Bare Dirt to Cottage Garden (in Pictures)

The wasps were sooooooo nasty in Othello I gave up even having any birdhouses! In Boise they were not aggressive at all and I worked RIGHT next to nests and never got bothered. I'd forget that I had a nest in my coffee can garden sign and realize it when the can was within 3 inches of my eye while weeding!

I have not figured out "here" yet. I have seen some old nests hanging in various places but I have not noticed aggressive behavior. To be safe I'll probably only hang "fake" birdhouses with black painted "hole" in order to prevent wasps from taking up residence.

I should get a few Johnny-jump-up seeds and scatter them...

The Hollyhock show has begun!

The lobelia on either side of the entry are so blue.

Johnny's have Jumped Up everywhere! I love their happy little faces. =D

This message was edited Apr 14, 2015 11:11 AM

I love hollyhocks, I have some at my former home (now rental) in Othello. I was thinking I might go dig up some! I had hoped that since the current renter is a former owner, that she would take a little more pride in the yard than what she has. I've always felt that people who have been owners themselves were more apt to take care of things. Oh well.

Lobelia just can't take our heat here but I sure love them!

Here's the same corner. Are you impressed?!

You SHOULD dig some up, Pat! Although I had a funny experience with that. I dug a few Hollyhocks up from my MIL's garden (you can see them in the first pic), and I also scattered seed. The ones I dug up just sat there and didn't grow or put on a show the first year - the ones from seed actually surpassed them. My theory is that they don't much like to be moved. You should try the same experiment too - dig up some babies, and also grab seeds from some. I'd be curious to see if you have the same experience, where the seeds surpass the transplants.

I'm very proud of this before/after, but I do feel like I need a middle-level plant in this area to cover up the Hollyhocks' ugly legs.

Found a few closeups of the Hollyhock flowers. White, pink, pinker, pinkest!

That's been my experience, they don't like transplanting but hey, they are MINE and they will at least be a start. dahlias would like a nice mid-height, Cosmos... peonies? Pentemon?

and yes, I'm duly impressed!!! Nice job, what a change.

The lawn is starting to go! But look how pretty my tree is getting!

Thanks so much, Pat. Good suggestions for my mid-level. I picked up some penstemon today, but it's an orangey red that I think will clash with the pinks. I also grabbed some purple salvia which is in bloom right now, maybe that'll work?

Omigosh I just looked up dalias and I kind of have to have some now. They look amazing!

Haven't gotten my Lilliput zinnias planted yet, but I might just put some over there for the mid-level for now.


This message was edited Apr 14, 2015 8:48 PM

What is the white plant in foreground? It's a little more delicate looking than what Dusty Miller normally is? It sure adds nice contrast to your flower bed.

You called it, it's Dusty Miller!
It looks that way because of the rather odd trimming job I had my gardener do in the Fall. I had him trim some parts all the way back to the ground. I almost immediately regretted it - it doesn't look great close up. But you're right, from far away it looks nice. That white foliage just glows! =)

Are there plans to take out more grass and add more flower beds?

Hey Pat, yep, I'm in the process of pulling up the corners of the lawn. My goal would be to have a 3-4 ft wide bed all along the front, and a stepping-stone path that wanders its way up the middle, under the tree, so people can go straight from the sidewalk to the front door.

I'm planning to be a bit more drought-aware in my new planting beds.

=)

My neighbor gave me some small river stone for the path for the Plants vs. Zombies garden. I think it looks cute!

All but one of my daughter's sunflowers has been eaten by snails, and I think the majority of the purple basil as well. We might have to replant with a barrier of snail killer all around the edge!

Your rock path is very sweet. I've heard that the shell from walnuts will detour the snail as it's too sharp from them to cross, don't know if that's true. I'm sure you can find lots of ideas if you google it.

I've heard the same about crushed eggshells, Pat. I wish I had thought about that before I threw away 32 hard boiled eggs from Easter! doh!

Check it out, my first ever foxglove is blooming!! I've been staring at those clumps of green for a year wondering if they were really going to bloom or if I was wasting my time. =)

Also, a white version of my mystery plant has popped up! So pretty.

And my first morning glory bloom has arrived, before the plant itself has leaves bigger than my thumbnail, and it hasn't even hit the trellis yet! It was determined to bloom right away, I guess!

This message was edited Apr 20, 2015 2:27 PM

I LOVE foxglove, so bright and pretty! One of my favorite, right up there with Stargazer lily.

