How lovely, Janen!! I just found Garden Web a few months ago and lurk in this forum, Perennials, the Texas forum, and winter sowing. I find it difficult to deal with the heat of Texas summers, so tend to stay indoors during July and August or, when possible, leave the state entirely!! So, my gardening waxes and wanes. It is very inspirational to read about beautiful gardens and see photos like those of Janen. I went to my first area plant swap in November and got some terrific ideas and lots of help from local gardeners who have had success with the challenges here. Thanks for the invitation to pop in!

OMGoodness janen, what a garden of paradise. Why have you been hiding!

Jim, we miss the ol' timers too. PattiO, Nikki, Diana, Steven, Slub, Leesa and ....

Edna

Jenn - what a wonderful combination!!! Delphs or larkspur?? And with foxlove and roses - serious envy over here. Thanks for sharing.

Nancy.

Janet,
your gardens are a knockout!!! Glad you posted some pictures for all to see and enjoy.
Happy New Year to everyone!
~Natalie

Thanks to all of you for your very kind words. I'm so happy to be a part of your group. Fun !!! Thank you. Janen

I have posted a few messages but still am very new. My screen name gives away my passion! I love all things antique, passed down and historic so cottage gardens are a collection of all these. I love looking in my flowers and thinking about all the places and people from which I've gathered my plants... Especially the things from my mom who's been gone since 2004. I plan to be a "regular" around here. Here's a few of my best pics from 2008. I started this garden from scratch in 2006.
Jen
{{gwi:678757}}

Oh, this is fun! Great to meet the lurkers!

Jim -- you're in Hillsborough (I used to live in Efland), but I'm south of CH now. Glad you spoke up!

Janen -- wonderful gardens! I look forward to seeing more of your flowers.

Chickenmom -- welcome, too! There are a few Texas folks around to help with advice.

Cameron

Oh good! New cottage gardeners posting new pictures.

Welcome Jim, Janen and Chickenmom.
Libby

ps. you don't need to post pictures to join the fun.

Great thread Nell, welcome all you former lurkers we love seeing other cottagers gardens. You will find like I did this is a really fun group, so glad you decided to join us. I'm seeing some very lovely gardens here, thanks for sharing.

Annette

Wonby...I'm south of you, in Albemarle. Glad to see some NC people posting. That Carolina forum is dead.

Happy New Year's everyone! I'm a lurker sometimes poster. I just love seeing everyone's pics! I love that red door cottagegirl! Wondering how I can make that work on my little shed... Hmmm
This is one of my favorite forums although I've been spending lots of time in wintersowing lately. I miss all the spring and summer postings of everyone's blooms.
My camelia has lots of buds about to bust open and I'll post pics of them when they do.
Nikki

Hello Lurkers!
It seems you all have quite lovely gardens : )

Frogview,
I'm honored that you would remember me!
Remy

here are a few photos from this year.
Jim

Jim - I love your pictures of "Frogview Cottage" garden. What a great name by the way! I've been trying for the longest time to get some Chinese foxglove established in my garden but still no luck. What is the nice dark red blooming throughout the first picture? Is that a double poppy? Your garden looks great! Thanks for sharing some pictures. Janen

Such beautiful gardens! Makes me long for spring.

Such beautiful gardens. I can't wait for mine to start filling in more this year. I spent more time last year worrying about the outline than plants. This spring and summer, the real work begins.

{{gwi:632963}}

See all that green? Those should bloom this year.

Sigh. That's all...sigh.

Token -- OMG! I was BORN AND RAISED in Albemarle! Small world! Now I know where Seventh Street is located! :-) I graduated from ASH in 1972.

Cameron

Jim - fabulous house - great palette of colours. You are an excellent photographer - good composition!!

Nancy.

Jen and Jim -- beautiful gardens!

Interesting to see so many North Carolina gardeners here, too.

Cameron

Just moved here 1.5 years ago. Spent 12+ years in Charlotte, Rented and apartment in GSO for about a year, bought my house in June 2007. I had really wanted a house further out of town, but it just wasn't meant to be. So, I settled on a cottage rather than a 2acre wooded lot. I'm starting to feel at home.

Grew up near Cheraw, SC.

