What a fun thread!
I am the mother of two wonderful sons and grandmother of two little gardeners.
My love of gardening comes from my grandparents and parents the latter who wisely gave me my very own little patch to plant as I pleased after catching me digging a foot deep hole in the middle of an otherwise pristine lawn to plant a chestnut seed...I was 7. I've checked back occasionally, it hasn't shown up yet:)
Over the years I've done my share of veggie gardening without much luck, it really wasn't until J and I bought our little cottage in the middle of our beautiful little UNESCO town that I really became passionate about flowers.
I spent a few years in England and Ireland and the gardens I saw there have inspired me but it is you, dear cottagers who have helped me the most. Martha

Ex-Navy brat. Irish mom meets handsome American solider in England..then I come along in 1960.

Lived all over the world and seen many places.

Married and have 3 beautiful dogs. I love dogs and wish I could have dozens more.

Someday hope to own a farm and rescue unwanted animals and kids.

Artist by trade. Own a printing company. Ironically I saw the first press ever made by Johannes Gutenberg when I was 5.

I love critters and most especially wolves, hence my screen name. They are simply the most majestic animals I have ever seen.

Found Cottage in 2003 while trying to find out info about foxglove. Been a regular ever since.

Edna

Hello, Edna!

I was a Navy brat. My mom is from England. She met my dad, when he was there on R&R after WWII. Later on he proposed by mail, sent her funds to come to America, she came over on HMS Queen Mary, married my dad and became a naturalized citizen.

Years ago I had a canine companion who was half coyote, one quarter timber wolf, and one quarter border collie.
One of my current dogs is a German shepherd. I often tell her that I think she is a wolf in dog clothing. Her behavior is much like that of my old friend the coyote-wolf dog.
Lorna

Hi everyone,

My name is Evelyn and live in NW, Illinois.

I've been gardening for over 15 years.

My garden experience is mostly trial and error - I killed around 16 roses one year - they were all hybrid teas and I didn't know anything about winterizing.

I have a small greenhouse and am really into cottage gardening.

I am married and have been with my DH for 20 years.

I have three dog - all poodles - Xena (aka Pickle), Pookie and Tiger.

Plant favorites include roses, peonies, clematis, sedums, OG, asters, catmint, salvia, perennial geraniums, heliopsis and more!!

I picked the user name, bellarosa, because it means beautiful rose in Spanish.

I've met and got autographs from some of my favorite garden heroes: Stephen Scanniello, Penelope Hobhouse, Tracy DiSabato-Aust, Stephanie Cowen and Roger Swain.

I love being on the Garden Forums and have learned so much from all of you. Its great to be among so many garden buddies!

Hello everyone; hopflower here. I was born in Kent (the Garden of England) and it is traditional that hops are grown there for beer. They are a beautiful vine and since I like beer and ale, I like hops. The flowers are lovely and the smell heavenly; in my opinion. Another heavenly scent is from Sweet Peas which I grow to a ridiculous degree. I am a fanatic on them and am always on the lookout for new varieties and have tried hybridising new ones. I like almost all flowers, and grow Hippeastrums as well. I live in No. CA now, where we have been enjoying ferocious storms the last few days!

I know there are more of you out there...come out, come out where ever you are.

I'm here!!

Hi, my name is Georgeanne or g'feffa on goofy days. I've now been retired for 1 year as of Jan 1st. and I'm still on cloud nine. I taught Health and Physical Education till my 3 babies came along. When I went back to work I did a 180 degree career change and became a childrens librarian where I spent 20 years on a little stool as the story hour lady.

I married into a farm family that moved into the city. My FIL and MIL taught us sooo much. I hope to pass it along to all kids and g'kids. My DH taught Social Studies for 35 years in the inner-city. He's still somewhat sane and I credit it to his time in the garden. We volunteer at Ronald McDonald House and have somehow found ourselves working in their garden too.

So...I'm back to the little stool only now it's outside.
Thanks to all you cottage gardeners I've rekindled a passion for playing in the dirt. We have six acres of an old wheat field on a hill looking over a dairy farm and because of all the things I've learned from this forum...I'll have to live to 105 to plant everything I want to try. We even planted a maze with 350 arbs (a definite g'feffa moment.)

I love visiting and learning from you all and especially your wonderful sense of humor.

