Suggestions for how to complete my first cottage-inspired rose garden?
lbd518 (7b DE)
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agolbd518 (7b DE)
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Cottage garden suggestions.
Comments (7)I agree that pictures from the road would be helpful. Some ideas that occured to me though; in the first picture, I'd move the flag to the other side of the door on the blank wall so it's not blocking the view of the window. To the right of the flag, on the rest of that blank wall, add an interesting narrow trelis and grow something not too overwhelming like Clematis. Morning Glories would be okay if you promise to keep them trimmed back and thinned out. You don't want guests to think they're fighting their way in through a jungle. No roses that close to the door unless they are absolutely thornless. Honeysuckle would be great, if you pick something that hopefully has fragrance and definately won't eat the house. I'd move the topairy/standard in a pot out away from the house, to the left hand corner of the landing. I think it would look nice to double the size of the landing too. Make the flower beds as generous as you can, and add some kind of awning or small porch over the door. You want people to *want* to linger for a minute at the door even if it's raining, rather than having to scurry right inside single file. BTW, what's the purple plant to the left of the door? Second picture: two words; porch swing. No, make that porch swing with plump pillows in flowery rose prints (think antique barckcloth) along with a small table that can hold a book and a glass of lemonade. If there's no room for a swing, get a fat old comfortable wicker chair to replace the one with the thin wire legs that's there now. Bigger doormat, with colors that echo the trim of the house or the plantings. Add a little round ball boxwood. Not a hedge of them, just one in the middle of the flowers for whimsey. I don't know how far it is to the street or sidewalk, but my impression is no gazing balls or shiny stuff, there's no room. Ditto no ornamental grasses, which would just make such a small space look weedy. Go with Columbine, as someone else mentioned daylilly and foxglove....See MoreI hope my garden qualifies as a Cottage Garden (pics)
Comments (23)Kathi, yes, they're nicotiana. Last year I planted nicotiana Aztec, just one plantÂan impulse buy at the farmer's market. It reseeded this year. I don't know if Aztec is a hybrid, but this year's plants are the same white, at least. I was going to add a few more pictures, but I just put them in the Gallery, where I guess these should have gone in the first place. Sorry about that! But happy to meet everyone. Susan...See MoreA first year look at my cottage gardens!!
Comments (19)Thank you for the comments everyone!! :) I will have to take better pics next year but we do have "bones" and several bushes and trees throughout. The top of the front hill has Dogwoods outlining the top and a Magnolia (which is why I picked whites/shades of pink to compliment it which I hope it will next year) we do have a Rose of Sharon "hedge" in the back and we have several crape myrtles(3 or 4 we bought this past year), magnolias and such. I would never have evergreen trees or hedges tho, I strongly dislike them. The people who own my grandmothers farm put up a row of them to block out any views from the road and first thing I'd do if I bought it, would knock those suckers down and plant some nice Peonies or Lilacs and put in a nice garden. (thats a rant of mine lol) As for the hills, I would love slopes for drainage and such but these are a pain to weed. and I'm not going to lie,l I am using them sorta as a test of combining colors and shades of the same color...I am still learning every day!! The flat part in the back, if it was up to me, it be a path of gardens throughout leading to different areas like the vegetable raised beds or the tree/table where we sit and spend time outdoors. I am very OCD and I get anxiety from also not being organized or really planning something but Cottage Gardening really feels more free. Of course, I plan and replan but I always want it to remain an expression of me. It is my relaxation from the world, from work, from stress. It has saved me last year when I was so depressed and lost. I mean, I was just out of FIGHT. One day, I just decided to weed my old herb garden (my grandma had been badgering me since Spring last year) and suddenly I was out there everyday instead of worrying about my paranoia or worrying where to go in life. At the approval of my parents to start weeding out the hills and gardens my mom had and take over, it was like I was rediscovering myself with each weed pulled and every new plant dreamed up in my head. (lol thats just me)These gardens are great and I will keep at it but I can't wait to have my own small farm/house and completely have control over every aspect of it!! I will miss so many of these plants tho and will be smuggling seeds to start new ones when that time comes! LOL ~Michael...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 MoreLisa Adams
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agolbd518 (7b DE)
6 years agoK S
6 years agoVaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agosmithdale1z8pnw
6 years agoMoses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
6 years agoLisa Adams
6 years agototoro z7b Md
6 years agobarbarag_happy
6 years agoUser
6 years agolbd518 (7b DE)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoAl Mitchell zone 5b (ameri2nal)
6 years agoK S
6 years agoebharvey1
6 years agoVaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agototoro z7b Md
6 years agonoseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)
6 years agolbd518 (7b DE)
6 years agoAquaEyes 7a NJ
6 years agoMoses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoLisa Adams
6 years agosmithdale1z8pnw
6 years agoK S
6 years ago
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Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA