My New Cottage Gardening Adventure
Hey everyone, it's been awhile since I last posted in this forum but I love cottage gardening, starting seeds, growing old favorites and heirlooms and I've been saving to get my own house to start my own actual gardens from scratch!
Well it happened! I bought a house in October and I'm only starting on the planning this Fall/Winter! It is essentially a clean slate with not much done with the yard besides some pines, a line of pine trees separating the front side yard from the backyard. NOW I very much dislike pine trees so they had to go and as of last week, they are gone and most stumps got grinded up!
The soil will definitely need a little improving but I plan on accomplishing that with composting, bringing in some composted soil from a local company and mulching with newspaper/chips.
Anyways here is some pictures and I hope to update this post with future things that are being done and to share the transformation from a dull yard to the home and cottage garden of my dreams!
~Michael
Comments (15)
naturegirl_2007 5B SW Michigan
7 years ago
Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Starting a new cottage garden
Comments (9)Hi Daphnelady, I think you have chosen a good variety of plants and love the idea of mixing flowers,veggies and herbs in the same area...a true cottage garden! The only advise I would say would be to try to make sure that you aren't hiding shorter plants behind taller one such as the hollyhocks. Tall, med, short/border plants..also if you can repeat a color or flower here and there as you go down the the border, by repeating a few of the colors it will help guide your eye down the border and bring unity to the bed especially such a long bed. Another tip that can be a little tricky is to arrange your plants so that you have something continualy blooming along the border so you don't end up with gaps. Look out for the lemon balm! Here where I live it really can take over...it is in the mint family I believe. I tried killing mine that I had in a large pot, the thing wouldn't die, had to pull it out and throw it away to finally rid myself of it. Yes, do take before and after pics...I wish I took more myself. Then you can post them here for all to see and be inspired! Good luck! ~Meghan Here is a link that might be useful: hennypennyrosecottage.blogspot.com...See MoreWinter in my cottage garden.....
Comments (17)There are houses which seem to have been born to be decorated for Christmas - and yours is certainly one of those! I remember when you first posted pics of it to wonder how it would look like in its Christmas attire. Now I know - and it's breathtakingly beautiful! Thank you for sharing your Winter Wonderland with us and Merry Christmas! Eduarda...See MoreNew adventures in urban gardening....
Comments (12)One of the things I like most about my new place is the neighbors. I moved in last August, and folks were very understanding that I didn't have everything together yet. So different folks took turns mowing my little patch of scrubby grass for me. This spring I decided I needed to take care of it myself. As luck would have it, the previous owner left a reel lawn mower in the basement, so I brought it up and took a run at the grass. Things were going okay -- I was more bludegeoning the grass into submission that actually cutting it -- until I tried to mow the patch to the left of the walkway, where the grass is especially thick and the terrian very uneven. After maybe a swipe or two the whole thing collapsed. Bad enough there's no bolts in the handle, I'd lost one of the bolts that holds the reel to the frame! And a 45 minute search didn't turn it up. Not surprisingly, a call around to lawn mower repair places (blades need to be sharpened, too) found all of them booked. And then it occurred to me -- who needs a lawn mower? Meet my little friend.... Looking forward to cleaning up Friday morning!...See MoreSome new garden shots with lots of cottage garden roses
Comments (9)Thank you both very much for the compliment. Lilyfinch I don't remember when I planted most of my roses. I have 23 antique roses and some knockouts, but the oldest I have is Mrs BR Cant which I planted 8 years ago in the spring, I can't remember if Lamarque and Climbing Pinkie were planted the same year or the next. Once I planted my first 2-3 roses I was addicted and bought usually 3-4 roses every year, I haven't planted any new ones in the past 3 years as I just don't have the time to spend in my garden like I did. I have found my climate here (can't speak for anywhere else as this is the only place I have ever gardened before, but Noisettes (which originated here in Charleston), regular tea roses, China roses and hybrid musk roses tend to thrive quite well and can get quite large fairly quickly for some. Peggy Martin (I did a post on the antique rose forum about this fantastic rose) is a found rose so I don't know what background she has but she seriously thrives on neglect and I do very very little to her. She is believe it or not the youngest rose I have! I have a lot of heavy clay soil so working with it is back breaking and slow which is why I haven't added anymore roses as of recently. I have some roses that grow quicker than others and in my garden here are some of my slow growers; Madame Alfred Carrier is one that is always touch and go, Mrs Dudley Cross, Maggie (I threaten to dig her up every year but she is looking for promising this year so we shall see), Cornelia (another touch and go rose that I have threatened to shovel prune but keep giving her a chance and she too looks better this spring)...While Lamarque, The Charlestonian, Peggy Martin, Belinda (not to be confused with Belinda's Dream), Duchesse de Brabant are among the fastest growing then there's Mrs BR Cant who hardly did a thing the first three years and then took off into one monster of a rose. The rest seem to grow at a fairly normal rate. I had to laugh a bit at your saying hoping to stay long enough, I have wanted to move to a bigger home for awhile but my garden keeps me from doing so, I just can't leave her and anytime I tell someone we were thinking of moving they would gasp and say you can't leave your garden what about all the hard work you have done. My daughter laughes at me because in the winter I'm all about moving, that is till spring comes and I'm like I can never leave. Haha I think she right! But I would say in general it will take about 4 years to have them really start filling out again though it just all depends really in end on a particular rose. ;) So I didn't intend for this to be so long lol, but I hope that helps you some. What roses did you plant if you don't mind my asking? I would love to know! All the best of luck and happy gardening to you!~Meghan...See More
Janet
7 years agoheavenlyfarm
7 years agoQuick Update!!!
My one old teacher from school rescued a stray she caught and had him checked out at Forgotten Felines. She was searching for a home but no one seemed to come forward so I adopted him :) Here is my new gardening companion to join me on this journey:
Leo<3
He is still shy and scared but I am working on him and he now comes out pretty consistently when I sit on the floor and I've enjoyed petting him several times now. Soon he will have the run of the house instead of just my bedroom. I am so glad to have him and I definitely made the right choice! :)
I am also winter sowing like crazy and am already up to 99 containers. So far mostly, bushes/shrubs/trees/lily seeds planted with a few hardy perennials done. I am amazed I did this many already and I haven't even started most of what I want to do yet............Now how much can I actually get planted and done? That remains to be seen! Luckily, I have friends, family and a plant sale to help if I can't get all of them planted in time!
Oh!
So remember how I thought this idea of using newspaper mulch would work? Yeah make sure you have something to really way it down besides a few rocks...... Looking like a littering neighbor and a big mess later and I've decided to try again but use my WS containers to keep them in place! So far it is working much better. I just hope this works. I also begun saving cardboard from work to try to lay down too!
Anyways, I think this is all the news so far! Oh and I've started planning the one side of the back yard that will be raised beds of berries(Blueberries/strawberries/raspberries) with a flower border in the back to create some privacy from neighboring eyes! LOL
~Michaelheavenlyfarm
Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
7 years agoMichelle
7 years agoUser
7 years ago
bella rosa
7 years ago
sandyslopes z6 n. UT
7 years agoheavenlyfarm
7 years agoFebruary End of Month update and progress!
Things are starting to pick up here and I've neglected this thread but here is an update :)
My winter sowing has really taken off and I just finished up my last perennials for the year! I have reached a total of 329 containers so far! I am just starting bi-annuals and hardy annuals and will do those throughout March followed by more tender annuals at the end of March, into May. Some things I've been Winter sowing?
~Blazing Sunset Geum (have yet to try this variety but I love the look of the full blooms it seems to have)
~Butterfly bushes (While I'm not fully prepared to plant these, if I am lucky enough to get any seedlings, they will be added to the border of the property where I wanna do a butterfly border/garden in the future)
~Veronica varieties/colors.(I just love the whimsy look of them, especially the ones that flop their flower-heads over more.)
~Princess Victoria Louise Poppy (Again, don't really have a spot picked out for these but I couldn't resist. I love oriental and perennial poppies!)