Go Bucks!
georgeanne

Happy New Year everyone!!
I have never introduced myself. Iam 51yrs old, till March:-)
DH and i have a small lot in the city. We have 2 cats & 3 dogs. We are grandparents of alot of GK's.(20)
I never thought in my widest dreams Id have 20 GK's
I was surfing around GW in December looking for interesting topics and pictures, when I noticed 'Cottage garden'.I thought to myself "Why not take a look and see".

Iam so glad i did. The people were so friendly and nice, and also helpful to each other in their postings. And the pictures are beautiful! So ive been coming back checking to see if anyone was going to revive this site again. Because i like to be a part of this network of folks too!

Patti, iam so glad you started this thread! Thank-you;-)

I was given a pack of snapgragon seeds when i was 7yrs old.
I knew from school to get a sm milk carton, put dirt in, and add the seeds, the water, sit it in the sun and wait. Well they GREW!! I dont know how when i think back at where i got that dirt from! It was from packed dirt near the sidewalk.
LOL. From there i was always interested in growing things.

I have to say my garden is at most eclectic. A lil' bit of this, A lil' bit of that. But i've always wanted a cottage garden like in England or Ireland.

I do have a white picket fence though! Always dreamed of one!
I bought a small greenhouse and trying to figure out what to do with it.
I have grown alot of different plants. From monarda to musa. And still have alot to learn!

I finally have a camera. Still have to get the memory card. Iam looking forward to posting pictures, reading post, and getting to know each other!

Oh, my name is Lynn......Have a great Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-)

Hello everyone. I have been here off and on since 2003. I am 68 years old; been married for 46 years next March. We have two grown children and 5 grandchildren.

We live on a farm in southwest Missouri and are retired dairyfarmers who now have a small herd of Black Angus cattle.

I got chickens two years ago and love having them and the eggs! In addition, we have two cats and one (digging)dog who is in trouble a good deal of the time.

My gardening style is a sort of combination of Cottage/Country/Farm. I don't do a lot of planning.............just plant what I like.

We have a pretty large yard that used to be mostly shady, but with the recent ice storms and tornadoes, we have lots more sun. I just decided to remove all the overgrown Yews from the foundation, so, in a way, I am starting anew. I look forward to sharing the progress with everyone as I go.

Y'all hop over to the gallery and post your pictures......please? :^)

I live in the foothills in the Bay Area, the warmer and dryer part just northwest of San Jose. It's a nice climate with dry summers, but I long for a bit more winter rain, though not, of course, all at once. I hang out a lot on the Antique Rose Forum, and also on Readers Paradise, which has sometimes been part of Gardenweb and sometimes not. Lately I've been spending some time on the Fruits and Orchards Forum, too. I've been posting on and off for maybe ten years or longer, since back when Spike owned Gardenweb and we didn't have to register to post. I began gardening in my teens by following my father's example. Life intervened. I resumed gardening a dozen years ago because I was interested in creating a beautiful haven full of color and scent and mystery, a place apart from the outer world which sometimes I really don't like very much. After a while I became interested in growing food plants, too. I quickly decided not to try to grow all our food, so this year we purchased a CSA share. That means each week we pick up a box full of produce from a local organic family farm. I'm eagerly anticipating creating wonderful meals with all that food. Anyway my blend of useful and decorative plants seems to me to be the essence of a true cottage garden, though I suppose the addition of chickens and a couple of dairy goats would make it that much more authentic. But my only animal is my dog Freya, a famous and clever food thief.

What else? Oh yes, happily married, children grown and actually on quite friendly terms with me, something I would not have offered even money on ten years ago when they were all in their teens.

I posted my picture on the thread in the gallery that was going around last summer, along with Freya the Food Thief. Is that the thread you meant, NatvTxn?

Rosefolly

Hi, my name is Brenda and I'm a gardenaholic.

Since others are getting so personal, I guess I will as well. I'm 44 and married to my soul mate and have 2 wonderful young children, a boy 6, and a girl 4.

I used to be a career woman with a high pressure job as a software development manager in Silicon Valley, but quit in 2001 after I had my son and they had the dotcom crash. We couldn't afford to live in the Bay Area on one salary so we moved back to western NY where I grew up - where the cost of living is very low and the soil is rich and loamy and we get regular rainfall. I absolutely love being a stay-at-home mom with time to garden and enjoy life.

