craftylady2006, it's not the wheel that is rusty. I have a rusty plow shear and disc that we found while digging in the yard. They are all totally rust! :) My MIL just got an old cultivator at a flea market around here last Saturday. She paid $20 for it, which is cheap here. But while the rest of you stick them outside, she's putting hers in the family room in the basement :) A lot of the things I see you guys stick outside, we put inside. MIL and I LOVE primitive antiques! We hate to stick this stuff outside and have it fall apart!

just beautiful! I like marigolds- I have not heard of this variety- they add so much color to the garden! I have 3 "Mr. Majestic" that I w/s- of course, they are crowded in some volunteer celosias and balsams- think I could move them now? I like the sunflower too- I have several this year, just begining to bloom- one is supposed to be "Rusty Orange" and one "Chocolate"- so, we will see :)) thanks for posting, keep up the good work! Linda

This was the thread that helped me put a name to the style of garden that I love best. I have been working towards the cottage style for many years and never get tired of the evolution of it. Loved reading them all again today. Cheryl

You could plant a mixed variety of annual Sunflowers. They range from a few feet and good for cutting, to over 10 feet. In my "Tall" bed, I'm growing a patch of annual sunflowers on one end, perennials in the rest. Mammoth grey stripe will go in back because it grows about 8-12 feet tall and in front I'm planting shorter varieties of Sunflowers, a mix of yellow, lemon yellow, and rusty colors that grow 5-6 feet. The critters absolutely go nuts over annual Sunflowers - the bees love them, and many species of birds, chipmunks, squirrels, etc feast off the seeds for several weeks when they're ripe. It was fun to watch! You could look into Tithonia (Mexican sunflower), also an annual, grows about 5-6 feet, has more attractive foliage, and mixes well with annual Sunflowers. Tithonia is often grown in butterfly gardens because it's a premier nectar plant.