I've lurked on the garden forums for years. I've gotten so much joy and inspiration from seeing all your gardens.

Recently, I spent oodles of time looking for an OLD thread about cottage gardens but couldn't find it anywhere. Perhaps it was lost when the site was having all that trouble a while back? Anyway, I remembered that I saved a copy of it to refer to later. I thought it might be fun to bring it back because I still find it to be a fantastic thread. Thank you everyone for all your inspiration!

Felicia :)

It's not a cottage garden without________________

Posted by Ann_Michigan z4-5 n.w.lower (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 05 at 20:35

I've been working on my garden and would like to know what others look for in a cottage garden;-))))

Thanks for respounding to this,

Ann

Follow-Up Postings:

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: ladykemma katy, texas (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 05 at 20:50

It's not a cottage garden without________________

a bench

marigolds

nasturtiums

a sleeping cat

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: hag49 Tx z8a (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 05 at 21:00

I have none of the above but I have a cottage garden. I wouldn't be without hollyhocks,roses,delphiniums,cleome,pinks,stock,and anything fragrant.

Hilary

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: ladykemma katy, texas (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 05 at 21:04

"how do you grow hollyhocks, and delphiniums in texas?".... I said jealously.... zone 9b

sorry for the thread hijack.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: GrassIsEvil z6 TN (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 05 at 21:37

without a plant a friend gave you

without a plant that supplies cuttings or seeds you give to your dearest friends

without a plant that WILL NOT GROW, no matter what you do

without a plant that grows, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO

without a rock that's there just because it's a rock

Ray

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: girlgroupgirl 8 Atlanta (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 05 at 22:06

A mix of annuals, perennials, different heights, some climbing plants, a little nibble here and there to eat, a friendly place for creatures, a path to stroll and a personal touch!

GGG

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Eliza_ann_ca zone 6 ont ca (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 05 at 22:52

Hollyhocks,and foxgloves.

They were always in my grandmothers garden and will always be in mine.

Eliza ann

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: KMS4Me z3/4 MN (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 1:34

Foxgloves, delphiniums, sweet william, and hollyhocks.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Blooming_annie z 8/9, Chas, SC (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 6:05

- A creative, overflowing mix of whatever plants flourish in your area!

- More annuals and perennials than evergreen shrubs and trees.

- A few unruly plants who insists on leaning on their neighbors, or climbing through them, or flopping over the edging.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Eduarda Z10 - Portugal (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 7:26

Roses, lavender, the holly and the ivy.

Weeds and seeds Mother Nature plants herself and are allowed to stay

Berries, flowering trees, leaves ablaze in Fall

Daffodils, lillies and pansies

Scent flowing in the air

Birdbaths, feeders and birdhouses

A bench to rest

An arch

A welcoming porch

Pass along plants

Bees, birds and pets

No strict rules, meandering paths, flagstones

A personal touch

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Ginny12 z5 MA (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 8:28

A low fence, or wall, or hedge that gives a sense of enclosure but lets people look in--and out. That sense of enclosure is one of the fundamental keys to a cottage garden. A picket fence is the traditional choice but there are lots of other choices.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: FlowerLady6 z10 Fl (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 8:31

It's not a cottage garden without love, whimsy and happiness.

Must have some seating, shade, a bird bath or two, annuals, perennials, herbs, roses, vines, whatever else that will do well in our hot and steamy part of the country. Love plants that will self-sow. Fragrant plants are a must.

Loved reading everyone's responses. Great thread.

