I am just beginning, but my sister's garden has been my inspiration. She and her husband have gardened for many years but only on this one for the past 10 years or so. Their 1930s era home is on three acres about 40 miles south of Atlanta. I think it is the epitome of a country cottage garden. Some photos are from 2009 when their garden was featured on their local county garden tour. I'd like to share it with you. Hope you enjoy it.
This was one of the first heralds of spring this year, just outside the sunroom window. A Yellow Rose of Texas, I believe the botanical name is kerria japonica. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Another early spring arrival ... daffodils and "thrift."
And one of the earliest signs of spring around here, dogwood trees starting to blossom.
Pansies in an old concrete planter decorate the porch.
More pansies greet you at the back door.
There is a lot of whimsy in this garden. Many old birdhouses, rusty things, and, of course, a bottle tree.
Purple irises ... a must in the cottage garden.
Veronica surrounds an old rusty chair.
Unnamed Austin rose behind the angel in the bird bath. The pillar on which the birdbath sits was part of a foundation pillar from a house across the street which was torn down recently. It's the perfect touch.
This message was edited May 25, 2010 11:38 AM
Another old birdhouse and rusty chair.
And another
Judy, I love the photos. Such an inspiration. Gonna keep these for later reference.
love, julie
A white clematis (name unknown) scrambles over an old iron headboard.
Thank you, froggies_girl. Have several more. Going to her garden is like thumbing through a magazine. Here's a closeup of the clematis ...
Gazing ball, birdhouse and Austin rose from the other side. The "bones" of the garden are made up of mostly boxwoods. This was the very first area completed about five years ago.
Yellow ...something. (odd looking little thing, huh?) Iris? Daylily? Whatever. (Told you I was a beginner :-)
Knockout rose about five years old, left to its own devices. Watered and fed, never pruned.
More knockouts in front of a dogwood tree.
This pond was discovered after they moved in. The original owners had filled it in with dirt. A lot of work later, this is what emerged.
A drift of self-seeded rose campion. They're all over the place and beautiful.
Roses lead the way to the veggie garden (yet to be planted in this photo. It was taken in April.)
Unnamed Austin rose. I don't know if she doesn't know the name or what, but she didn't tell me. I'm sure her youngest son planted this one. He loves Austin roses.
Mr. Lincoln rose. A favorite of my family.
Another unnamed rose covers the arbor.
The front porch frames the garden seen through the far end. We sit here, sip our tea, and wave as the cars go by (old southern custom).
I'll stop here for now but have a few more. Hope you're enjoying the visit to Georgia! :-)
Wow and double WOW! Thank you for the lovely tour. You've got me thinking about how to include more "objects" in my garden! I won't pass up the next rusty ornate iron chair I see... :-)
Thanks so much, Critter. She does have an inside edge. She and several other ladies own and operate two antique stores so they have access to many opportunities to see people's rusty "junk." Kay also picks up pieces of old iron fences to use scattered throughout the garden. She does seem to have the "touch" to put the right piece in just the right place. She and her husband did all this themselves. Here's one fence piece that fits right into the bed.
A little wrought iron bistro set under the arbor.
So beautiful. I especially love all the Austin roses and the pond, and all the garden art. Just lovely.
They were still working on this part of the garden last year but I love the stacked rocks curving around the shrubs.
Rocks! I love rocks. I've lined a couple of beds with them (not as impressively as this border!), and I'd love to do more of the same. :-)
Thank you, pgt. Here's some more rusty stuff. Foxgloves and a piece of an iron fence.
Y'all can see why I'm so inspired by all this. I will post my humble efforts as they take place. And mine won't be on such a grand scale because I have no one but myself to do it. But I seem to learn a little more from her every year. Put that with all the helpful folks at DG, and I should at least be able to come up with something decent.
Here's more of Kay and Bobby's garden. Iris growing in a water garden ...
Here's the arbor Bobby built. I think that's Confederate Jasmine (jessamine?) and some kind of climbing rose covering it.
Sweet potato vine and million bells spill over an old rusty Coke machine.
Million bells in an old galvanized tub. I think this was the third year they had come back. They didn't return this year but we had a horrendous winter.
Looking toward the back door (which is actually on the side of the house).
Seating area with fire pit near the "barn." It is huge and is where Bobby putters and Kay stores some of her antiques which are awaiting repairs, etc. It's also a garage.
And this, of course, is the most whimsical thing of all ... Mr. Green Hair.