Zone envy big time here.
Y'all been holdin' out on us.
Lovely gardens and houses.

Kathy

Yes, welcome lurkers!
-frogview I LOVE that Chinese Foxglove! I have never seen one before, is it similar to a regular foxglove in growing requirements? Your house is lovely by the way!
CMK

Hello All,
I am a long time lurker, extremely rare poster. I have been reading this forum for inspiration for a couple years, but I haven't had much to post about until recently. I did introduce you all to my blank slate this past August. We've gotten a lot done since then, but it still isn't much to look at - everything is still rather small and dormant. I've posted an album detailing our progress, but I'm not sure if you all will be able to access it. Let me know if it isn't actually a "public" album and I'll change the status. One big change since the last picture was taken - the picket fence is now painted white (thanks to the lovely 75 degree Christmas weekend).

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Progress

Hi all, sorry I haven't been around much lately, but you are all in my thoughts!

Wishing you ALL the best in 2009!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Cheers :) Becky

Emily, I love you cute house. I was thinking a culert for that ditch and there you did it. Looks wonderful.

Thank you for the very nice welcome! I've started joining in Weekend trivia, but otherwise I don't have much to add. I love seeing the photos, thank you to everyone who posts!

Happy New Year!

What a nice present to enjoy with my morning coffee; new gardeners and pictures of their beautiful cottages and gardens.

I am wondering if the cottage style of Frogview Cottage (what a great name!) and mlel7's home is a southern style. They look very similar to me. They are the epitome of what I think of when you say Cottage.

Once again, you all have taught me something new. I have never even heard of Chinese foxgloves.....now I know why. It is a southern perennial only to Zone 7. I guess that lets me out.

Janen and Jim you have spectacular gardens.

I hope everyone keeps posting now that you have started.

Emily I love your adorable home!!! You and your husband have really done a LOT of work. I can certainly appreciate all the effort you have put into this project. My back aches for you. I can't wait to see more pictures. Please keep us updated, and thanks for sharing. Janen

I lurk a lot, post when I have time.
Happy New Year everyone!!!! May your gardens be their best ever this year.

I have lurked and lurked, seldom post here. I love to look at the gardens, and now I am anxious to get back in my garden. I have a lot of work to do, but I see the beginnings of the garden emerging from the cold ground.

We haven't had a hard freeze yet, but can at any time. I still have lots of hibiscus blooming, along with aloe vera, butterfly weed, bulbine, and society garlic. It is a very odd year.

Happy New Year!

Janie

Hi there, it's Cathy from Berkeley. I'm often lurking and looking at pictures, that is ,when I can kick my son off the computer for a few minutes! After my 2nd old film camera bit the dust I finally broke down and joined the digital revolution. Now my kids need to teach me how to post photos.

I'm continuing to pull off the ugly vinyl siding on the exterior of my house and replacing the lost wood trim. Between our drought and my southwest facing front yard, I've realized that I need to make it as drought tolerant as possible. So mulleins have become my favorite perrenial of late. Whose organizing a seed swap this year? Happy gardening everybody! Cathy

Hi, I guess I've been a lurker too. But I'll try to be a bit better in the new year. All my gardens are cottage style, because I never met a plant I really couldn't like and I just need to find a bit of space for somewhere. This past year, we greatly expanded our frontyard foundation areas and they are now full-fledged garden beds. I even convinced my DH to pull out the ugly overgrown shrubs at least on one side of the house. And I made a new garden that goes from the side of the garage to the street in front. So I still have a lot of space to fill in this year. But I am winter-sowing for the first time and having a hard time keeping my list down - so I may end up with lots to plant!

Heritage Garden

left front before

left front after

right front after

I lurk here often, maybe posted once or twice. I've only been in my house 2 years and had to spend a good deal of time concentrating on the house itself before getting to the gardening, so not much to show there yet. I have very limited time for gardening, so I'm sure it will be several years before there is much substantial to show.

Here's where we started...our newly purchased "dream home" :)

This is how far I've gotten on the front garden

And this is a crude mock-up of what I'm working toward

So for now, I lurk and learn. I appreciate all who share advice and photos. :)

Forgot to add...Frogview Cottage is just gorgeous!

