It's good to meet you! I'm new here too, and I also drool over the gardens of people! How I would love to have mine look like some I have seen! I just need to give it some time.

Elaine

Welcome Stephanie. And welcome to you too Elaine. This really is the most helpful and warm group of people I've found anywhere on the internet. If it wasn't for this forum, I don't think my garden would be anywhere near the point it is today. So kick your shoes off and stay awhile. It's always a pleasure to meet other gardeners.

Steven

Welcome to the Cottage to both of you! Warning - this place is highly addicting and enabling. lol! Just take a look at Steven's progress pics in the gallery. When he first strolled in here he was recovering from stone overload, in the form of a back yard concrete jungle, not to mention a "bougie" monster that had him considering stock in bandaids. Now look at his fabo cottage garden! You guys are next!!! : )

Diana

Hi Stephanie and Elaine, welcome to the Cottage Garden!

It's the best place on the Internet as far as I'm concerned,
full of very special, (somewhat nutty over plants) people.

I haven't been able to get to the gallery for a while but hope to treat myself to a visit there soon. I'll be sure to check out your pictures, Stephanie.

Happy gardening,
PattiOh

Yes, ditto what everyone else says, Welcome Aboard to both of you. The great thing about these forums is that you can just lurk, or you can pop in and make a comment and then pop out again and not post for months at a time. Or you can become so addicted that you feel compelled to make a comment on every post that someone writes! It's so much fun. Be sure to check out the forums for your individual state, you'll find regions specific info there on plants that do well and peoples experiences with what fails in your area. then when you find that you just love one particular plant more than any other, you'll find a forum for just that plant. It's great here. And if you google certain plants, often the first response you'll get will be one of the forums on the GardenWeb. Cool, huh? Cheryl

What warm welcomes from all of you!
Hi Elaine, nice to meet another newbie!
I agree about this place being addictive.
Just had to share my great news! My dh's gift for M-day and anniversary were to order roses for my gardens online yesterday! I've never had so much fun shopping in my LIFE!
I'm a newbie and the picture of my sad little HT over in the gallery will prove it.(although, just so you don't think I'm completely hopeless and in my defense, that mean cold spell in March was really what zapped it. Until then, it was leafing out gorgeously!) So, I'm trying my hand at four David Austins (bulk sale) and 2 New Dawn climbers. Cross your fingers for me. I've never planted bare root roses and I'm more than a bit nervous!
Thanks again for all your warm welcomes and I look forward to getting to know you all better.
Stephanie

Stephanie,
Now THAT is a GREAT gift!!!
This is my first year for D.Austins too, so we'll be learning about them together.

After much research for our ZONE 5 I can tell you be sure to plant them so that the bud union is 3" or 4" below the soil, and they will need protection this winter.

Patti!
Hi there, nice to meet another zone 5-er!
How fun that we're both trying Austins for the first time.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge for our zones. Have you already planted yours or are you still waiting on their arrival? Which ones do you own?
I bought Graham Thomas, Pat Austin, Tamora and Ambridge. I really like the yellows, soft oranges and soft pinks. I might throw a white one in there at some point but for now I think I'll have MORE than enough to get me started! LOL!
After investing the money (even though they were on sale), I am SO fearful of having trouble with them. I know I must be patient and that of course is the hardest part.
Let's keep in touch and take pictures to share!
Stephanie

Stephanie,
You've picked some beauties!
Have you visited the David Austin website? It says that all of their roses are supposed to be hardy to zone 5. They have a list of recommended Austins for Zone 4. I have the following from that list: Abraham Darby, Crocus Rose, Graham Thomas, Sharifa Asma, The Mayflower. I ordered them all from David Austin in Texas. They arrived in beautiful condition. In addition I also ordered three Wm. Shakespeare 2000 Austins from White Flower Farm and was horrified with their condition. All three have multiple crossed canes which I fear will rub and cause problems down the road. One of them also had a HOLE in the bud union the diameter of a pencil! I filled it with Elmers glue, which I know some rose growers rub over canes after pruning. I hope they'll thrive somehow. This past week I dug EIGHT holes 20" x 20" and filled with a hearty mixture of compost, shredded leaves, composted cow manure and some original soil. Finished planting all the roses over the weekend and will now wait to see what happens.
Let me know how your "babies" are doing in a month!
Good luck!
Patti

Here is a link that might be useful: David Austin Roses

Stephanie, since you like yellow and pink you may want to consider growing Lilian Austin. You will get both colors in one rose. I'll post some pics of mine for you in the gallery.

