I agree that pictures from the road would be helpful. Some ideas that occured to me though; in the first picture, I'd move the flag to the other side of the door on the blank wall so it's not blocking the view of the window. To the right of the flag, on the rest of that blank wall, add an interesting narrow trelis and grow something not too overwhelming like Clematis. Morning Glories would be okay if you promise to keep them trimmed back and thinned out. You don't want guests to think they're fighting their way in through a jungle. No roses that close to the door unless they are absolutely thornless. Honeysuckle would be great, if you pick something that hopefully has fragrance and definately won't eat the house. I'd move the topairy/standard in a pot out away from the house, to the left hand corner of the landing. I think it would look nice to double the size of the landing too. Make the flower beds as generous as you can, and add some kind of awning or small porch over the door. You want people to *want* to linger for a minute at the door even if it's raining, rather than having to scurry right inside single file. BTW, what's the purple plant to the left of the door? Second picture: two words; porch swing. No, make that porch swing with plump pillows in flowery rose prints (think antique barckcloth) along with a small table that can hold a book and a glass of lemonade. If there's no room for a swing, get a fat old comfortable wicker chair to replace the one with the thin wire legs that's there now. Bigger doormat, with colors that echo the trim of the house or the plantings. Add a little round ball boxwood. Not a hedge of them, just one in the middle of the flowers for whimsey. I don't know how far it is to the street or sidewalk, but my impression is no gazing balls or shiny stuff, there's no room. Ditto no ornamental grasses, which would just make such a small space look weedy. Go with Columbine, as someone else mentioned daylilly and foxglove.

Hi Bobby! I make my attempts at cottage gardening so I'll lend you my opinions for whatever they are worth to you. Actually, overall, I think your south foundation bed is the most color poppin bed in your photo album. Here are some thoughts... Make the bed larger on the east end near the backyard and include in it a small speciman tree. Your house is very tall and no matter what you do with perennials and annuals your not going to get enought height there to bring the bed into scale with the house unless you add something that is at least half the height of the house. A weeping cherry or a weeping red bud would be wonderful there. On your trellis' I would make them larger or fill the gap in the center with another trellis. Then I'd add more clematis to them in white or very pale colors. The lighter colors will help the darker ones to show up. Be careful to add the same pruning type that you have there now because once they are intertwined you'll never be able to prune them correctly if they're different types. If you aren't familiar with clematis types do a google search. Another thought would be to add a repeat blooming rose. Roses and clematis get along famously together! Personally I'd work with the peonies. I think they are wonderful cottage plants and the scent is worth the very short while that they bloom. Hollyhocks, tall delphinium, tall shrub roses, veronica, lupines, more lilies, daylilies, birdhouses on tall posts would all give you some needed height in the bed. Lastly...too much green, as you said yourself. You need lots more flowers of all colors or all pastels, depending on your personal preference, before you are going to get that lush cottage feeling. In addition to the colors...ADD WHITE. White flowers (daisy's are perfect) will help blend all the colors that you add and give the eye a place to rest between colors and they also make each individual color stand out more on it's own. When you are choosing your blooming plants look for things with foliage in verigated, grey tones, and blue tinged tones as well. It helps keep it all from looking "just green". Having said all that I think you have done a good job with your shrub choices which will also give you some backbone for the garden when it is not in bloom ie during winter. In time you'll end up like the rest of us cottagers, adding fencing, arbors and tons of draping roses lol. You're off to a great start. Keep at it...you'll get there. PS Did you know there is a cottage garden forum with a gallery that is to die for and conversation section as well. Stop in. They are the friendliest bunch of folks over there! MeMo

I lost a pine tree about 6 years ago and made a similar-sized cottage garden in the sole sun-space it made in my yard. I have had fun with reseeders that don't take too much water but have dragged a hose during some drought weeks. Here are some additional water-thrifty and long-blooming suggestions: melampodium (reseeds), salvia coccinea, both the pink-and-white and white reseed, tall ageratum (watch this one - can take over but rips up easily enough), white and yellow, red four-o'clocks, belamcanda, dianthus velvet n lace and sooty, agastache rugosa, rosemary, lambs ears beside crimson pygmy barberry, coreopsis superman, lantana chapel hill, daylily pardon me, happy returns, feverfew, vinca, chrysanthemum, penstemon iron maiden, bellflower (platycodon), black and blue salvia, and Johnny's has "gruppenblau" salvia farinacea seed that I planted 5 years ago that has been perennial here in 7A. I did try larkspur, corn poppies, batchelor buttons last fall at Thanksgiving and had low germination for the amount of seed spread but not covered - thought maybe a small amount of mulch might have helped but from Tamelask's comments, maybe not!

almost any chamycypress that won't grow too big. But "big" is all relative. A chamycypress that tops out at 12 h x 6 w might be too big for some gardens or be a perfect anchor or focal point in another. there's no ugly chamycypresses. the foliage is lovely even in winter. I'd like to suggest your question (or search) should be refined quite a bit: you must consider ultimate height, sun tolerance, drought tolerant, resistance to winter burn and dessication. Consider winter foliage color: some evergreens becomewhat I consider a nasty olive; others deepen to bronze or gray and can be lovely. Do you want "green", blue, blue green, gold, yellow, bold, subtle. Can plants grow close to its root system? Can it carry a snow load or are you willing to wrap it in burlap, or build a shed over it or go out the freezing cold to shake the snow off? I will offer my personal experience with alberta spruce. In hot dry climates (or an especially hot dry summer) they are very suseptable to spider mites. As you drive around look at the AS in your area. If there are large areas of brown and defoliation on many it suggests spider mites will be a problem. Of all the "wrong plant, wrong place" problems, I think underestimating the ultimate size of a tree is the biggest and most common problem gardeners make, regardless of experience. Finally, if you are thinking of moving to a true mixed border of perennials, shrubs and trees see if your library has Michael Dirr's Woody Shrubs and Trees. If you have some bucks to burn buy it. It is an indispensable bible on the subject; readable and encyclopedic knowledge. My friends tell me it is available as an app for better on the spot shopping decisions. Long answer to a short question. idabean