I found gardenweb when doing an online search for something, and I've been coming here for probably 4 years, lurking for the first year. This is my favorite forum because the people are the friendliest and I love seeing people's photos. I check in most days, although I spend more time in the winter and get too busy with the garden in the summer. I love being able to ask questions and find answers from people who already know.

I have the following gardens:
- redbed - all red flowers
- shades of purple back bed - stone wall raised bed in the back yard
- side garden - a little bit of everything here
- circular potager - organic veggies, cutting flowers, and tree nursery new this year
- front beds - the only shade I have is from my house, so hostas and others
- orange and yellow barn bed - also new this year
I'm maxed out trying to manage this many gardens, although I will probably succumb to creating just one more woodland garden. But not this year.

Gardening is pretty all consuming, but in the winter my other hobbies are reading and science. I'm really glad for the winter to get a rest from my addiction.

I also love to do garden photography. See my album for excessive photos of my garden, and to see my cottage style. If a picture's worth a thousand words, then these photos will save me a lot of typing!

Here is a link that might be useful: My photo album

Rosefolly, I started a thread "y'all chicken or What" in the gallery. Some of us have posted our pics there.

My name is Terry and my wife and I live on the Mississipi coast.

When I'm not tazering Christmas carolers I work on my 32 acre future home site. I hope to release pheasants and peafowl on the land, and someday have a few Appaloosa horses.

I don't have a cottage garden but stumbled upon the wonderful trivia questions. BUT someone usually beats me to the answer... so I just lurk.

Terry

Quite a few bay area folk here.

Loved reading about each and everone of you. Hope you stick around. I love learning from you all.

Lorna, sounds as if we have a lot in common. Very nice to meet you.

hopflower, I'm a sweetpea nerd too and most recently a bug lover.
{{gwi:425654}}

Terry
I want to jump in here for a minute. When I was five my GM stayed with us while Mother was in the hospial. Once she came home Daddy took GM and I to her house. He got the truck stuck in the mud twice. So the decision was made that she and I would walk in...in the dark , through the mud. About half way there a pea hen screamed out. She said I almost broke her hand and ask, "Granny, is that a coyote!?".

hi all
My name is Ellen and I am a gardenweb addict :-) I've been on Gardenweb for at least 5 yrs and believe it's the greatest gardening resource on the internet. I live on a small horse farm in central MA with 2 horses and 3 nutty dogs (2 border collies and a lab/hound mix) and a very tolerant husband! Horses and gardening are my passions, and they go well together because all that manure makes great compost!
I started "garden coaching" last year after leaving a highly stressful corporate job, and also write for magazines and newspapers. Nice to meet you all :-)

NatvTxn... I know some can't stand the call of a peacock, but I have always loved it... from a distance. If they start to roost on my roof, instead of a tree hundreds of yards away, I may have to rethink this.

Terry

Hello everyone!
My name is Stephanie and I have been off and on Garden Web for the past 7 years or so. For some reason, the wintermonths and the weather they bring seem to completely wipe all things gardening out of my head but I am a new Winter Sower as of this year so maybe that has changed for good!
I live in NE Kansas with my husband and two kids 5 and 9, in the first home we've ever owned. Needless to say that ownership has given me a very large license to go crazy and the cottage style has and always will be, my favorite. I love that there are no RULES to follow. Do what you like and plant what you love.
My DH is my official hole digger and does so very willingly. I've had enough successes to prove myself to him so he follows along and keeps my spending in check!

I love this forum and others on gardenweb like so many of you and while I don't know you all very well, I do know the regulars by screen name and love reading your posts and looking at your pictures. I get so much enjoyment and information from this forum.

Happy Gardening in 2008 everyone!

Hello to all. I am a 61 year old School nurse who loves to garden! I live in Bucks county PA not too far from Philly in a small house in Levittown.

For years and years my favorite kind of garden was a vegetable garden but then the groundhogs who live in a creek behind my house became a huge problem and I switched to growing flowers. I've been coming to Gardenweb for about 4 years and I just love it.

Besides gardening I love to read and also do genealogy. I am looking forward to the time when I can retire and have even more time to spend on my hobbies!

Joann

Oh, my! Ellen wrote, "I started "garden coaching" last year after leaving a highly stressful corporate job, and also write for magazines and newspapers."

