thelasagna begins
Suzy, I was not suggesting following my way of getting a morning glory to the top of your garage. It's just what worked for me. Not at all good looking. If I had the money to do it, I would have one built like the one in this photo, only with trellis work along the sides too. Depending on your garage roof line, you could have it peaked if you wanted. Maybe a good job for your hubby?
http://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/products/m_gs_51051.jpg
Jude, everybody needs a pal like your David. sounds like a honey.
Susan, how special to be able to introduce to introduce the little guy to gardening. You have a permanent place in his heart.
Here is a link to some of my garden photo from the last few years,. I have a number of albums some with just Iris and daylilies and others with some overall garden shots. Let's say, it is very much a work in progress and I never really was going for a cottage garden look in particular, but I think seems to be what it is turning into. My goal over the next couple years is to give it a more overall pulled together cottage garden look. This forum should be a big help. I still have lots of photos from this year to post yet, so will get it up to date this winter.
http://community.webshots.com/user/lincolnitess
Lilacs and allium. Great combnation!