You will stop by once in a while won't you?

Go for it Gurley! The tropicals look lush and lovely with your home.

Come back to visit us and bring more photos! :-)

Patti

Jeanine: I think your garden looks lovely with all of the tropicals. In fact, the photos you showed last year of your cannas and elephant ears (and others!) inspired me to add some tropicals to my gardens this year. And I have to say I'm loving it so far! Besides the destruction the Japanese beetles have caused, they look great.

Your cannas are out of this world. Everything looks so lush and healthy. Enjoy the crossing-over! Stop in and say hi when you get a chance.

Tracy

This has been such a tough year! The best words I can come up with to describe my garden are fried, brown, and dormant.

I'm seriously considering a banana tree. My next door neighbor has had one for several years and it always looks good.

I've noticed some interesting things happening over the last year or so. For instance, more palm trees are being used in landscaping around town.

A couple weeks ago I saw some valencia orange trees, also some lime trees, for sale at a local nursery. We have had very mild winters lately, but planting citrus trees still seems kind of if-y to me.

I think it's really interesting to see how local nurseries are broadening the scope of what they offer, maybe pushing the zones, a bit.

Marilyn

Ever since I moved here to NC in 1999 I have had a mixed garden. I am fortunate to live with-in a couple of miles from Tony Avent's Plants Delight Nursery and he pushes the envelope on anything tropical. I figure what ever plant grows in his gardens will grow in mine with a little persistance. I absolutely LOVE the cottage garden look and will ALWAYS have at least ONE garden that is a typical cottage garden but everything else is a mix of northern and southern gardening. Thats why I like this area of NC. Plant selection is amazing. Here is one of my mixed gardens - elephant ears very happy with garden phlox....

Lynne

{{gwi:690345}}

darlin', darlin', darlin' girl. I think Cottage is (when all is said and done) more a state of mind rather than strict guidelines.

What do I see in your garden?
Poppies, a pond, homemade fencing, cannas, a little arch, blanket flower and squash, birdhouses, birdbath, hydrangea, cosmos, fruit tree, garden ornaments, and (for cryin' out loud!) a stone trough!
You're Cottage.
Tropical Cottage thank you very much.

So there.
GH-

Yep, tropical cottage! You're tropical cottage (same as Nicki and FlowerLady), the same way that I'm Mediterranean cottage (and a bit tropical too). I agree with GH - cottage is so much more a state of mind and a type of gardening passion than a strict set of rules and mandatory plants! I hope you don't disappear from here, I have absolutely no problem with a tropical cottage garden!

Thought about you this past weekend - we hosted the largest motorbike gathering of Europe in Faro (in the Algarve - south region). Wonder whether you and your DH would have liked to come, there were people here from all over the world :-)

Eduarda

I have OODLES of tropical/tropicalesque plants in my cottage garden. My favorite cottage garden belongs to Dirt, a radio host. He has tropicals and cactuses romping with roses etc. I love it.
Right now the orange flowered cannas are blooming with giant orange cosmos, the gingers are gearing up to bloom. The brugmansia smell heavenly at night mixed with the scents of 4 O'clocks. Turkscap hibiscus are attracting hummingbirds. They all bloom along with oldfashioned zinnias, grandpa otts MG's weaving through them, marigolds...

GGG

Well said GH! It IS a state of mind above all else.

Here, here! Wander where you will Gurley, but continue to make your home at the cottage...what would we do without you? M

You go Gurley! I couldn't grow tropicals here if it was to save my life. I'd love to have a Mango tree and perhaps a Banana tree or two..I LOVE bananas.

Eduarda...have any pic's from the event?

Edna :-)

Edna, I couldn't find many pictures on the web from this year's event, but the following portal has links to photos from previous editions - this is the 25th edition of the gathering. This will give you a close idea. Click on one of the main pics to get a lot of additional ones. Enjoy!

Eduarda

Here is a link that might be useful: Faro motard gathering

I love tropicals and incorporate them in my cottage garden. i call it a cottage garden with a tropical twist.

You should definitely stay here! To me a cottage garden is just a mix of plants, be they northern or very southern or in the middle like I am.

I love your gardens and I think you are very wise to choose what will grow and look good for you in your climate.

I am slowly doing just that. If it can survive drought, then I need it!

You are all correct. After reading your posts I realize that this place is a cottage - inside and out. We are ecclectic, whimsical and spontanious and I'm guessing that, combined with a cozy chair, a tasty drink and a fire in the winter is what cottage is all about.

Eduarda, the bikefest photos were fantastic. I'll bet those folks had a bang up good time. Yes - we would have definitely wanted to be there :-).