If I were a bit more knowledgeable gardener that would definitely be my dream job!!!

Hello and Happy New Year, y'all ! Great thread, Pattioh.
I'll be reading through all these posts and getting to know each of you a little better.

I guess I've been gardening all my life. I remember planting radish seeds in egg cartons in kindergarten and being so thrilled to see them sprout. We've been at this house, which we built just east of Dallas, 12 years now. And there was nothing here when we started, just a flat 5 acre rectangle of grass. So everything that's here, we put here - we can take all the credit and all the blame. Slowly but surely, the trees and shrubs are getting tall, and the landscape is becoming established. I've been addicted to roses, but they don't stand alone - I added daylilies and clematis and daisies, and next thing you know, I had a cottage look going on. I think it appeals to me, because I want some of everything. I've learned a lot from this forum and love seeing all your photos.

I'm originally from western New York, came to Texas to work in the horse business in the late 70's, was breeding manager on an Arabian Horse farm for years, and now I'm retired - I quilt and I garden, and I volunteer in the community. I'm definitely one of those "dirt under the fingernails" girls, nothing makes me happier. My wonderful DH is building me a greenhouse, our DS is in college, and our two faithful labs are great garden helpers.

Here's to great gardening in the New Year !

Carol

Hello all! I'm a Lurker/Regular. Haven't posted on here for quite a while, it seems that there just are never enough hours in the day to do everything I would like to do.

I live in South Jersey, but I'm originally from Northeast Louisiana, have been up here going on 10 yrs, which I find hard to believe. My goodness how time flies.

I'm an obsessessed gardener and definitely qualify as a cottage gardener. Definitely think I have adult "ADD" which is why I love cottage gardening, so as I jump from one area of the garden to the other doing this and that, it doesnt matter, it just works! I'm 54, married with two grown (sometimes) daughters, and a grown step-son, 4 grandchildren, one of which lives with us, and one grandchild on the way. I also love photography and as some of you probably know, I go a little crazy posting pictures sometimes. Haven't posted any in a while so I'll have to do that soon. I work full time, unfortunately, as a legal secretary, but it pays the bills so I can order new roses, which I am so seriously running out of room for!

I love my garden, because when I out there working in it, I truly believe it's the only time I'm actually at peace with myself, except maybe when I'm in Church. Nothing else matter at that moment except what's going on in my garden at that very moment. It's a feeling I sometimes can't find the words to describe, it's just wonderful.

We have an American Bulldog named Cloe, an Absynnian cat named Sable, who by the way hates Cloe, but Cloe could care less. Sable can be boxing Cloe in the face (she has no claws) and Cloe just looks at her with this goofing looking face she has, which just infuriates Sable even more! Got to love your pets you know, they make life so much more interesting.

That's really about all there is to say, except "COME ON SPRING"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Melinda

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I've visited. Like everyone has lovingly stated, I love to visit this forum for the information and kindheartedness shared here.

Last summer I became very ill and my doctors really didn't know what was wrong. Very long story short, it was believed that I had a form of cat scratch fever. Like everyone here, I too passionately love gardening. However, after I became ill, I honestly was (afraid) to go back into my garden. I didn't know what to do.

But fast forward to now...I no longer am afraid to garden, but I am very much looking forward to it. For a long time I wanted to post here and ask for support in ridding myself of this fear, but thank GOD I am so excited about the upcoming spring!!!

I hope my post hasn't been a "downer" to anyone. I just wanted to share. Honestly, this is the first time I have shared that I had been afraid to venture back into the garden.

But on a lighter note, I am just ecstatic and inpatient for the spring time. I want to build an arbor, so if anyone has any tips/advice or pictures of arbors/pergolas, please share.

I'm Donna and I think this is one of the most friendly forums on GW. We built our new home here about 21/2 years ago. We have 5 acres of bare land that had not been used for anything but growing oats for the last 30+ years. We have a seasonal creek, the banks are planted with almond, black walnut and cottonwood trees. Unfortunately, it has become a jungle of tamerask, bamboo and berry vines, all very invasive. The jungle has become a home for a family of foxes, a bobcat, some raccoons, an ocasional possum and skunk. There are lots of birds nesting in the trees.

