Just wondered what design/designs or flowers would not be typical of a cottage garden? It seems to me like they all belong. Would like some examples if you could!!
Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What flowers are NOT typical of a cottage garden?
IMO, things that are very formal - trimmed hedges, neat rows of identical plants (not the plants themselves) are what cottage isn't. I can't really think of a specific plant that you couldn't find in a cottage garden, perhaps there are just some that are "more-cottagey"?
I agree with what Pagancat says, and would add that anything "tropical" would go against the look.
I had a client who wanted a cottagey look and almost everything flowering that she wanted was tropical. She didn't quite "get" the traditional definition of "cottagey" as most gardeners regard it.
Yes, I agree with Jasper, nothing tropical, cactus or succulents, orchids, things like yucca. Nothing in rows, nothing geometric although topiary is used in CGs.
Cottage gardens have mostly european flowers. (at least the english ones but you can get the same plants here or adapt them).Lots of old roses, climbers, wildflowers mixed with cultivars. Messy garden! Use of trellis and other structures to mainly hold plants up. Potted plants thrown in within borders.
Vegetables used to be grown together with flowers in the old days and some people still do that.
But... you know, Dale does some awfully nice beds in Florida that have tropicals in them. If I can find the one pic I'm thinking of...
Ah well, must have been dreaming!
Pagan, ther is not wrong way. In the end, if you have the right place for them, most of plants will be adequate. There are no rules, really! you make your own CG the way you want it. I bet it will look gorgeous!
Large leaved, tropical looking plants are the ones that look out of place to me in the CG. I tend to concentrate those in one area around the deck where we spend lots of time in summer and they're easier to get brought in for winter. I agree with Pagancat that too much symmetry and formality seems to go against the grain of the traditional CG, but some do use short, neatly trimmed hedges as borders around the more chaotic and voluminous cottage garden plants. I do find the occasional topiary or trimmed hedge offers a pleasant contrast to the wilder looking growth.
I think the plantings depend entirely on the region of the cottage. Maine, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Taos, Santa Barbara, Annapolis. By definition, cottage garden is organic, growing, changing, hiding, discovering, in remission, wild. Eclectic. There is a history in an older cottage garden and the history is established by the history of occupants and the plants they want to see in their garden. The history of plants will continue long after a series of occupants departs. Think of the New England missionaries moving to Hawaii with their concept of a "cottage garden". Then finding they create their garden with banana plants, etc. The garden is defined by the plantings and also the "hardscape". A comemorative rock, a metal wheel, a rocker, a swing. Seems you always ADD to a cottage garden and rarely take away. To me everything is appropriate in a cottage garden. Its wild. If one purchases a house/cottage (old or new) and they want a "cottage garden", they're challenged with creating a "history".
Beautifully said, Aguane!
Traditional cottage garden flowers are meant for a wet summer, dry winter climate with sufficient frost chill.
Most such plants simply don't do well in the arid West. We get no water at all from May through October, and drought is a regular occurrence - we're currently under mandatory 19% reduction in water usage.
And small urban lots, or HOAs, make it hard growing vegetables in the front, which intermingled with flowers is what makes up the "classic" cottage garden in England.
Although not traditional, tropicals are as much a part of cottage gardening in the West as are aeoniums, cotoneaster, phormiums, citrus, and other such "hothouse" plants that elsewhere can't be grown outside, year-round.
Out here in coastal CA we can easily grow plants that English gardeners had to maintain in expensive greenhouses! If they could have grown them in their gardens, I do believe they would have, LOL.
I'm so jealous that you can grow aeoniums outside, that's for sure! I love those plants - and killed every one I ever had. Succulents just ain't my thing, I guess, no matter how I love them!
Pagancat, I used to kill every succulent I had too. Do you usually lose them in winter? That was the problem I had, seemed like one watering when it was too cool and they were goners. The last few years I've started watering them with H2O2 solution (1/2cup peroxide to 1 gallon of water) during the winter, and haven't lost one since!
I would agree with not having evergreens all lined up in a row like soldiers. But I think tropicals would certainly be included. Some of the prettiest cottages I have seen have palm trees around them. Of course they also have a wild mix of roses and other flowers. It depends on where they are located as to what plants would thrive there. I have succulents under my roses and my yard is pretty "cottage". One of the reasons I like the cottage garden look and gardening in general is that there are no hard and fast rules! Other than sunlight and water of course. LOL!
Dirt, don't forget the dirt!
Neal, I think it was definitely my watering practices - I'm pretty inconsistent.
I'll keep your method in mind, should I ever decide to chance a broken heart again .... OH- the humanity! >grin<
...
I will take you through my garden through the summer.
May 11 flowering crab. Another is to my left.
June 4, an overall view.
Something blooming all the time, I think makes a cottage garden.
June 30
There is a small pond in among this garden.
This message was edited Nov 13, 2008 8:08 PM
July 6
Picture taken from NW side facing south. Tree trunk is the flowering crab from earlier picture.
July 6
This is from the north side, looking south.
July 6
This is the east side looking SW.
August 3
Blooming nicely.
October 15
Color still abounds even with some frosts.
Too busy in September to get pictures.
Thanks for looking.
Bernie
Bernie... gorgeous yard!!
I am catching up on the forum, and saw the mention of trellises, etc. to hold plants up.
I just got some willow woven trellises called "wigwams". They make an adjustable pyramid, (taller and skinnier or shorter and wider) They come partially assembled; some zip ties are enclosed for fastening the 3rd side on. It looks like good quality to me and I thought it added instant charm to my flower bed. I really love them! I've used two to flank a stone pathway that winds around to my birdfeeders. I twisted some Confederate jasmine around them; it was already big, transplanted from another spot. Also some clematis is planted underneath. I'm not at all sure that will survive.
I haven't posted a picture on the forum yet, but I will figure it out if anyone is interested in seeing these. I had to look a while on the internet to find them. They came from Gardening with Kids.
Huh - those sound interesting. Did you see the kind of three-stick-and-string trellises on the first trellis thread by wind (or was it willow, lol)? I'd like to see yours.
Cactus - you've managed to blend it all very tastefully! So beautiful!
Country, yes, a water feature of some sort (even a bird bath) is a must! All those fun things like armillaries, sun dials, statues, bridges, wishing wells, etc. make a garden cottagey, too!
Thanks PSue! I think I garden this way partly because I can't stand to pull out all the volunteers. ; )