FlowerLady

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: patchoulijulie z8B San Antonio (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 9:16

a looser sense of control.

i like 'letting order go' in my garden and that always open the door for more fun.

dawn

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Archduke z8a MetroDallas (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 10:49

'Victoria' salvia farinacea (mealy cup sage)

trailing rosemary 'Lockwood de Forest'

English lavender 'Munstead'

a polyantha rose, such as 'Marie Daly'

an antique tea rose, such as 'Gilbert Nabonnand'

'Spring Bouquet' viburnum

daffodils

native coral honeysuckle (Lonicera Sempervirens) growing against a fence

bird bath

bench

Heuchera/Coral Bells

peony

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Too_Many_Pets LI Z7 (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 12:02

Lychnis Coronaria 'Rose Campion',

Lotsa vines like Hyacinth bean and Scarlet Runner bean,

Lotsa things that got way bigger than I expected, such as Echinacea,

and...my pond :-)

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: jel48 Z3/4 Minnesota (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 20:18

I love this thread.....

Everything I love that is in my garden or that I want to add to my garden is listed here and it was like a stoll in a summer garden to read my way to the bottom of the thread.

Some of my favorites;

Birds and everything that attracts them, including birdbaths, feeders, houses, shelter....

My hostas (although not really cottagy they belong in mine)

Hollyhocks, mentioned often above

Bleeding Heart

Spring bulbs of all kinds

The flowers my grandma grew... peonies, iris, fern, tulips, columbine, and many others of the good old-fashioned variety...

A shady spot and a bench to sit on

Meandering paths

An arbor or trellis (or multiples) and climbers to cover them...

A veggie garden

Herbs

A warm summer day with a soft breeze, the sounds of birds singing in the trees, kids hanging around, pets, and.... ME :-)

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: mgrace z4MIUP (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 21:51

Fragrant herbs and flowers; dianthus, roses, lavender, thyme,

hyssop, valerian, nepeta, hardy geranium. Larkspur, poppies, cornflowers and any flowers that self-seed themselves all around the garden for a riot of color throughout the gardening season!

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: random_harvest z8 TX (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 05 at 23:53

Sunflowers!

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: vixenmoon 8a, Oregon (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 1:45

Lots of useful herbs, and desire to stray from the norm... or the inability to conform to it....

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Nicki z9 Leesburg FL (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 10:49

Sunflowers and roses. Lots of bird feeders. Neighborhood kitties. Whimsy, lots and lots of whimsy.

Nicki

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: DebbieCA z9/sunset8 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 11:56

Flowers that you have to look carefully to notice.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Pat_Tea PNW, Van,WA (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 12:44

Things to make you slow down: A winding path,a bench to stop to rest and ponder, a vignette to stop and study, a cat to stop and pet, a rose to stop and smell, a sign to stop and read, birds and water to stop and listen, berries to stop and taste.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: FlowerLady6 z10 Fl (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 13:23

Vixen moon ~ I loved this "desire to stray from the norm... or the inability to conform to it...."

Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

FlowerLady

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: RSimon z9CA (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 14:18

For me its a little mix of everything with a little picket fence, (though I dont have the fence myself :) )

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: youreit z9b CA (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 14:23

.....without at least one person per season stopping to ask, "Aren't you ever going to prune that?"

.....without at least one person ever stopping to ask, "Why are you getting rid of your lawn?"

.....without significant other looking sadly at something which is obviously dormant and pronouncing, "That's a shame it died."

.....without input from all other cottage gardeners. :)

Brenda

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: fammsimm DFW (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 14:23

Simply, it's not a cottage garden if it doesn't make you smile ! :-)

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Josie_Z6b z6b Philly (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 16:53

1) Strawberries. There's always room for strawberries.

2) Roses.

3) Endless supply of spearmint.

4) Zinnias

5) Butterflies

Oh, and 6) me getting sunburned. Great thread, Ann :)

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: todancewithwolves Z9 CA (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 17:22

It's not a cottage garden without________________

Arbor with picket fence

Trellis

Herbs

Roses

Bird bath

Lots of flowers

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: janinel2 z8 ACT Aust (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 05 at 22:36

hollyhocks, foxgloves, sunflowers, nasturtiums and a pumpkin

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: georich5 z5Oh (My Page) on Tue, Feb 15, 05 at 0:58

ALL OF THE ABOVE...

This is one beautiful thread. Not only the flowers but also the whole philosophy/attitude of cottage gardening.

