Carrie, In my fledgling garden, "everyone" wouldn't be a Freudian slip. My mom says "Dogs are people too". Well, when you raise a garden from seed, I think it's inevitable we will see the plants as a little village of children and friends. So in my book, when you tend to your garden, you are free to refer to every one of your black-eyed Susans, Johnny Jump Ups, and Angelicas as "everyone". I'm IN LOVE with your BES and gaillardias. Brilliant colors.

Just got to the computer for the first time today - sorry for the hold up. I wish it was "better news" on the plant that everyone likes so much in photo 2. That lush, wonderful plant is Purple loosestrife (lythrum) and I bought it at a garden center about 5 years ago before I knew anything at all. Recently, I found out it is considered a nuisance plant -apparently does real ecological damage in wetland enviroments, crowds out other plants. Here is a piece I found just now on the web: "Commercial Sale and Regulation of Purple Loosestrife. Nurseries across the country still sell purple loosestrife as an ornamental despite its well-known impacts on wetlands. Loosestrife is promoted for use as a landscape plant and as a nectar plant in honey production. About 24 states have listed purple loosestrife as a noxious weed and prohibit its sale and distribution. Since purple loosestrife is very difficult to control once established, the best defense is to prevent its spread and to eradicate new populations as soon as possible (Stein and Flack 1996). That said - - I have NOT had any problem with this purple one at all, spreads at a slow managable rate (unlike white loosestrife, bought at the same nursery the same day that invaded everything around it and pulling it out almost sent me to my grave one summer.) I have divided the purple one only once and that clump seems very contained in its spot too. It blooms profusely and for a long time, just gorgeous next to that Echinacea white swan. I even took a little piece and added it to a planter and that did well too. But I do worry about birds carrying the seed to nearby wetlands although I've never seen any anywear when we take our Kayak out. Here is a list of what is captured on the picures (I haven't figured out how to leave space to write under them yet, but I will!) #1 - Verbena Bonariensis - - self sows.I recommend it to any gardener - it is so polite (quietly springs up between plants, nver bothering anyone!) and pretty. I also collect seed and WS and have a couple of places with thick bunches of it where I planted the seedlings.This way I can cut them all in one spot for arrangments. #2 - Loosestrife discussed above. Also the shorter gray fuzzy plants are one of my favorites. I bought the seeds from PArks in a foliage set of packs a few years ago and began saving seed. It is an annual,Plectranthus Silver shield, and it gets large and lush by summers end (3'H x 2' wide). I use it a lot in planters. I'll have seed to trade later in the fall if anyone wants to try it. #3 Agastache foeniculum Golden Jubilee - also puts out tons of seed if you'd like it. It is great in a semi -shady spot. Really brightens things up with its lime green foliage and long lasting flowers. #4 A mess of Iris (mostly Siberian) and a few lilies I have squeezed in. Stick that pole with the hanging backets in to try to get some color there as everything else is done blooming by mid summer. Need to rework this bed, it is so overgrown. Believe it or not there is even a tiny pond with a gold fish stuck in front of that huge hosta. You can see some of the rocks bordering it just to the left of the first hanging basket. Pond was hubby's idea - to me it's so small it looks silly. But they were the rage in our neighborhood a few years ago and he just had to have one! #5 Backyard bed. This was early in the season. It is an absolute jungle now. Those cleomes have been reseeding for 6 years. I will have tons of seed. Let me know if you need any. #6 WS Love lies bleeding (from a trade) - love it! With the Black eyed susans that compete with the cleome to rule the roost. And the colors aren't a great combo unfortunately. Sorting them out a bit is on my to do list! I am gloing to save seed from the LLB and try to plant a bunch of it with the Black eyed susans as I DO like that combo. #7 The last photo is all that cleome and a pot of ornamental purple millet. This millet was in the same Parks foliage mix as the silver shield and I've been collecting seeds each year as well. Love it in pots and in Large groupings in the garden beds. Hope this answers the questions you have asked! I've really enjoyed the chance to share. I am going to take pictures of the current jungle tomorrow and try to post! Nancy

Thank you one and all for your kind comments. They have inspired me to keep working and adding more color. You are all welcome for the tour. It was fun and I'm happy you visited. Blondie ~ The rains certainly have made a difference, especially after being in drought conditions for the past 3 years. The ground is still soggy. Janet ~ Cozy outside and cozy inside our cottage. I need to work more on what's around the corners to delight the senses. Nell ~ What you can't see about this far south in FL is that it is still swamp land. Those porch supports we found curbside shopping a few years back. The people put up 4"x4" posts instead. These are probably from the 50's which is what our cottage is. Those stones do grow all sorts of things. A lot of them are shell rock, others are not. DH and I love rocks. Do something with your iron gate, you won't be disappointed and do post pictures when you get it up. Tom ~ If I did it, you certainly can. Pick a private spot and go for it. We've always wanted privacy in our space. Our whole property except for the driveway and front gate is fenced/hedged off. When we first moved here other home owners were using our property and we had to put a stop to that. We had a little dog at the time so he was our excuse. We started out with wire fencing and then went to privacy fencing. Behind our cottage is our real secret garden, outdoor solar shower, jacuzzi, and claw foot tub, swing, bench. A quiet area to hang out in. It is hedged off from the back of the property where we park. ~ Sorry that got so long winded. Do look around and see where you want a private spot. You had one at the last place you lived, you can have one here too, only better. Enjoy the thought processes and the work. Rita ~ A tropical/cottage garden is what I've been working on since before I knew what a cottage garden was. I just knew I wanted things to grow happily along side each other. Bluesunflower ~ Having a garden as it is meant to be. I like that. It's my space away from the crazy, hectic world that we live in. Living on what feels like an autobahn with cars whizzing by all the time one needs a calming space. Pam ~ I don't usually show picture of my gardens, showing flower portraits instead. It is a work in progress. Limited space and funds. It's something I really enjoy doing for heart, soul and body. Patti ~ Our little whimsical, tropical paradise, here in the land of sunshine, where it's the lightening capital and we live in threat of hurricanes for 6 months. Winters are lovely though, except for the population explosion. Lavendrfm ~ We can't keep the whimsy out, it's part of our personalities. Jim ~ Peace is something I wish to create and for others to feel, even just walking by. It is our little piece of heaven on earth. GGG ~ I love that Queen. She's really grown since we got her two years ago. I'm happy to have her in our gardens. 'Unique, creative, fun, exuberant, life loving'. I'm a reclusive, crazy, happy person, living with the love of my life, trying to take each day as it comes. Dear Cottagers thank you. Your words have encouraged me once again. Your gardens have inspired me to keep on in mine. I ooohh and aaahh over your pictures, turn a shade or two of green at times, but jump right out into mine working with and creating with what I've been blessed with. I've learned a lot here and friendships made are priceless. Enjoy the rest of the week and happy gardening wherever you are. FlowerLady

It is a sable colored Labradoodle. He was chocolate brown as puppy, but as he grew, he changed to sable. DD wanted a dog with a even, gentle temperament, that was hypoallergenic, that did not shed, and that could be trained. She and DSIL got the dog about 2 years before the twins came along. He went to boarding school for a month when he was 4-6 months old. Then whenever they would go out of town, they would board the dog for the weekend and he’d get “refresher training.” Plus, DD and DSIL were careful to not undermine his training. When the babies came along, he was calm and gentle around them. If the twins got boisterous, the dog would just move to another room. Our neighbors have a Goldendoodle. She is a good bit more rambunctious. I don’t know if that is an issue with the breed or if it is an issue with training.