Diana

Patti,
I actually checked out the David Austin website yesterday before making my final purchases to read some about them.
There is SO much confusion in the world of roses because there is SO much to know! I have been attracted to his roses for a few years now and decided I better do some research to find out what I was getting myself into before I took the plunge. I read about them being hardy and disease resistant but I won't be convinced until I see it for myself and by being disease resistant, does that mean I'll still need to have a spraying/feeding schedule?
Also, as far as planting them goes, I'm going to use your recommendations as well as reading up on as much as I can find. They are supposed to be here in a day or two which unfortunately is a little sooner than I had planned so I'm going to have to keep them wet in a bucket in the garage until I can get the holes prepared for planting. DH and I are in the middle of building a picket fence playyard for my daycare kiddies and being the gardener that I am, I could not overlook the opportunity to create a "garden" out of it. I won't plant inside of it but I plan to create flowing beds all along the perimeter of the outside of it. Adding a birdbath and birdhouse or two in the name of inviting butterflies and birds in for the children to enjoy. Whatever works right? lol! There is nothing but grass there now so I have my work cut out for me. I haven't even formed the beds yet. Is that putting the cart before the horse or what?! I do have a bed in front of my house that I plan to put at least one maybe two of the D.A. and then two on either side of the gate to the play-yard. I currently have a H.T. called Bella Rosa in the front bed. It was the typical scenario of getting suckered in by the gorgeous blooms. She and I have a love/hate relationship. I love her when she's blooming and healthy and hate her when she's not! I've only had her for a year now so that should give you some idea of my crazy obsession with these things! Oh my poor husband! LOL!
This is getting way too long, more later,
Stephanie

Hi Stephanie:
I think it is so nice you are creating a garden while maintaining space for the children you care for. How much fun they will have sowing the seeds of your cottage garden and learning to care for living things.
Graham Thomas is a beautiful rose. I only have one (well, two but soon to be one) David Austin and this is it. My first was grafted, but I just hauled it out today because I can't do grafted roses, lol :) I like 'em own root so a dear GW friend send me an own root Graham Thomas. I can't wait to see if it is any healthier for me.
I love yellow and orange roses too. In place of that Graham Thomas I planted Easy Livin' and Livin' Easy. Lets hope they live up to their names sake!! They are brighter yellow and orange. One side of a walk I have is brighter yellow and orange, the other is buff and white. Then we get into the apricot and pinks. I didn't really choose the color scheme, it sort of chose me. You may find that happens for you too.
I love bright colors, but with so many floral gifts from gardening friends, some areas have transitioned into being softer.
Choosing plants before you make beds is not necessarily apple before cart. Sometimes you need to get a good idea of how many different things you might like to see how many or how big your garden beds will be.
I now have three "left over" yellow roses and a pale pink needing a home. My next job is to make a HUGE garden bed, slightly raised on a newer part of the property I am gardening. Knowing that I have those three, plus a new wigelia - it can be a gigantic bed and I will have no problem filling it to the brim. As a matter of fact, I can make a smaller bed to join another for one of the yellow roses too.
See, now I know how much back breaking work I will have to do!
And I don't mind one single little bit!!

GGG

GGG,
I can't imagine hauling out a rose but I have a feeling I am about to experience all kinds of new things when it comes to gardening. I don't understand much about the differences between grafted and own root. I mean, besides the obvious. I guess what I'm saying is that I don't undertand why some are done one way and some are done another. I own an HT and I have no idea which it is. I bought it in a gallon container and it was already growing and had buds on it when I planted it. I obviously need to spend some major time researching and reading up to educate myself on this whole new world of roses. I have gained some knowledge through these message boards but a lot of times I find myself reading through posts and being clueless as to what they are all talking about. For instance, the phrase "shovel pruning" I finally figured out is just another way of saying, "the thing wouldn't grow so I dug it up and pitched it!" LOL!
Do you have pictures you can share of your gardens? You've probably posted several in the gallery already huh?
I'll check them out. It sounds like we have a lot in common in tastes and styles. Thanks for the boost of confidence on making my beds. DH has already encouraged me to plant flowers in as much of the yard as I want so he doesn't have to fight the grass and moles. I'm thinking the beds around this playyard might turn out to be way bigger than originally planned but I'm not thinking that's a bad thing. I live in a cottage by golly so I should HAVE it surrounded by cottage gardens right??!! :-)
Stephanie

I've been out planting so much that I missed this thread. You've come to the right place for lots of creative ideas, friendliness and all around great folks.

WELCOME!

Cameron

Thanks Cameron!
I'm so envious of everyone that's out planting! We have been consumed with a fence project but I still have hopes of getting some seed direct-sewn before the spring is completely gone!
I agree completely on the friendliness creative ideas. So far, I'm spending WAY too much time here!!!
Stephanie