I'm getting a little misty here.

georgeanne

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Gramma_Jan_MN_ZN_4 (My Page) on Tue, Feb 15, 05 at 8:40

Oh my gosh, I have to save this thread TOO! All of the above mentioned. I didn't see roses and flowering vines - definitely flowering vines. I best get busy, I have a lot of plants to buy. Chuckle. Let's see, an arch, where will I find an affordable one I like, someone to install it and what plants to grow on it? Wouldn't want anyone to say mine is not a cottage garden. Oh yes, and a garden gate - doesn't have to be attached to a fence, but I must find a garden gate for a garden ornament. Oh, and lilies, I must have my Casa Blancas for frangrance and white.

Plus it has to have friends that drop in for a glass of whatever and a place to sit and read or dream about the next planting or decor project. chuckle again.

What about a puppy dog to follow you around and all the other critters? I show you a pic of our critters later when I have more time. Must go now, watercolors today.

jan

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Paula_sfbay 9-sunset 16 (My Page) on Tue, Feb 15, 05 at 11:41

A sense of enclosure.

Paula

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Marianne018 mid-Sweden (My Page) on Wed, Feb 16, 05 at 10:22

A cottage :-) Well, perhaps not necessarily, but it should have a fence or a hedge, as the cottagers had to protect the garden from the farm animals. It should have a mix of soft fruit, vegetables and ornamentals because cottagers had very little space for fancy gardening. Herbs because they had to grow their own medicines after the dissolution of the monasteries in Europe. I am sure medicines were scarce in pioneer America, too. At least one onceblooming rose, no hybrid tea roses or any other modern rose, oldfashioned perennials. Straight lines everywhere and not the winding paths of the romantic 18th century landscapes of the great estates. Beds edged with box or hyssop discarded by the estate gardeners when parterres went out of fashion. But the exuberant planting will blur the lines. Perhaps a "coffee grotto" dug into the ground for protection against the wind and definitely a lilac "berceau", a round planting of lilacs with an opening to the south and with white wooden furniture (uncomfortable). A "roundel" in front of the house with a flag pole in the middle.

I have described the old farmhouse gardens of south Sweden, the only cottage gardens I am familiar with.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: DebbieCA z9/sunset8 (My Page) on Wed, Feb 16, 05 at 11:02

Welcome, Marrianne!

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Eduarda Z10 - Portugal (My Page) on Wed, Feb 16, 05 at 12:30

Marianne, since you are here, can you please tell whether the sort of description you just made can be seen in the works of Carl Larsson? Ive seen some of his work, but can only remember his interior pictures, not any related to the garden. Did he have the same notions applied to gardening? You can´t get more cottagey, Swedish style, than Carl Larsson.

Eduarda

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Rosewitch Z7-Mid-Atlantic (My Page) on Wed, Feb 16, 05 at 12:34

What a warm and wonderful thread!!

To me a cottage garden is all of the above and hopefully a small, charming potting shed or other little place to play with plants, drink tea, read garden books and to dream.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: serenitymeadow Z5 OH (My Page) on Wed, Feb 16, 05 at 13:14

This IS a wonderful thread! Everyone summed it up very nicely.

Basically, fragrances are THE most important cottage garden ingredient for me! Then add some, sunshine, arbors, roses, herbs, lilacs, lilies, butterfly bushes, an endless number of perennials but especially hollyhocks and foxgloves, roses, garden whimsey, birdbaths, roses, homemade birdhouses, hummingbird feeders, roses, garden benches, kitty cats, picket fences, a comfy hammock, having the deck piled full of new cottage plants just waiting to be planted, and ....did I mention wonderfully fragrant roses????

I like to do what Rosewitch said...."play with plants, drink tea, read garden books and to dream".