We are just starting to get some flower gardens planted. I started a flower/rose garden last spring and it needs lots of work. The garden covers over 1/4 an acre. The only other planting has been a small orchard and a vegetable garden. I have been busy over at the wintersowing forum as I have come to realize that I must plant my garden cheek to jowl to crowd out the weeds. Star thistle is not pretty!

I love to see all the photos of peoples gardens. They are so inspiring. So far, I have been trying to plant as many perennials as possible. My biggest mistake was when I bought a box of seeds at Wallmart labeled "Cottage Garden seeds" I scattered the seeds all over my flower garden, not realizing how big the plants would get. I ended up with Cosmos and Rudbeckias up in front covering all my snapdragons and lavender. I will be busy moving or shovel pruning all the seedlings that come up this year. I plan to move all the Rudbeckias to the back side of the bed with all my orange/yellow plants for everyone who drives down the dirt road behind my garden

That is a beautiful picture of the bee on sweet pea, danceswithwolves. It is a scene I love seeing; know what you mean about the insects and bees in particular! :)

I'm Jackie and maybe mostly lurk but I do post. I live outside of Boston in MA and garden on a rocky hill with a truly amazing view of the city. I actually only rent this property but have been here for 4 years and have been restoring and extending gardens that someone at some point built here years and years ago. There were even some amazing perennials that seemed to have survived maybe 20 years of some serious neglect (siberian iris, some bearded iris, rose campion, hostas, daylily and even a geranium sanguineum) Last summer I think I achieved a goal (didn't realize it was a goal until it was done) of completely surrounding my house with flowers. I could look out every window and see flowers. I am not sure if I really set out to make a cottage garden here in the beginning but realized as I went along that is what I was doing. I love tall plants, plants spilling over onto walkways and plants self-seeding everywhere. I work in the Biotech industry and love my job but often wish I was paid to garden (I have even told my gardens I would stay home and weed and water if they could find a way to pay me a salary). Anyway, although it was not intentional really I guess I should correct a misunderstanding I think my name has created...I am actually a guy! Jackie is my family nick name from when I was little (I think it was from being born in Hyannis MA in 1961 so near the Kennedy's). I was obsessed with flowers and gardening as a kid and although not many people know me as Jackie now it seems really appropriate that it is my "garden name".

Hi Cottagers!

First I want to say welcome back to Friend. Missed you girl!! And welcome to all the new folks whose names I don't recognize. I guess I'm a regular here, it'll be five years come April.

I live on a Farm/Ranch in North Central Nebraska. We raise Black Angus cattle and Hampshire hogs. We have all the usual farm animals around the place as well as goats and donkeys. We also raise corn or soybeans (most years) as well as alfalfa, oats, rye and wheat. Our farm is situated along two sides of a river and we have all kinds of wild life that we share space with. We also have dogs. Two Blue Tick coon hounds and two Jack Russell terriers. And then there is the lovely Flower, our white, long haired kitty cat. Between me and the Rancher we have six kids and a daughter-in-law and just one of them is left at home, a Freshman in high school this year. We also have four grandsons, one grand baby on the way and one new great-grandson. I keep asking myself how I could possibly be a great grandmother at 49??!!! We'll be adding a new son-in-law to our family next Saturday.

I was a cottage gardener long before I even knew there was a name for us ;) I don't get nearly as much done in a season as I would like to anymore because I have become disabled but I still strive to garden when I'm able to. This year I will be concentrating on filling in some beds the Rancher made for me last year and also planting grass seed (never got it done last year). I started here in a yard that has never seen landscaping or plants and so I've been recovering small sections of wild, weedy land each year. And surprisingly, I'm winning the war!

When I'm not cooking, canning, cleaning and helping the Rancher, I also enjoy quilting and sewing. I have a long list of quilts I want to start working on as soon as I finish hand quilting a king sized wedding quilt that I've been working on since last August. I'll be going to long arm quilting soon so I should get through my list a lot faster now!

Have a great gardening year everyone!

MeMo

How I miss you all! I haven't been on the forums much because an avalanche of work landed on me in 2007. My garden was pretty much left to its own devices (except when an electrical problem knocked out our irrigation system and I had to water by hand for a few weeks). My roses are coming into their third season and should start to strut their stuff. I'm looking forward to that!

My beloved Nikki cat was diagnosed with cancer in early October and the grieving began as I watched her decline until she died just after the New Year. However, God has blessed me with a new rescued cat, Minou, who has been such a joy. I also adopted another kitty resembling Nikki, but who is still not quite adjusted yet - well, it's only been 2 days. Anyway, I'm usually here, posting about various things (though lately, it's very cat-centric).

