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Garden Gate:  cottage gardens  |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 09:30:46 AM
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Does anyone else LOVE cottage gardens? Again this year I planted old fashioned flowers & they are everywhere. I try to have my garden look like it was there all along. I don't like manacured looking gardens so mine is a bit wild looking but neat. I have a bench in the shade and I can read out there. I had peas, radishes and beans in the front but now its flowers like pholx, cone flowers, hollyhocks, 3 different daisies and babys breath. The back is loaded w/ the same plus lavender, larkspur,honeysuckle,morning glories, sweetpeas and my herbs like basil, rosemary, more lavender, sage, chamomille and lots of tyme (my fav. herb)I just love it so much, butterflies everywhere, honey bees, can't wait for the ladybugs. Now that my garden is so 'cottage" looking I once again made the inside of my home look the same. I keep going back and forth between the cottage and farm look for the inside of my home, actually thats what I love about the whole cottage thing, anything goes and when your as "fickle" as I am, thats a good thing! 
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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wvtracy
Farmgirl in Training
15 Posts
Tracy
Stephens City
VA
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 10:12:02 AM
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I love cottage gardens. That's the only way I plant! I would love to see pictures of your garden. It sounds amazing!
I bought my first blueberry bush. It's loaded with fruit. Do I need to have two...male and female?...I'm not sure how that works.
Tracy
www.handstoworkdesigns.com |
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Lavender Cottage
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Ellen
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 10:20:04 AM
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Michele-yes, me too. :) I have many old fashioned flowers-hollyhocks, lavender, lillies, honeysuckle, trumpet vine, wisteria, lilacs, lilly of the valley, several old fashion roses and am I sure many others. Plus, of course what grows wild. I need to weed something awful though! :)
Your garden sounds lovely and I think I have my home cottage looking too-or at least that is my goal. It is small and I try to keep things simple-decorate with things that I can use and easy to care for
And, yes the wonderful butterflys, birds, bees, rabbits, and other criter's that come 'round!
Glad I saw this and also glad I saw your post back on the hair style one! :)
Back to work for me now-oh-I would so rather be home outside today-well, most days-enjoy! :)
Ellen in MI |
Edited by - Lavender Cottage on Jun 21 2006 10:21:10 AM |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 10:20:08 AM
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my husband is going to help me put in pictures of my garden this w/end. I am so tech-challenged! I am not sure at all about blueberry bushes needing to be male or female BUT Robin (TymeFor EweFarm) would know. You can click on her screen name or just post it here on the garden gate, someone will give you an answer.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 10:21:40 AM
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Ellen, I may have already posted this but I do love your lavender Cottage name, its so pretty.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Phils Ann
True Blue Farmgirl
1095 Posts
Ann
Parsonsburg
Maryland
USA
1095 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 10:58:55 AM
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Tracy, I also planted blueberry bushes (2) this year, and have read about it for about a decade... First thing is, they say to remove (big sigh) the berries so the root system can use the energy to become established. You should have berries with just one bush. They aren't male/female, but having more than one variety is supposed to increase the yield a whole lot. Also, the ph is really important--needs to be very low, preferably 5 or lower (extremely acidic), and elemental sulfur (garden sulfur) is recommended most often. A lot of sulfurs are "amonium sulfur" or some other type that apparently isn't good. A friend of mine uses coffee grounds all year long, saves them just for her (6) bushes. She still uses sulfur, though, and we're acidic around here, with a ph of 6 being normal. She says if the ph is too high it will kill the bush. Best wishes!
Ann
There is a Redeemer. |
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Phils Ann
True Blue Farmgirl
1095 Posts
Ann
Parsonsburg
Maryland
USA
1095 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 11:08:08 AM
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Michele, I also love cottage or English gardens. My larkspur are blooming along with lychnis, roses, feverfew.... orphanage plant (Select Seeds; a petite daisy-type flower), nicotiana, phlox, perennial sweetpeas. Hollyhocks and pink poppies are on their way with white four 0'clocks. It IS hard to weed when your annuals self-seed, but God just does a better job of locating than I've ever done. :) I read years ago that the cottage border should be at least five feet wide, so that's where I began, but they keep spreading outward, and the flag iris forms a big hump, so the border now waves in a nice wide swoop.
There is a Redeemer. |
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Lavender Cottage
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Ellen
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 11:29:50 AM
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Thanks again Michele-my dream is to one day have an herb type garden shop and name it Lavender Cottage. I have a lot to learn about herbs first though.
Ann, I agree with it being hard to weed when you let things self seed. I bet your garden is lovely too. I saw a beautiful larkspar today and I may have to buy another plant. Mine bit the dust a few years back.
Tracy, I would like to hear more about what you have planted.