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Charl_MO z6 MO (My Page) on Wed, Feb 16, 05 at 14:46

It makes my heart sing to read about all your gardens and it was said so beautifully by everyone above. I have so many of the things mentioned. Lots of the plants, a bench, an arbor with Wisteria vining on it, an arch over an opening in a fence with roses rioting along the fence and over the arch, sleeping cats, LOL...a small garden pond, a concrete duck sporting a ribbon tied around her neck, birdbath, sundial, a little frog that I move daily to inspire my hubby to look to see where he is today. I also have an old rather ornate white iron headboard to a bed that was at my MIL's for years, it has Pink Roses by it and Irises and several rocks. I have many plants given to me by friends, and my Mom and MIL, and I love to freely share everything. I also love Larkspur in my gardens along with Peonies and Clematis.

Charl

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Ginny12 z5 MA (My Page) on Wed, Feb 16, 05 at 14:55

I think size is important too. If it is too big, you lose the cottage feeling. It needs to feel like a room outdoors. What do you think?

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: MesquiteEnt z7 WestTX (My Page) on Wed, Feb 16, 05 at 21:49

Sunflowers, ladybugs, lizards and butterflies, a few stray flowering weeds or wildflowers (or, more than a few, in my case!), old roses, a napping German Sheperd underneath the fruit trees, birds chasing each other and singing, a pair of binoculars for watching those birds, hollyhocks and foxglove, lots of vines, some colorful heirloom veggies, strawberries, a toad house, and an old rustic (or rusty?) wheelbarrow for hauling things.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: slubberdegulion z7 VA (My Page) on Fri, Feb 18, 05 at 22:22

-Magenta! No matter how maligned a color it is...

-Everything big and tall: sunflowers and hollyhocks, especially.

-Neighborhood cats locked in mortal combat with the grasses after gorging on the catnip.

-Anything edible from nasturtiums and 'Lemon Gem' marigolds to soft fruits. Nothing makes my heart sing like eating plants to shock and horrify passing childern!

I've really enjoyed reading the responses to this thread...

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: momcat2000 indiana (My Page) on Sat, Feb 19, 05 at 11:53

cats, birdbath, trellis, birdhouses, benches, a child's homemade yard project, roses, passalong plants, window boxes, a place to set your drink, arbors, a neighbor to talk over the fence with, wildlife, paths, welcoming walkways, water features, little signs with sappy sayings, gates, a shade corner, a problem spot where nothing will grow, a meditation spot, too many pots and not enough potting soil, one evasive plant that is crowding out everything else.............

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Marianne018 mid-Sweden (My Page) on Mon, Feb 21, 05 at 9:44

Eduarda, I am afraid the Larssons did not seem to be much into gardening. I visited their summer home again last summer and was a bit disappointed. There were a few shrub roses by the gate and a few perennial beds. But it is difficult to know what it looked like when the Larssons lived there. The house is one of the most visited tourist traps in Sweden and the heirs still stay in the house in summer and for Christmas (in rooms hidden from the public). I guess they are too busy keeping the house in order and guiding the thousands of visitors to do much gardening.

Having a summer home is very common and in general, Swedes do not garden much around their summer homes. The ideal is to have a "torp", an old redpainted wooden cottage often without inside water or electricity, so the area around the house is often left natural. There is plenty of rough grass and trees and if there are flower beds at all they are mostly right up to the house because the mounded soil would act as insulation in winter and the custom persists. The same old flowers can be seen all over the country, orange lilies, blue monkshoods, peonies, scarlet poppies, Maltese crosses, yellow loosestrife. My cousin up north once asked me what to plant at her summer home and was so disappointed when I suggested those flowers. "But everyone has them". Common shrubs are mock orange, lilacs and a few varieties of roses, R. alba 'Maxima', R. pimpinellifolia (several kinds are popular but 'Double White' most of all), 'Minette' once thought to be a uniquely Swedish rose called Rosa suionum (Swedish rose) until it was discovered to be by Vibert from 1819. 'Maxima' used to be called the 'loo rose' in the south because it was planted by the outhouse.