Anyway, I'm still here on the CG forum reading your posts and enjoying your photos from time to time. Nice to see so many new people join in the fun.

Anne

Anne!!!!!! So happy to hear from you!!!! Happy New Year!!!

So sorry to hear of your dear Nikki.

(((HUGS))) Edna

I joined in Dec. last year after we started our DIY kitchen remodel(no, more still to be done but looking good) In the spring we started working outside and that's when I started with this forum. I also go to the decorating forum and the cooking forum... running madly from one to another there is not enough time.I admit since late Dec my thoughts have turned more to decorating inside than out.
I am 54 and I live in MD with my DH of 27 long,long years!, DD19 and DS 24. Also Cooper and Bailey, our golden retrievers. You probably have seen them here and there on various forums, at times wearing silly hats. I know its a sickness according to my DH! actually its just a good training exercise and they do love it. They are our best buddies.
They wrestled thru all of my gardens and now we have green wire fencing around all of my back garden which isnt wonderful but we have gardens we will work to wean them off of fencing this summer. Now they have grown a bit
( dogs that is!) they love to hang out in the yard while I am working and keep me company. In the front yard they help by lying next to where I am working in the garden which is not too good for plants. I had a nice new azalea, but Cooper accidently sat on it! we will see how well it comes back. It is all fun.
I hope to have time to get out the seeds from the swap this weekend and fondle them! It was my first one and so much fun. I never would have spent time cleaning those @#%$&@ seeds if it weren't for the swap. It kept me entertained all growing season, thinking of sending my seeds to parts unknown and receiving seeds from folks all over the continent. cool.
I have gardened forever, with varying effort and success. I can't wait for spring. I am trying to figure out a way to winter sow without providing hours of fun for the dogs.
Trail runner- all those antique bricks I got on Craigslist are still neatly stacked behind the garage. Good intentions just havent got me very far. I keep wanting to go dig an put them in but DH says we need a plan and there we are. LOL Can you tell who is the planner in the family? Not me. flowers grow where I plop them and I often dig them up and move them.
I am also a 10 year Bresst cancer survivor so I have a bit of silly a**ed humor about me at times. I try to make every day a good day, but of course with family and stress it doesnt always happen. I just was diagnosed with arthritis in my hands and spine and I am determined not to let that slow me down I will start looking for adaptive stuff so I can find it when I need it. I was going to learn to snowboard with my DD this month but I think I better get into better shape first. Most of my friends are younger than I am because the ones my age don't do much but watch tv.
I work full time as does DH and we are paying $$ college tuition and look forward to 2010!
Anyway so many good people on this forum and I enjoy reading and looking at the beautiful garden photos from all around the continent and Portugal. Yours,in dirt, Sue

I used to be a regular but for some reason moved on. Mora, who lives but a day's fishing boat trip away from me, encouraged me to come visit the forum again, so here I am. I see a lot of nice cozy names still here, and there are a lot of nice new cozy folks too!!

Anne, I need to mention something to you first and foremost. I truly know what you feel these days and am sorry for the passing of your beloved Nikki. My Minnie, a Calico, passed away on Sunday morning. We had rescued her from a boulevard in the city 17 years ago in -28C weather. My heart aches with your's. And just like you, we also have a new family member known to me as 'Little One'. Part Calico and part Tabby she was found in a box in the woods close to our home by neighbours taking a walk. She's a gift sent to soften the heart in such difficult days.

I enjoy gardening and it's simple ways of bringing pleasure. I am the kind of gardener that will winter sow seeds and wait five years for a perennial to reach maturity without losing patience.

I let things reseed and fill the gardens to the brim. There are no colour schemes and sometimes there is no regard to height which makes for quite the look. The butterflies and hummingbirds and all others seem to like it and so do I and so that is what matters.

Last year I began raising Monarchs which I truly loved. Feeling sad when the last one was released on October 15th, I commited to extending their gardens next year and already have 3 huge lasagna gardens laid out for Asclepsias and Buddleias to be planted in next year. I am so looking forward to their arrival next year!

