Look around the neighborhood and when you see something you like ask the owner what it is and if you can take a picture. Take your time and make notes of which areas of your yard are sunny and shady. Then take it slow, making one small flower bed at a time. If you begin to see signs that something that you planted does poorly when you are't there to tend it every day, take it out.

A rose is a nice focal point, but many don't do well near the shore. Look for a rugosa type, they are suited for that climate, but are very thorny. Another plant that does well near the ocean is oleander, they come in several colors and bloom all summer. Be careful though, if you have small children, some oleanders are toxic.

I can't offer you much advice, since I've never even been to New Jersey, but I do have a small house on the Texas coast near Galveston. So I know how I like to garden there, carefully, since we have the fire ants. But goodluck with your cottage. Try some things that will come back each year and don't require constant attention. Cheryl

The most important thing you can do right now is take stock of your soil. Being so close to the ocean, you may have more than your fair share of sand. You can buy soil testing kits which are fairly reliable. Better yet, go to your closest nursery and bring a jar of soil with you. Most nurseries will be familiar with their local conditions. If you are told to amend your soil, take the advice give to you.

A lot of people waste a lot of time and money planting in poor soil. If your soil doesn't have what it takes to grow what you want, you will become quickly disenchanted with gardening.

Congratulations Seamommy, and welcome to the forum.

Hi Nancy,
How heavenly to have a cottage at the shore!
Count me in as someone who loves the ocean, but NOT IN THE SUMMER!

The ubiquitous Knockout roses do well in the salt air. There are several different colors to chose from. I've had the original "red" ('Radrazz') and 5 of the pink 'Blushing Knockout' for 3 years (I do NOT live near the ocean, so I can't speak from personal experience about growing them in that environment). They are as carefree as you can get and bloom their heads off for a long time.

Daylilies will do well also. I love 'Happy Returns' which repeat blooms and is a much prettier yellow than 'Stella d'Oro' IMHO. Any daylily should do fine. However, if you won't be there during the summer to deadhead the "mushmummies", I'd carefully choose ones that have small blooms. These tend to be the older varieties.
There are many sites about Knockouts. Here is a link to a nice gallery of photos below.
Welcome to the CG and good luck!
PattiOh

Here is a link that might be useful: Gallery of Knockout roses

thanks everyone. I am really excited to get started, but I will have the soil tested first. (Not my usual MO, I tend to dive and then look.)
The best part is that it is tiny, so I can spluge on a few nice things to make an impact. And everyone is so proud of their gardens; I bet I can get some people to help me, and get to make some new friends at the same time.
I am so excited for all of this!

I was going to suggest tamarisk, which is a plant well adapted to coastal conditions, but googled it and found out it is classified as an invasive species in the US :-( I've seen it grown here near the ocean and have never detected any invasiveness trait, but of course I cannot comment on what will be invasive in the US, as I'm not familiar with your conditions. If you care to inquire the proper authorities in your area and they give you the go ahead, this is something I would definitely try as it's a lovely plant.

In coastal gardens plants with grey leaved plants tend to do well - lavenders, lamb's ears, sea hollies, santolina, cineraria maritima, etc. You may google them and see if they are hardy to your zone. If you have access to a book by Barbara Damrosh called "Theme Gardens" she lists what she calls "A Grey Garden" for a coastal location.

Hope this helps
Eduarda

Muito obrigado, Eduarda! And you know, those colors sound as if they would have a sea side feel to them.
I am not familiar with tamarisk (funny risk would be in the ending.) I know a lot of people are going to yell and throw tomatoes about now...but there is something 'easy' sounding about something invasive. Sigh. I just don't want to have a bare, dried up looking patch.

De nada, Nancy! :-) You are welcome!

Do try to get hold of the book I mentioned. The author lists a comprehensive list of plants, including additions and substitutions, plus the plan itself is for a small cottage front garden, just as you describe. The illustrations are beautiful, too. A shrub she includes in her plan is the vitex, which I also find lovely and should be easy care for you.

This was the first ever gardening book I got, back in 1992, when I was only an appartment dweller and all I had was a balcony. It forever changed my perspective of what gardening is all about. Funny thing is that I got it from an American co-worker whose name I can no longer remember and whom I never met in person. At the time I was working for an American multinational which had the most impressive set of forums within their private network, the EasyNet (these were the days before the Internet boom), including one on gardening and you bet I was writing there too :-) She worked in Charlotte, NC, if I recall correctly, and we agreed to exchange books - she sent me Theme Gardens, I sent her a picture book about Portugal. That was a long time ago, but I still have the book and cherish it a lot. Small world, isn't it? :-)

Eduarda

We have a "beach place" on the bay in Ocean City MD, and I have planted a foundation garden around it. It is sustained on natural rain alone, unless I am there for a weekend and can water. It gets a fall and spring clean up, and I deadhead whenever I am there. It consists of (1 of each): gallardia, geum, black eyed susan, rhododendron, azalea, Japanese painted fern, heuchera, hosta, maidenhair fern, daylilies (Stella D'O), bearded iris, Autumn Joy sedum, coneflower, shasta daisy, coreopsis, Knockout rose, 2 clematis on an obelisk, hydrangea, tricyrtis, mums. I supplement any bare spots with annuals. All have thrived in the salt air, heavy rains of spring, 90+ heat and humidity of summer, and ice storms of winter in MD. Hope that list helps !!