Thank you for posting this article. It confirms what I have always felt about my own gardens. They really should be classified as "country" style, but we don't have a forum for that so Cottage is the closest to my style.

My house is certainly not grand but neither would it qualify as a cottage; it is a farmhouse, country style. My yard is rather large; it is not enclosed by a picket fence. I does have barbed wire farm fence on two sides (to keep the cows out or in).

I do have 'small fruit tees' and all the rest.

Great article.

Great article. I believe I have a pretty good start on a cottage garden. :)

Have a great day, FlowerLady.

Good morning Glenda ~ I would definitely say you have country cottage gardens. We don't all live in cottages, and if we didn't live in one, I'm sure my style would still be cottage, as it's just part of who I am. I was already gardening this way before I knew what it was. I love your farmhouse, your whole compound, I love the different names you give your gardens too. It is always a treat to visit your blog.

Hi Tom ~ Yes, I would say you are most definitely on the way to having cottage gardens. I'm looking forward to seeing how wonderful they will look this year. For having relatively new gardens, you are doing a fantastic job.

Happy Gardening ~ FlowerLady

I have a veg garden, but it's not incorporated into the upper garden. I agree with the article, a cottage garden needs a cottage or cottage-style dwelling - something I've dreamed about for years. Someday........

Some of my favorite flowers were mentioned though, and I do plant lots of those.

Glenda, how can we see pictures of your cottage gardens? Tom has done an amazing job since he's been in his home. This guy is like the energizer bunny, he never stops. I keep encouraging him to go back to school to get his degree in horticulture. He's got such knowledge in that head for plants, and design. He has taught me a lot this year on this sight.

Interesting article but I differ in my opinion on what defines a cottage garden. the cottage garden is about the practice - the design is the result of evolution of that practice. No designer came by to assert their opinions on what should be a cottage garden. The author attempts to pigeon hole the style and I think that's wrong. to attempt to restrict the style flies contrary to how the garden evolved. What is great about cottage gardening is that it evolved so naturally and became popular. The housewife who tended these garden did not necessarily have to live in a cottage. often you find these gardens amid stone houses and country homes, and even some manors. So I disagree with the concept that a cottage is necessary to make the cottage garden truly a cottage garden. It's the style - not the house structure. And if we took the author's philosophy further, does a true cottage garden, require such a housewife to tend to it?

Ianna- Good point! Today, would it be called "subdivision" garden? It was just referring to what kind of house many people lived in, who gardened in a manner that was practical and attractive. I think mixing fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers together in a garden is what traditionally describes cottage style, not the type of house one lives in. The author says you can't have a rose garden without a rose...are we growing cottages? LOL

Climbing roses were popular because they took up less space, which left more room for veggies. Fruit trees were underplanted with vegetables, herbs and flowers.

While not all cottage gardeners today grow herbs, fruit and vegetables in their cottage gardens, many do. The informal style and happy mixture of flowers is cheerful and easy to adapt to almost any surrounding. Just my opinion :)

Great article, FlowerLady - thank you for posting! Certainly many valid points and ideas there.

I do agree with Ianna tho that this is, more than most, a garden design that has evolved thru practical necessity, and continues to do so in each of our gardens. What I like most about the style is that there are so many choices. I'd never have picket fences - I used to have to paint these as a child! Our garden surrounds our farmhouse in the middle of where the animals graze so we use rail and stock wire as fencing and can add a line of electric wire to the top when the horses reach over to eat the plants! Very suitable for a farm cottage garden. I had also given up on roses because of our climate and because my garden is organic. I'm rethinking that this year and will give them a try again.

Even tho our house is not a typical one story thatch roofed cottage I think the cottage garden style suits it. I know it suits my personality, I could never stay with a formal garden style.

Schoolhouse ~ Traditionally a cottage garden was one that surrounded a cottage. If we ever move from here, we still want a cottage style house. We live in a small 50's cottage and living in s.e. FL, I can't grow traditional cottage garden flowers, so I have natives, tropicals, herbs, roses, orchids, vines, an avocado tree. We did have a ruby red grapefruit, until the county went on a mad dash to take everyone's citrus trees when that citrus canker scare was on. Soon after they took ours, they stopped their mayhem. Now people can plant citrus again. Grrr. I hope you one day have your cottage dream come true. Until then, enjoy those lovely gardens you have created.

Ianna ~ these days most people do not live in cottages. A cottage style garden can be grown anywhere.

Lavender lass ~ *The informal style and happy mixture of flowers is cheerful and easy to adapt to almost any surrounding.* I agree.

LuckyGal ~ We just found sections of picket fencing that I plan on using. :-) I could see where I might not want these if I had had to paint them as a kid. Do look for roses that will grow up there in your cold climate, I know there are some.

I could never live with formal style gardens either, just not my personality.

Below is a link for Canadian old heirloom roses.

Happy Cottage Gardening ~ wherever you live.

FlowerLady

Here is a link that might be useful: Heirloom Roses for Canada

FlowerLady- Nice rose website! I try to stay with zone 4 roses, but I do zone push a little :)

LuckyGal- Have you decided what roses you're going to try? I got a few gallicas and a damask, two Fantin Latours and a moss....but I'd love to get a couple of albas next year and maybe another damask or two. Old fashioned roses may not bloom as long, but they're hardy, usually have a great fragrance...and so much history! I just love them :)