It's so pretty, Psych! You're right, they're so bright. And I love the spotted throats!
It's funny, my MIL and I have been staring at those foxglove clumps for so long. She told me that she has been tearing them out of her garden for years because they never bloom! LOL.

I'm hoping it'll be like my Hollyhocks, where if I get enough of them reseeding then I'll always have a few developing and a few blooming in the garden. =D

I'm really kind of sad about my Hollyhocks right now. They've been so gorgeous and healthy, but while the blooms themselves are gorgeous, the leaves keep curling, and they have black marks on them - it's clear they have some sort of disease. At first I thought I wasn't watering them enough, but I think that's not the case. It's so sad seeing this tall plants with such beautiful flowers, but without the lush foliage to go with them. =/

I've never looked at Stargazer Lily before, but just looked it up. I like the foliage! I figured it'd be similar to most bulb foliage, those long straight leaves that I'm not a fan of, but I like the Stargazer much more! Plus, it seems like the flower-to-foliage ratio is really good on that one!

This message was edited Apr 21, 2015 7:13 AM

Can you tell I'm enamored of this view of the wheelbarrow over the Mexican Primrose?? =D

Hollyhocks are beautiful but LOTS of bugs make a meal of the leaves and you get "lace" where a leaf used to be!

Is another name for what you call Mexican Primrose, Evening primrose? We used to have it in Boise and I can hardly wait to get it started here.

Yeah, I think it's also called Pink Evening Primrose. I love the solid wall of pale pink nodding blooms! Although I think it's crowding out my Salvia - it made a much more substantial showing last year. I might have to make some room so it can come up for air!

This message was edited Apr 21, 2015 5:47 PM

It's getting hard to keep the top of the Hollyhocks in the picture! They tower!!

HI Gals! Benn having trouble with internet service- & Very busy in my garden. Will post help needed pics after dinner- but wanted to let Caitlin know how much I love her garden this year. The wheel barrow? To die for- So cheery- I only have 4 wheeled old barrows that are not "quaint and cute" like yours. Holly Hocks? Foxglove? Lobelia? I am so green. I had those in my last garden, but they don't like it here at all. Darn it! Foxgloves are custom made for fairy gardens. I've had wasp in birdhouses, but not my wall- Thank God. It is so beautiful this year. But look who does want to live there:

Omigosh Ginger, what kind of snake is that?!! Is that poisonous? I like snakes, but I think finding a big one like that in my garden would freak me out! I used to catch and keep garter snakes when I was a kid.

Thank you for the compliments. I'm super happy about my wheelbarrow - it is my sop to the neighborhood so that they have something pretty to look at while the lawn dies. I think it's serving its function - that's all anyone talks about! ;-)

We finally got a new gardener, and he and his partner spent 3 hours mowing, edging, and clearing the "meadow" of weeds in the backyard. The front looks so much better mowed and edged. Keeping it neat, tidy, edged, and weed-free is part of our "Don't Bring Down the Neighborhood" kill-the-lawn plan!

HOLY COW that is a BIG snake!! Beautiful flowers but I'm not fond of your "squatter"!

Good morning Ladies! I am enjoying this thread. I love your gardens!

I too, am a cottage garden person. I started my cottage garden beds about 12 years ago. I wish I had photos later than 2010, but I had a computer crash and lost all those photos prior.

Looking forward to more of your photos.

Welcome, Carolyn...thanks so much for following along. You can't keep us hanging! Pics please!! We don't care about the date, just whatever you've got, and whatever you're working with now! =D

Welcome Carolyn, It's a King Snake-one of the good guys- eats mice& rats. Non Poisonous. Here are a few more pics from this past week , then I'm headed outside- I see the sun started to shine again- lots of weeding to do with all this rain. Don't worry- will poke around with big stick first . LOL!

I have really been enjoying following this thread and seeing photos of all of your gardens.

Thank you Ginger and Wifey for the warm welcome.


Wifey - The best part is that I don't know where to begin!

When we bought this place, the backyard was a dog run. That was 18 years ago. We had said that we wish we had taken pictures when we first started working on the yard. Since then, we have put in a privacy fence, an arborvitae hedge, a row of lilacs as well as various other flowering shrubs and trees and several ponds - each time the pond area becoming larger and larger until we can no longer expand the pond unless we move.

