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Cottage Gardens

I miss my plants and gardens from my old house.

17 years ago

We moved into the house last October and already I am getting nostalgic for my old gardens. I used to have so many different types of perennials there and at this house there are very few varieties of flowers.

I miss my lilac that was planted by my window. I miss my peonies, my painted daisies, my veronica, my centaura, my phlox, my salvia, my Siberian irises... I could go on and on and on...

I so wish I could have transplanted my old garden here.

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Comments (10)

pfmastin
17 years ago
I wish you could have brought divisions and things with you or maybe you moved far away. But your new garden is an opporunity to do new and glorious things. I've moved around a fair amount and it seems like each garden has its own personality due to soil type, microclimates and weather. I hope you'll enjoy your new garden and make it your own.
hopflower
17 years ago
Well, replant! All the flowers and bulbs you mentioned.
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lynnencfan
17 years ago
goga - I know exactly how you feel. My late husband and I moved in December of 1998 from our home of 32 years in Delaware - our entire postage stamp back yard was FULL of perennials - no grass only walkways - over 10 azaleas, lilacs, itis, roses, clematis, and on and on. We moved rather suddenly as our house sold in 2 days so I couldn't dig any plants. I hated to leave that but looked forward to a clean slate. It has taken several years, a terminal illness and a remarriage but I now LOVE my new gardens - new plants - new combinations. Treat it as an adventure and a new beginning - everything is life changes over time and that goes with our gardens also. Good luck and happy designing and planting......

Lynne
jxa44
17 years ago
goga, I know what you mean. I left my old garden about six years ago (just last week when I was in the area, i took a spin by it to see what the garden looked like). At first I was sad and missed my old garden too. then I realized that I was in a new micro-climate with a new opportunity to plant things I'd always wanted to grow. Aren't there plants that you've lusted after but for one reason or another weren't right for your old garden?

Once I realized that I had a blank slate to repaint a picture, there was no stopping me. this garden doesn't look anything like my old garden (btw which they tore out completely except the grass). This garden has introduced me to all kinds of new people and plants -- just this week two gardenwebbers shared plants (that I couldn't find but lusted after) from their gardens with me.

Good luck to you, and send us pictures as your garden matures.
FlowerLady6
17 years ago
Goga ~ I think it would be hard to leave lovely gardens behind. But, just think of this property as a blank slate waiting for your artistic hand to make it beautiful. Have fun and don't stress. Do take pictures as you go along so that you can see the changes as your garden grows and fills in.

FlowerLady
fammsimm
17 years ago
I know how hard it must have been to leave your garden behind, but a clean slate is not bad either.

It gives you a chance to correct prior mistakes that were made and apply all the knowledge you gained from previous gardening efforts.

Find a great nursery, and have fun!

Marilyn
memo3
17 years ago
Goga, I too can relate to missing old gardens. I moved three years ago and it's been a ton of work to change six foot weed patches into gardens but it has been fun too. I've learned a lot. I've tried new plants that I didn't have in my old garden. I'm learning more and more about dividing and taking starts because there are barely any nurseries near me (more than 25 miles in one direction). All positive things.

Take heart and just begin. It will happen faster than you think. You have two, wonderful, new little garden helpers now and new gardens to begin with them. Enjoy the journey! :)

MeMo
goga
Original Author
17 years ago
I know it will be fun creating these gardens at my hew home, but it's a completely different environment. My last home was a century home in the country and now I am living in suburbia. This new house is pretty but it's very different from my old house. Plus I had more property at my old house so my gardens were huge.

Gordana
marjirose
17 years ago
Goga--I, too, can relate...I moved 2 years after my dh passed away (2005). We had lived in the same house for 45 years, started with a large square surrounded by beams, which I quickly told him we needed to make it more aesthetic, so took beams away, made the large plot kidney shape and put bricks around it, then on to side yard where I planted lots of roses and lavender, dianthus' and many other perennials, grew a few climbing plants on fence and azalea bushes, hosta, etc. in back where it was shady, had a long narrow plot against deck in back with herbs and clematis which grew up a few of the posts for deck roof...my retirement gift from Pitt was a fairly large gift certificate for Wayside Gardens which I ended up with a white arbor to be used in our white picket fence also with a gate (grew blue morning glories and a climbing rose called Altissimo) plus more plants. Had several areas in front with flowers, a small child's wheelbarrow which I usually placed the wave petunias in (they spread out so nicely). When I sold that house the new owner said that was one of the "selling points" and she asked if I would come back and help her take care of it...well, it certainly has changed...I moved too far away to go back very often and she really wasn't interested in maintaining what was there, let alone do anything new. A friend told me it's kind of "gone to seed"...Now I've finally come up with some new ideas to add to old favorites here...as others have mentioned. ENJOY memories of your old garden and start ENJOYING the "new"...
DYH
17 years ago
A lot of us can relate to your situation. I lived in one house for 22 years and it had a wonderful garden, but was mostly shady in the middle of the woods. In 2003, we built a new house and immediately started building lots of flowerbeds, planting shrubs, etc. Then, we found this current lot of 4.5 acres and just had to move here -- and built again in 2005! So, I've been working on this new garden and enjoying the fact that it's all full sun. I'm enjoying planting lots of sun-loving plants. I do miss the mature garden from the oldest home.

Enjoy your new journey. Hopefully you can have your best-loved plants and add something new.

Cameron

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