If they have not inherited a "torp" from farming ancestors, people build a "sports cottage", often in brown wood, in the middle of the wood or by a lake, and then garden even less. Because so many people go away for the summer, most people have 6 weeks' summer vacation, they do not garden much around their permanent home either. There is a lot of evergreen foundation plantings, overgrown "dwarf" pines not so dwarf after 40 years.

I think Sweden resembles Ireland in that the country was so poor in the 19th century that there was not money or strength enough for gardening. And vegetables were considered as food for rabbits only. Only in the rich and fertile south was there anything like cottage gardening.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: momcat2000 indiana (My Page) on Mon, Feb 21, 05 at 11:25

wow, that explains something for me. my grandmother's family were swedes and they all had "summer shacks" by a lake. it took my grandmother's second husband "a dutchman" to plant the flower and veggie gardens.......

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Tonylyn Z3 N.Ont. (My Page) on Tue, Feb 22, 05 at 9:48

A flower with a scent that reminds you of somewhere you have been or someone you loved. For me it is Phlox, they remind me of my grandmothers garden and everytime I smell them for just a few seconds I am just a child again in her garden.

Tonylyn

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Eduarda Z10 - Portugal (My Page) on Wed, Apr 6, 05 at 18:57

I thought it was about time to bump this thread up, it has been one of my favorites. Now that we´re finally in Spring, let´s keep adding to it!

Eduarda

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: windflower 7b (My Page) on Wed, Apr 6, 05 at 19:12

... a scrawny teenager asking if he can have one of your flowers for his shy girlfriend in the car

... telling the teenage boy sure and come back next year for a plant all your own to give her

... a weed that won't go away -- the one that came with the plants your mom brought seven hours in a car to your garden, leaving behind the extra luggage just to fit them all in

... a fleeting glimpse, glance or glance that makes you wonder if fairies really do exist

... a silent prayer ... the kind that aren't spoken, but felt

--em

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: mscarlet z5 MA (My Page) on Thu, Apr 7, 05 at 0:04

...vines, vines and more vines climbing on everything and anything

...weather worn post with an even more worn birdhouse hanging from it.

...gates, trellis'dripping with roses and vines

...little willow fences to screen out the rest of the world

...butterflies, hummingbirds, and birds flying about the blooms and splashing in the birdbath for a quick drink and cool down

...my cat trying to chase a butterfly

...the smell of phlox and roses permeating the air

...little flea market finds all about overflowing with annuals

...evergreens about the yard giving you the privacy to enjoy the little world you created

...my little daughter running from plant to plant excitedly telling me what is blooming now

...me sitting in the middle of it all with a cool lemonade and a book I can't keep my attention on for the beauty of my surroundings...

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: HotHouseHen (My Page) on Thu, Apr 7, 05 at 17:46

-something made by hand

-a plant you can't resist touching and/or smelling

-something that makes you pause and smile

-birds, bees, butterflies, and hummers

-something that brings fond memories

-something that only "YOU" know is there

-something given to you

-a dream or idea for something new

-a plant or tree for each person in the family(usually planted by them)

-a frog(real or fake-I have both)

These are just a few of my "can't be withouts" even if they aren't in the original "Cottage" theme.

Love this thread!!

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: MeMo NE-Zone 4B (My Page) on Fri, Apr 8, 05 at 1:01

In my minds eye, it's not a cottage garden without_______________ A bent wire fence all around, painted white. A swing for my grandson. A small patio in the shade to watch him play from. A fountain for ambiance. Hollyhocks, sunflowers, delphiniums, roses draped over the fence, lemon yellow marigolds, silver mound and fluffy pink peonies. Tomatoes, strawberries, and vegetable vines tucked in here and there. Grandma's lilac bush for scent and a weeping willow to watch sway in the breeze. Tall white bird houses and my rooster to keep the bugs away. Out beyond my garden the sounds of bawling heifers and tractors working. Family and neighbors to enjoy it with at the end of long day of work.

MeMo

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: luvey z6/CT (My Page) on Fri, Apr 8, 05 at 11:21

.....something given to you by a friend or a neighbour.