{{gwi:375112}}

Nicole/Tiffy

Sue glad to see you here. I wondered what had happened to the bricks. I have a new way to use the last of mine so I am going to get started with that this coming weekend if the weather cooperates. I will post pics. c

Hi Nicole(aka Tiffy)you were the very first person who welcomed me to the Garden Web so I'm happy to be the first to welcome you back to the "cottage"
I sure would love to see more pics of your beautiful gardens.I'm also planting more for the monarchs, I'm addicted to them, spent hours this summer counting and mithering over little "cats":)
Hope to meet up with you lots here and maybe in the "real world" this summer; again ,sorry to here about Minnie, Martha

Thanks everyone! It was great to see so many old friends responding and to know that you're still around. Wonderful to have you new folks introduce yourselves too! I know we'll all look forward to getting to know you and your gardens better in the coming months.

There are a lot of you that we haven't heard from yet! Be sure to go to the Gallery and add your photo.

Here is a link that might be useful: Show us your sweet mug

I feel like I haven't stopped in to check on my cottage friends in ages. Things have been so busy lately.

I'm Tracy. My hubby and I just bought our first home last spring/summer. So I have a LOT of work to do.

We moved from a trailer where I had gardened for about four years and had a nice little cottage trailer garden going on.

Tracy

Wow! What a great bunch of gardeners!
I have mostly been a lurker, although have asked a few questions in other forums (Landscaping, Shade Gardening). I've gathered many ideas for my garden areas through this wonderful forum. I echo Squirrel Girl's statement that I'm happiest when I'm in my garden. Especially when accompanied by my 12-year-old daughter, and of course our golden retriever. My husband just retired from the Army this past summer after 24 years of service (whew!). We moved to our current house in 2006, and I am very glad to finally settle in one place where I can see the things I plant grow to maturity! We live near Kansas City, Kansas, which is Zone 5b. This spring will be the first time I attempt a cottage style garden in the front of our house. Can't wait for spring!
Jane

Welcome Jane. I am glad you came out of "lurkdome". I know nothing about Kansas. But I have a friend that use to live there, somewhere, and she grew beautiful blue hydrangeas. I was totally jealous.
Kathy

hello everyone! I have been around for quite a while, but since last fall I have not been around very often, as my DH was injured at work. He just recently returned to work. Am hoping that life will return to normal now.

I am 58, mother of 4 and grandmother of 7. We live in an old schoolhouse built in 1868 in Wisconsin. Gardening is a challenge due to our cold winters. However I am learning what will survive our winters and what won't. I still work full time and am looking forward to when I am able to retire. I am finding that each year gardening is just a little harder physically then is was the summer before.

It is great to be back and find so many familiar faces! Also welcome to those I have not "met" before. This forum is always such a friendly place and an abundance of knowledge is freely shared here.
Marylu

Hello, all! I haven't been around much lately, due to the holidays, and then I was planning our big vacation to Disneyworld. Did you know there's an entire set of forums for that? Quite addicting! But, we're back, and I need to get my 2008 garden planned!

Not sure if I ever did an official intro, either, so here goes:

I'm Irene, married with 2 kids, 3.5 & 6. I'm an architect, and so is dh - we met at the licensing exam, back when it was a 4 day long ordeal! We are on our second house, which we've been at a year and a half (but gosh darn it, our old house hasn't sold yet!). It isn't a pure cottage garden, by any means, but I like hanging out with you guys, anyhow. The most inspiring book I got at the library recently was on herb gardens - I'm working with a combination of geometries and wildness within the geometry (tho that sounds more interesting than what is really resulting so far, lol). I'm also focusing a lot on my proposed arbor, since that will define the main border I'm working on this year.

I forget sometimes just how much I enjoy keeping up with all of you. Hope winter is treating everyone OK and we can all just hang in there until spring comes around again!

Mel

Hi, everybody:

I lurk here sometimes, although I'm more regularly at the wintersowing forum. I think these 2 fora are the nicest on Gardenweb, although I haven't checked out everything!

I live in Indiana, pretty close to Lake Michigan, and my gardening challenges are sand, deer, and dappled sun. I love seeing the photos posted here, they give me ideas for combinations to try, or help me learn what looks good to me. I moved into my little house in May 2005, and all the gardens I've made still look pretty rough. I have a couple of pretty spots each year, though!