Can't wait to see pictures. :)
Ellen in MI |
Edited by - Lavender Cottage on Jun 21 2006 11:36:06 AM |
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wvtracy
Farmgirl in Training
15 Posts
Tracy
Stephens City
VA
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 2:03:59 PM
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Ann, thanks for the info about blueberries. I think I will keep it on the porch til the blueberries are done and then plant in the fall. I don't have the heart to pick them off unripe!
Ellen, I have lots of fairy roses, peonies, my double hollyhocks are blooming right now. Black eyed susans, pink coneflower, veronica in pink and white. Lavender, geranium (the perenial kind), larkspur, pinks, bee balm, daisies, nasturtims (I don't think I spelled that right), snow in summer, beard tongue....that's all I can think of off the top of my head. Oh and daylillies.
Tracy
www.handstoworkdesigns.com |
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Cindy Texas
True Blue Farmgirl
52 Posts
Cynthia
Mena
Arkansas
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2006 : 6:05:51 PM
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I love cottage gardens also! I have lots of flowes in front of my house and I have a bird feeder and bird bath with them and it is so pretty. I also have window boxes on my windows with flowers in them. The whole picture is very English garden and I love it so much.
Cindy |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2006 : 04:48:01 AM
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glad you got your answer to the blueberry bushes. Isn't it a wonderful thing to put it out there & so quickly get a response! I am also so thrilled to have so many love the cottage garden's. I have MANY books on herbs as I've been growing them forever but still have MUCH to learn on the subject, it's never ending. If anyone needs info or needs to borrow a book, let me know also there are girls on this forum who are very knowledgable and make their living at it. If you have a question concerning herbs go to the herbal wisdom forum. I love learning & sharing info on flowers & herbs.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Lavender Cottage
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Ellen
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2006 : 06:41:27 AM
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My old-fashion small pink climbing roses are just beautiful today. They are growing on the old-weathered snow fence at the property line. Wish I could share a photo, but I'm here at work and the roses and my camera are at home.
Tracy, your garden sounds beautiful. I have peonies, and I think one of those geraniums. My sis-in-law gave it to me years ago.
Cindy, what types of flowers are in your English garden? I have to get my bird bath out. It is just a pretty dish that I keep water in and put out on a small pedistal thingy (bricks and a ceramic tile) for the birdies. Window boxes are so pretty. What do you have in them?
I would like to make it so when I enter and leave my home it is a seemless cottage feel. Any ideas?
Enjoy! :)
Ellen in MI |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2006 : 09:23:11 AM
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I just picked up a birdbath last night, my old one broke somehow when I went to get it out of my potting shed. It isn't a real expensive one at all but it does the trick. I also have a small butterfly dish for the butterflies, they used it last year so I thought I'd try it again. I think Im going to dig up my very old rosebush and plant a few more. I like the smaller climbers, must be pink! My old rosebush only blooms a few red roses now just once a season. I've been trying to bring it back to life every year but this year it's really very sad looking. I can't have a cottage garden w/out some roses. I was out there all morning, now I shower, eat & get ready for work.  I'd rather be gardening!!
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2006 : 12:43:39 PM
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Over the past nine years I have been working toward the cottage garden look. In the back my big flower bed has finally filled in and has started to take on that rambled, but kinda organized look of a cottage garden. I have lavender, a climbing fairy rose (right now is in full bloom with pink mini roses) it is climbing on a copper trellis my dad made with copper plumbing pipe. I have a church bird house on a post that has a pink jasmine all over it, butterfly bush, tree mallow, shasta daisies (both single and double), balloon flowers, cat mint, gladiolus, various sage, ladies mantle, columbine, list goes on. I have a small bird bath that is a mosaic of a rose. My mother duck and duckling statues are tucked in there two. Some day I want a picket fence in front of our house and line the fence with lavendar, red poppies, iris, etc. Someday...
Anne in Portland
"Second star to the right, straight on till morning" Peter Pan
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Edited by - asnedecor on Jun 25 2006 12:44:14 PM |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2006 : 5:52:44 PM
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Anne, it sounds so lovely. I love climbers & I love that wild but organized look.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Hideaway Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1553 Posts
Jo
Virginia
USA
1553 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2006 : 04:12:56 AM
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Well, I love cottage gardens and admire those created by others but don't have one of my own ... yet.
Phils Ann mentioned in her post that a friend uses coffee grounds for her blueberries. What a great tip - DH's grandfather taught me to use coffee grounds around my roses years ago but I never knew that blueberry bushes could use the grounds too. I have a single bush which used to produce nice berries, but it has not done much the last couple of years. It might be a PH thing, so I'd better go make another pot of coffee...
It is so interesting to read these posts; there are always nuggets of valuable info to be found, aren't there?
Jo |
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Garden Gate: cottage gardens |
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cottage gardens
