Do you use grasses in your cottage garden? if so show me:)

...this one also shows part of the big bed, but you can also see a smaller bed off to the left with yet more grass.

...not too cottagey is my "level bed" still it's got grasses growing on the lower level so I'll throw it in too.......

I thought I had one final picture, but I guess I took this one too early and the grass isn't tall enough too see yet. You'll have to use your imagination on this one, LOL.

There is another clump of Morning Light Miscanthus behind the purple liatris which grows to about 6' tall. It makes a nice solid back drop for all the color in that bed.

Oooo - wonderful! Two enthusiastic thumbs up, Lala!

Jane,
Your garden is simply gorgeous!!!
Kim

Lovely!

Lala Jane,

How do you get your liatris to grow so high? I didn't know that they could get up to 6 feet.

Why thank you everyone. :-D

Pennefeather I worded that badly. The grass BEHIND the liatris grows to 6'. Sorry.

Not a problem, although I was very excited about 6' liatris!

Lala -- Very nice! I just realized I have never seen your gardens before.

Penne, There is six foot liatris -- a couple of them. Plant files has them. I think ligustylis is one, but don't quote me. Seeds are cheap from wildflower farms. Maybe not cheap, but you get a lot of seeds for your money.

Polly, I need some cottagey things like that purple stuff behind your irises in Post #4374177. What is it? (Please don't say Lavender, I have trouble growing that!)

Suzy

Lala,
I really like your use of foliage, both for texture and color. Lovely gardens.
What is the plant with white edged leaves in the front left of the second photo?
I also like the contrast in color for the ground covers in your "level bed". Is that an evergreen with blue leaves in the front? Also what is the lime green ground cover to the right?

Suzy, that's catmint. I can't grow lavender, either. I think it's nepeta 'Blue Wonder'.

Yay! I know it doesn't come true from seed, but I sowed and planted some from Wsing last year. They should bloom this year and I'll know a little better what I have. MIght be a dog, but it might be okay, too. If it looks 1/2 way close to what you've got, I'll be in 7th heaven!

Thanks,
Suzy

I hope it turns out to be a good one. I don't think they come true from seed. If not, let me know, and I should be able to get a piece off mine for you.

Semp that's a variegated dogwood. The blue evergreen is Bar Harbor Juniper, and behind that is an assortment of low-growing sedum. The very light colored one is a fast grower that came to me as a shovel-full from some one else's garden. She called it Creeping Jenny but I don't think that's correct.

That's real nice of you Polly, Thank you! On some things I am really picky about what I grow, and on others I just say 'ah, whatever comes close'.. And in fact, mine is Walker's Low (which also may not come true from seed) not 'Blue Wonder'.

My real problem might be I don't have enough sunshine. ... for any catmint. The seedlings were looking a little on the prostrate side.
Maybe I'll call it Walker's Flat As a Pancake. LOL!

Is yours in full hot blazing sun?

We'll have to chat in April-May and see if we can't work out a little trade of pieces and parts.

Suzy

Wow Lala, great garden!! :) Thanks for the pics :)

Susan

No Suzy, mine's not in full sun. I do have it anywhere from full sun to almost shade, and they do well. I think Walkers Low does tend to flatten out.

I'm up for a trade. I like that, pieces and parts.

Yesssssss! I am very happy to hear it doesn't need full hot blazing sun! Most of those herb-looking things flop terribly for me.

Polly, I guess it's time for me to figure out trade tracker, I think it's supposed to remind me somehow about trades, or maybe more like promises of things to do I have actually never used it.

Suzy

That's good Suzy, so if you don't mind remind me, too. I haven't figured out trade tracker either. I do have a few different nepetas. Some of the subsessilis ones can take quite a bit of shade.

Polly, do you cut your nepeta back in the spring? I planted my first one this summer, and I have been amazed at how it has spread. It actually stayed green through most of December. I'm also wondering if I can prune it so that it isn't quite so wide.

I have low walker.

Due to our different climate, you probably can't compare. Ours dies right to the ground each winter. You can definitely prune them. Actually you would probably have trouble killing it.

I hope maybe someone else that lives in your warmer area, can tell you if they should be cut back in spring. I would think so, but maybe someone else will chime in.

Walkers Low is quite a spreader. Sure is pretty, though.