Bungalow house - very cute, and a good start!!! imho, I would move the trees a little forward. You don't want them too close to your foundation, or property line, for that matter. Like I say, just my opinion.

Welcome. Nancy.

Thanks ALL!!
If you could see the "out front" now....it is ugly. Leafless and bare.
Yes, mop head poppies in one of the photos. I got hit by deer (we live in the middle of town) so I moved a lot of things to safer ground. The deer don't seem to like the poppies.
I found this wonderful book called "Outside the Bungalow" which said you could never have too many roses. That is all I had to read. 98% of the roses here, are what would have been available and able to grow in this area at the time the house was built.
BTW, we started with a lawn of English Ivy, Poison Ivy, and Wisteria popping up EVERYWHERE. Our first year was spent on hand-digging with long sleeves and gloves. We started our renovation on the outside and have yet to make it inside.lol
I'll post more photos in Spring.
Thank you again for all your kind words.
Jim

I just joined in June, and was very active until getting involved in blogging. I post links to posts on my blog here from time to time, because I don't have to go through as many steps to put pics on my blog as I do here. I have been missing the people here, and hope to keep up with both.

Nell had an awesome idea here, inviting "lurkers" to make themselves known. I enjoyed looking at the pics, and clicked on them to make them larger. Great job, you all!

Sue

Hello!
:)
I'm fairly new to gardenweb, starting my first veggie patch this year. I love reading and learning here.

-aj in PA

I would like to impart a bit of unsolicted advice.

You new folks need to know that these people do a lot of enabling here. So, be prepared to try all kinds of new plants. LOL!

Oh, my, so many beautiful plants that probably won't grow in central TX.

Because I had to "re-enlist" my page does not show that I have been posting since 2001.

Kathy

I definitely belong here... Every year or so Imake the effort to start a thread and get involved, and then life takes over and i can't keep up with all the comments! Everyone here has great knowledge and lovely landscapes and I'm more than ready to see what happens in the spring. :) Take Care!

Hi, Foxesearth, and everyone else. I just dropped by and found this great thread with all the lovely and exciting pictures. Your garden, Foxesearth, is one of the many reasons I enjoy dropping by. Enabling is another as I'm slowly, slowly developing a big garden around a new house by myself with no budget. Cottage also because I'm an incurable plant acquirer and plopper-inner, because I love them best when I have to push my way by, through, and under, and because the only "hardscape" I can afford is whatever I dig up, hose off, and stack or lay myself. :)

SSHhh - Kathy - we can't get them hooked if you give the secret of enabling away!!!! Oh well.

Nancy.

Hello, I used to be a regular at this forum but life got busy and I just can't seem to find time to post but I do lurk and am still regular at the RR forum.

I started growing Chinese Foxglove a few years back (received some from GGG...Where IS she?) but it seemed to start taking over so I pulled it out before it even bloomed but now I wish I had left it. I may have to give it another try.

Here's some pics from this past spring and summer in my north Florida garden:
{{gwi:771098}}

{{gwi:771101}}
{{gwi:771103}}

{{gwi:771105}}

{{gwi:771107}}

{{gwi:771109}}

{{gwi:771111}}

{{gwi:771113}}

{{gwi:771115}}

The quality of these are not that good but you get the idea....Florida is not all the tropics.

Theresa

Thereasa,

I like it all, but I really like the hollyhocks!

I lurk here and get lots of great ideas for my relatively new gardens. I've posted once or twice maybe at the antique rose forum. Yolana

carrborogardner, We are neighbors. Would love to know what roses you have. I would offer you cuttings of anything here but I've had two cases of RRD this year. It is all over Hillsborough.
You should come in the Spring and walk around town. There are fabulous mature ogrs tucked in yards and churches in the historic district. Most fun.
Jim

Welcome everyone!

bungalow_house, that's my dream home too :-) Maine is beautiful although I've never been there ... but I have seen pictures. There's so much potential for your garden.

theresa24, your garden is drop dead gorgeous!!!

Teresa24, it's like watching fireworks - oooh, ahhhh...

Oh my gosh what beautiful gardens you all have. I do mostly lurk, but just love what I have learned here.
Catherine