~Any seeds that have a short lifespan (I'd hate to see them lose their potential so I've sorted through my stash for ones that need planting this year or next and have done many of them)
I've also been working on removing these volcanic rocks that are in the existing raised beds in the front of the house.....bucket by bucket but I am determined to get it done! The top tier will be for a cutting garden/bed and the bottom will be as a seedling bed to hold any seedlings that i wanna keep for later or need more time to grow bigger before I move them to a more permanent location. Also a few ground-covers mixed in like Iberis (Candytuft).
I also added three of these little trellises my dad found on an online yard-sale group! 3 for 30 dollars, to me that's a steal. I had been looking at similar metal/iron ones on amazon and they ranged 100+ for one! I hope to add clematis to all 3 of them. I just really hope it will look spectacular and people will love it as they pass by! It does need a lot more work tho but I am determined to get a majority of the rocks gone, remove weed tarp that had been put down, mix in some good compost and soil and then I will plan it out more! =)
Fruit Raised Beds
I got my raised beds done for the veggies!! It all got done in one day surprisingly, even on a day I had to work at 3pm! LOL I lined the bottom with cardboard for a weed blocker and hopefully it will break down and help out the soil. Had the soil delivered that is a mix of composted/mushroom topsoil :) I already added some eggshells to each bed and coffee grounds to the last one that will have dwarf blueberries :)
1st Raised Bed: Raspberries (Anne Yellow and Heritage Red)
2nd Raised Bed: Strawberries (Ozark Beauty and Sparkle?)
3rd Raised Bed: Strawberries (Cabot?)
4th Raised Bed: Blueberries (Northblue and NorthCountry)
I also moved my compost bin over from my parents house to start a new bin :) Filled with shredded paper, eggshells, egg cartons, lettuce greens and watered it down a bit :)
Anyways, that is some of the new things going on around here! :) What about you? Hows your winter sowing or gardening going?
Also, I love Sample Seed Shop. Great prices also like T's Flowers. Also a lovely lady that does it! She was wonderful when I asked her about buying a gift card for my one swap giveaway a year or so ago. I plan on also making an order from T's flowers probably this Fall (Do I need more seeds? Well not exactly but...of course I do!!!) LOL
Happy Gardening Everybody
~michaeldocmom_gw
7 years agoheavenlyfarm
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoHey Guys!
I know what a late updated as we go into 2019....
Nora
I consider her a blessing and new joy into our family and she really did take up quite some time trying to find her but we were so happy to find the puppy we wanted and so cute too! (no matter how much she steals laundry or pees inside lol) She was rescued from somewhere in Virginia and she is just nearing 6 months :)Another big addition (More garden related)....A fence!!
I am so glad we picked this style fence and the dogs love it too! Finally I can garden with a little more security and the dogs can be outside with me! I found it hard to get any major gardening done while Tanner (our other dog) howled at the upstairs window to be out with me and I found myself coming inside more often then not to comfort him LOL. Anyways, I just feel it adds a new dimension to the garden and really helps to frame the gardens and our home!The Fruit Trees
I actually just pruned most of the fruit trees, our crabapple and our maple tree this afternoon! Removed any limbs that were too low and crossing with others. This past year, we even got fruit from the peach tree!!! Only 3 total but that is still a WIN!Butterfly Border (NEW GARDEN 2018)
We added a butterfly border to the right of our backyard that includes butterfly favorites and hosts plants for the larvae including hollyhocks, butterfly bushes, asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed), asclepias tuberosa, gaura, rose campion, Leafy Diana Dill, Queen Alexander Poppies, Scabiosa and Melton Pastels Knautia! ( a few others I'm forgetting I'm sure lol)This past 1+ years in review......
We def had our hands full this past year with gardening projects, fence and fixing our porch roof, me and my bf combining our lives, him returning to college classes and me going back to get a degree in Business Management that the gardens took a hit! I admit it....lots of weeds, no mulching and not nearly enough time out in the garden last year!
This year, he is undertaking the remodel of our veggie garden and trying his hand at vegetable growing, I plan on to be more active outside and instead of add anymore gardens this year, I'm just gonna get the ones I started moving along, getting them back up and looking good and enjoying every minute of them! :) I wanna add more plants to these gardens and really watch them blossom...there's always room for more gardens next year ;)
~Michael
Theresa24 (NeFL9a)
5 years ago
Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca