Just what exactly is "Cottage Gardening"?

ABY, loved the photo of your garden. B.flys are so much fun to watch. Little flying flowers! : )
LouC do Quioxtic and quirky mean the same thing? Good article, thanks for pointing it out. : )
WIB,
SW

I would think they are first cousins.

Good to know! : )
WIB,
SW

Aby, that is definitely a cottage garden!

Abby, I love your garden. This is one of mine,,,, including " Mia, one of my little ducks, playing in the Sprinkler. Ducks do love a nice romp in the cottage gardens.

Here's a pic of my hummingbird/herb garden from last year. I consider my style of gardening 'Cottage Gardening

Beautiful, nanny. How lucky you are to have such a lovely site.

Christi

Indy: What I'd give to have a view across the meadow and into the woods like yours! How lovely. Your garden is a very pretty forepiece to it, too.

Angie

Thanks Christi
Here's another view

Wonderful!

The tree in the middle of that last picture is no longer with us. Last summer in July we had a straight line wind go through and wreaked havoc with a lot of our trees and barn roofs etc. Hurricane Ike also came through a couple of months later but left us alone.

No way to protect ourselves from Mother Nature...just have to bear with it.

Love the pics and Love the phrase "Walk in Beauty" :)

Speaking of nature and how gardeners are connected to it.. Before I was a gardener, I always felt like my outdoor surroundings were so desolate and barren by the end of winter. I always longed for spring.. for the flowers and blooms and green leaves on the trees. Now that I grow as many plants, I see it as a period of much needed rest, a time a recharging before renewal, a time of planning and preparation. Winter is a much needed season to me now. It makes me appreciate my blooms all the more :) Even my brown dormant grasses are beautiful to me in winter. Just today I saw new growth emerging on a rose and it wont be long before my camellias are bursting forth their blooms to herald the arrival of a new season of growth.

:)

Susan

Feel free to use the phrase, "Walk In Beauty". It is both a Blessing and Reminder. I borrowed it from my Dine'
friends.
WIB,
SW

I agree, I often wish for the days of summer even though I live in the perfect climate to be outside year around. But the fact that things slow in winter is a blessing to me, I get time to quilt and plan for next year with no snow to shovel! Love that goose in the garden, how cute that he is coming to play in the sprinkler.

Hi everyone, I am a new kid on the block. I love this thread, and can't wait to start my Cottage Garden. This will be a first for me, as I am new to the whole gardening scene. I like the idea of the cottage garden because of the freedom it allows. I will try to take some before pictures to give you all a general idea of what the bare bones looks like. Hopefully by the end of the season there will be a drastic difference. I love all of your pictures and look forward to chatting with you and seeking answers from those who have traveled this path before me. Happy gardening.

Shirley

Welcome Shirley!

Hi, Shirley, and welcome to DG. You'll find some great and helpful people here! We're excited about your new project, too, and look forward to seeing your progress.

Good luck!

Welcome, Shirley. You will soon be addicted to gardening and DG. I love it, love it, love it.

Christi

Hi everyone :)

not necessarily a newbie but have re-joined the DG when I have managed to convince myself that the $20-1 year subscription fee was worth it ;lol

I have been enjoying the posts and pretty much that's what i have been doing - just reading and taking some notes and drooling over the beautiful pictures of garden posted here . I too have been wanting to have a cottage garden - but I cant seem to get it done - I dont know how to start it - although I think I may have a cottage garden going on for me - just can't see it that way ;lol

My garden constantly gets re-arranged and every year I tend to find something new to do or something new to plant. But i guess because of that - I dont have a garden that grows with time and matures. I have just started planting perrenials - which I think is the key to having a succesful cottage garden.

My husband will not want anything on his way when mowing the weed (er grass) that we have so I need to be careful that my plants are in a contained bed - otherwise - it gets either pulled or mowed over.

for this year - I am planning to start my cottage garden by the front yard complete with a picket fence but he said no (to the picket fence) but he doesn't know yet what my plan is for the yard. lol

I want to have some climbing roses and Clematis and around its feet -probably some rose bushes and lilies and daylilies etc. - I live in Northwest Florida and in the summer - my front yard is sitting under 90 degrees heat no shade - so i need plants that will survive this heat and not constantly thirsty. DH complains about the water bill every summer .lol

I would appreciate it very much if someone can help me find the right plants under this condition :)

Eileen

Eileen: You'll get lots of suggestions, but think of gardens that exist where it is really hot: mediterranean gardens. You can plant lavender, salvias, sedums, moss roses, nasturtiums, and so many others. You get the idea. Just note the sun/shade requirements and water needs. Now, the moss roses and nasturtiums I mentioned are not perennials, but they grow so easily from seed.

Have fun!

Welcome Shirley and Welcome back Eileen. Cottage gardening is so many different things to so many different people. I especially like that there are no rules and no boundaries. Plant what you love and go from there, tweak and make changes as you feel the need. Just enjoy the ride.
Veronica

Eileen, I think one reason its not looking like a Cottage garden to you may be the lack of permanent plants. Sounds like you could use some woody plants for some shade as well. I grow a lot of annuals too, and change things up a bit every year, but that is mostly just filling in around perennials and woody plants. Cottage gardens can be a good option for those with mow-happy partners....it usually leads to removal of most of the grass anyway, LOL.

hi gemini_sage

now that you mention it - i dont really have a lot of perennials really I usually buy annuals - although I have some lilies and daylilies but they were on their own beds - nothing else growing with them.. i didn't really know how to start a cottage garden until I have started subscribing to country garden magazine and told myself - I must start my own cottage garden - now that i know I can grow plants :)

I haven't been gardening for that long and it has only been recently I have learned the difference between annuals and perennials...still a lot to learn but I am willing and able :)

I cant wait for the spring to start my big cottage garden plan - hopefully -my hubby will not lobby on saying no to my plans - I usually get my way but not without a fight ...lol

his idea of a nice front yard is nothing growing except weeds (i mean grass)....im starting a lot of annuals from seeds this year - hoping to save money to buy some perennials that are already established and ready to bloom and maybe start some perennials from seed in the fall for the next season.

I just cant seem to grow perennials from seed though. I have tried so many times in the past and they never come out for me. Is there any special sowing techniques for perennial seeds ?

Hi Flagardener,

Your DH sounds like mine. He doesn't want me to do anything that in his mind creates more work. He is a wonderful husband and I wouldn't trade him for the world, but he just wants a lawn where all you have to do is mow and be done. LOL I on the other hand love plants. Being able to walk outside and see the beauty a garden creates is good for my soul. I like you can't wait for spring to arrive, so I can begin my projects. I had posted earlier on this thread that I would take before and after pictures. I love to see pictures of transformations. If you have a chance you should do the same, it would be great to see where you started and the final results.

Thank you everyone for your warm welcome. I have been a member of DGs for several months. I usually hang out in the Florida Gardening Forum. They are a great group of people, stop by if you get the chance. I loved this thread because I love the look of a cottage garden. Nothing about my life is formal, so this is type of garden is right up my alley. LOL I really appreciate your thoughts and ideas, and look forward to your comments when I post my pictures.

Happy gardening,

Shirley

P.S. I love all your gardening pictures, they are so inspirational.

Eileen, have you tried the wintersowing method for seed starting? I was terrible with seeds for years, but wintersowing sure did change that! I've found it the most reliable and easiest way to start perennials from seed. And a lot of plants are perennial in your zone that are easily propagated from cuttings and/or divisions. You may want to check out the Florida gardening and Plant trading forums, lots of generous gardeners here happy to share extras for postage or trade. Also, I've found smaller plants establish much quicker and easier in the garden than larger plants. Not only does it save money, but purchasing smaller plants typically increases your chances of success.

Eileen, gemini is giving you great advice. Go with it.
Shirley, I love your comment "Nothing about me is formal" my thoughts exactly.
You all start gardening
BTW my DH loves a big lawn and each year I add about a foot around the circumference of my beds. He helps; but we still have a huge lawn so we are still together. LOL

winter sowing - i have read about it - but my problem where I live - there can be days in the winter that it feels like spring even summer - im afraid the seeds will get confused and start sprouting like my bulbs - they were out way too early and then it got cold...

but i guess they have their own way of telling wether or not is time to wake up :) I will definitely try next winter..but i think for this spring , i may have to buy a few perennials and try my hand at cuttings too.. now if only I can find the time and space to do all that..lol

hubby is sport about cleaning up after me though. after a day of back breaking digging and hauling soil and plants - he cleans up- but that's when he whines about me stopping and adding more plants or projects... lol ..

yougershirl - i too feel the same way about my garden -specially when everything's in bloom and pretty. all my hardwork seem to vanish and all I can feel is the joy and the pride of being able to say - i did it!!! who would have thought i can grow lilies and roses when I used to admire them from flower shops and magazines. I even use my garden pix as my main wall accessory in my living room... i love taking pictures and with the digital camera tecnnology - it makes it so easy ...

but a cottage garden is my ultimate dream ...

Hi flagardener, I know how you feel about your dh, I try to do all my digging of lawn er weeds when he isn't home! Then they have no say it's already done! Then just tell him everytime he mows down some of Your plants - you will rip up more of His lawn! he he That's what I do anyway : ) Hubby did finally come around - now he tells me I can anything I want. It is always a nother story when he actually sees me digging it up. ; )

Meredith, too funny!

I recently heard that "it is easier to get forgiveness than permission".

That my friend is so true! : )

You girls are kinivers .If that is how it spelledLOL

Life just would not be fun, if we couldn't have a good laugh every once in awhile. Laughing is one of life's greatest pleasures.

Started out with a "Lawn Worshiper". The more the friends and neighbors brag about the flowers the more helpful he becomes with more beds. Not the first time in 48 years that I have convinced him it was his idea in the first place.

Finesse, girls, finesse.

Christi

that's a good idea :) Christi... but my DH is always good to give the credit back to me .lol... he does like the garden , i guess it's just when I have him water and clean up my mess and see the water bill that he whines a lot .

but when the summer comes and i get to harvest the flowers - that's when I know he was happy for me - because he knows how much I love flowers and he does appreciate the fact that I dont bug him to buy one.

Finesse So that is what you call it..Huuuuummmm

Like being coned into going on a ride through the country looking for seeds of wild bushes..
The direction DW had where GOOFY..We had some good laughs
.Although we came home 3 hrs later empty handed..
We had a Memory Day..Still a good laugh when something reminds of that day..LOL

Tubby

Ah-ha! So, there is a method to the madness, and it is called "finesse". I must need to work a little harder in that area. I am still using the "easier to get forgiveness than permission route". LOL Perhaps I shall try this "Finesse".

He spent the better of today helping to "fence in" a compost bed and then laid the cheapie pavers (8x16") in the area around it that doesn't grow grass. hummmm...less grass.

I'd also like to add here that you can "create" a cottage garden look with planters/pots that are placed right. Here.. I have 2 massive cedar trees in my front yard, and they just suck the life out of everything! So... I've moved to more container planting (while striving for the cottage look). This was just a boring area of my yard until I got it planted up (all containers)