.....a gardener who doesn't mind a little chaos.

..... hidden surprises as you look closer.

..... a moment to sit back and enjoy it.

...... always evolving as you divide, add, move, etc

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Steveningen (My Page) on Sat, Apr 9, 05 at 0:46

Hi y'all, it's me, Steveningen, home of the Clarice Cliff fetish. I had a really fun hour reading all of your responses. I suspected all along that I was born to be a cottage gardener. This thread confirmed it. I venture to say that I have 60% of the features of the classic CG y'all have mentioned. I'm rising early to buy some sunflowers though.

To me, success rests on the shoulders of the creatures who come to visit our gardens. The more bugs, beetles, bees, and creatures on wing and/or foot that find our gardens hospitable...the mo' bettah.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: madspinner z7 WA skagit (My Page) on Sat, Apr 9, 05 at 18:24

Peonies... roses and lavender.

Some kind of tall spikey plant... whether hollyhocks, delphiniums, or foxgloves... I don't think it matters which, but you have to have one of them.

Someplace for children... even if not a formal area specifically for children to play. I think a cottage garden should have the feel that children (and childlike wonder) are always made welcome.

A potting bench. With some clay pots. And a watering can. An area to work magic!

Some kind of animals... either a bird feeder or bird house, or cats, or even chickens... or my garden which seems to have all three! I think most cottage gardens welcome some kind of animal presence in it.

Boundaries of some kind... I have 25 acres. At first that was overwhelming... so the first thing I did was get a garden space with a fence... and that has solved the whole problem. Other areas are meant to be gardened someday, and are now distinct areas (at least in my mind) and that also makes it easier. There is the Orchard, the woodland garden, the pond, the tea house (don't think any of this is really grand, just the names are!) and this has helped too. Otherwise all that empty space is just TOO MUCH!

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Pat_Tea PNW, Van,WA (My Page) on Sat, Apr 9, 05 at 18:41

Sore muscles and aching backs!!!! IT IS SPRING!

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Steveningen (My Page) on Sat, Apr 9, 05 at 23:10

Today I planted delphinium, sunflower, and hydrangia. I also planted carnation (a personal favorite). AND my back hurts like a root canal. If I go buy a bench, can I get my Cottage Gardner pin?

o One more thought

* Posted by: Steveningen (My Page) on Sat, Apr 9, 05 at 23:43

Yes, I have cats. Not mine, and not purring contentedly at my feet. These cats of which I speak are from far and wide who have designated my yard the neighborhood loo. This does not endear me to these cats. My male French Bulldog (Chuck), however, is pleased, for he finds their gifts particularly savory. Maggie, my female Frenchie and I are beyond disgusted by this. Long way around my point...my Frenchies are my cats-in-the-garden-by-proxy.

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: soggy6 z9 CA (My Page) on Sun, Apr 10, 05 at 0:37

Great, great, great!!!

Marianne, the gardens of south Sweden!!! Thanks so much for the memories. . .

Janna

BTW, my answer is, a gardener who loves to be in her garden!

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: house_vixen (Sunset)z6 PNW (My Page) on Sun, Apr 10, 05 at 21:46

...strays.

 stray plants that popped up in a surprising place

 stray animals lolling around in an inviting spot

 stray passerby who give you a smile or a compliment as you labor

 stray tools from when a plant, animal, or idea distracted you once again

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: jojimurph Z6 ColdSpringNY (My Page) on Mon, Apr 11, 05 at 10:47

porch with climbers...sweet pea, moonflower, morning glory

hollyhock

foxglove

o RE: It's not a cottage garden without________________

* Posted by: Ann_Michigan z4-5 n.w.lower (My Page) on Mon, Apr 11, 05 at 21:53

It's not a cottage garden without ====

DH holding block/large stone/shovel/or someother garden item and saying""""you will just want it moved again next year"""";-)))))

I always say ""NO dear I know I want it here always"""

FAT chance!!!