Hi, I'm Mindy....and I lurk more than anything. I've been over at 'Home Decorating' lurking more lately since it's winter and thats when my inside gets attention.
But, since I'm dreaming of spring, I've come over to Cottage Gardens a fair amount lately to lurk.
I am in Michigan, and live with my 18 yo son, 3 little dogs, and two cats. I've been in my current house 5 years. It started out with no gardens, and now is abundant gardens 5 years later. Roses primarily are my passion, but I grow a little bit of everything. I've done the wintersowing thing, but didn't this year. I took out the main garden in my backyard last fall to make room for a waterfall/pond area my boyfriend is going to help me build in the spring. So after that's in, I will get to landscape and plant around it. I can't wait! I've always wanted a nice water feature.
I'll try to post more....promise!

Mindy

I don't think I ever introduced myself either. I am Faye from Alabama. I have been gardening for about 5 years now. I started after my daughter left home for college. I found I had a lot of free time. My grandmother was a avid gardener so I guess I had it in my genes.

I am 51 years young and have just found out that I will be a grandmother for the first time. I can hardly wait for that event.

I live on a 100 acre farm in the country with my husband of 33 years, a beautiful cat, Baxter, and my husband two Labs, Sadie and Walker.

I have worked for the State of Alabama for 33 years in the technical field, but hope to retire soon. Tomorrow would not be soon enough.

This forum is just wonderful. You all have helped me learn so much about gardening. Much better than any book I have read. I love looking at your gardens because they inspire me.

Thanks to all of you.

faye

Hello to all - regulars, lurkers and new folks! Seems I'm late to the party. I've been SOOOOO busy! I made a New Year's list of things to get done and I've been checkin' it twice, then purging up a storm. Whew! It is so liberating to get rid of STUFF! lol!

Anyhoo, I'm Diana from beautiful So.Cal where I garden, paint, quilt, hike and bike. Married for 26 yrs. to the love of my life, Mark, who indulges all my crazy dreams and often initiates a few of his own. Between us we have 3 grown sons and 4 grandkids, 2 boys, 2 girls. We also share our home with 3 very spoiled cats.

I'm a lover of all things cottage, inside and out. When I'm not in the garden I can usually be found in my sewing room creating something new for our home. I've recently gotten back into acrylic painting, mainly landscapes but painting roses is on my learning list, as well.

I've been hanging out here at the Cottage for several years and think it's the best forum on GW, hands down! Can't wait 'til spring to see all your lovely garden pics again! : )

Bear Hugs, Diana

Here is a link that might be useful: sycamore cottage

wow diana ... i am in the middle of zone envy ... it is soooo cold here today! ... your gardens are simply stunning ...

i am curious; how long ago did you paint (fushion?) your chair? ... we have an expensive patio set (grosflex) that is looking tired; but i just can't believe paint would *stick* to it!!!

WOW 82 Regulars and new folks so far! (give or take?)

I'm going to stop this thread here and create PART TWO, because there are STILL old friends whose names aren't here yet (you know who you are!)
and I also hope more of you will decide come out of lurkdom and join us!

Please follow the link below and tell us about yourself!
Thanks!
Patti

Here is a link that might be useful: Roll Call 2008 PART 2

Hi phyl, I painted the chair last year and it has held up beautifully. It hasn't chipped or peeled one bit. I'm really surprised myself. If you look in the winter album you'll see a pic of it covered in snow. We've had snow on and off for the last month and when it melts the chair looks just fine. It also gets beaten by the wind quite often.

Diana

Hi everyone. I am Lori, I live in Indiana (cold, cold cold this year). I am a Master Gardener, and currently in college seeking my degree in horticulture (at the ripe old age of 52!) It's never too late, I say. I live in a very challenging gardening spot - in the middle of the woods on the side of a steep cliff. Not the ideal spot, and I haven't done much yet. But this summer will be different. I grow a lot of ferns and hostas - out of necessity, but would like to experiment with some new stuff this year. Will keep you posted.

Hey everyone - I am Marjie - gardening down here in sweaty Savannah GA. I've enjoyed reading the posts here for a couple of years, and I've picked up some good information as well. You all are so talented - I love the pictures. I am going to try loofah gourds this year - hope they'll like my shady yard. Other than that, it is lantana, hydrangea, lilies, and ferns. Good enough - but I do love to see those pictures of dephiniums and poppies, and lupines, and peonies and, well, you know.