Unfortunately, I had a computer crash in 2010 and lost all my photos. I do have a few stray photos from pre 2009 that I pulled from DG when I had previously posted.

Looking at my photos, I have noticed that I am not very good at taking photos of the whole thing. I have many vignettes of things going on in the back and side yards.

In 2009 or so we put a small pergola over the back door and last year, my stepson and his wife built a larger pergola over the grilling area on the deck. I have some climbing roses and more clematis (I am an admitted clematis and heuchera addict!) ordered to help fill in the newest pergola.

These first couple of photos are some of the ones I had pulled previous to the computer crash. The first on the left is against the base of the deck and I am thinking of going back to coneflowers, because I am not happy with the daylilies I have there now. The second picture is the 2nd pond. You can see bits of my soon to be cottage garden to the left of the pond.

These are some photos from Spring of 2011.

Still wish I had pics from the dog run LOL!

Some photos from Summer of 2011.

Omigosh, Carolyn, I am in heaven with all of these pics! It's so hard to believe that this was once a dog run. Positively stunning!

I love your coneflowers. Last year I scattered seed for Black Eyed Susans and coneflowers, and not a single coneflower came up! I've gotta try again. =D

Your bridge is so adorable. LOVE IT! I bet the water sounds in your backyard are positively magical.

I love the colors of the plants next to your hostas (can't remember the name right now?). The rainbow of leaf colors is just wonderful.

I need to get a Clematis or two for my garden. So many plants to collect, so little time!!

Your pics really give me hope for our backyard. Currently it is a big rectangular fish bowl (the neighbors all have 2-story houses), and I just haven't gotten to it yet. I'm too focused on the front, but I have dreams of a welcoming oasis, with pergola shade structure, fountain, play structure, and destination garden "rooms." Your pic makes me think that maybe I'll get there eventually!

Caitlin

I lost a lot of plants with the winter of 2013-2014. I don't know what I have lost yet for this past winter, as it was even worse than the one previously. My garden at one point was full, until the previous winter, so not sure what to expect yet. I do have a lot of plants ordered that should be coming in the next couple of weeks - so I am sure things will change in the garden.

I like the open area you have. Do your children use the yard a lot? That would dictate things that I plant and how much area that I planted. My kids have been grown and out of the house for 10 years. Seems like they were here yesterday, leaving in the morning for school. (I miss those days).

This is spring of 2012. The second picture is the current and last pond that we put in - the bridge went to a friend when we enlarged the pond.

There are some iris in a few of these pictures. I have lost quite a bit of the iris. I debate on whether or not to replace the iris.

Summer 2012.

I cannot remember what year the climbing roses went in. I want to say 2010, but don't have much in pics before 2012.

Omigosh! Can't...stand...the gorgeousness! More please. =D

I'm planning to plant Joseph's Coat climbing roses on either side of my garage, and hopefully train them up over it. =D

Thank you Caitlin. I love climbing roses, unfortunately we are bit cold here for the Climbing Joseph's Coat. I love that plant!

Spring 2013.

The Kwanzen Cherry in the second picture was taken down this Spring. It was splitting and was only a matter of time before it came down in a windstorm.

Summer 2013.

The climbing rose is filling in. Before it starts to leaf out this year, I really need to pull it up somehow and cut it back some.

Stunning! Did you grow the pink coneflowers from seed?
What is the climbing rose attached to? Is it climbing a support?

I love the three trees with a bench inside them. I need to think about that for my backyard.

Caitlin -

Yes, I grew the pink coneflowers from seeds. The other coneflowers were trades and co ops.

The trees with the bench are dogwood. I kept telling hubs that I wanted the dogwood in a clump and he kept telling me they needed more room. I have to tell you, I am glad that I did not listen to him.

The trellises for the roses are tall trellises that we picked up at Lowes and then nailed them to the house about 4-5 feet up from the ground. They looked kind of funny for the first couple of years before the roses had any height to them.

Can't get over those pink coneflowers. I just have to click on that picture every time I scroll by! The color is delicious!

Yes, my kiddos use that backyard a lot. My hubby has allowed me to let the front lawn die (California drought), with the condition that I keep the backyard alive for them to play on.

I am hoping to start planting things in the back soon, and eventually eating away at the edges of the lawn - it'll be a process. Our gardener is a landscaper, and he also builds garden structures. I've asked him for a quote for a pergola shade structure for the back yard. I think that once that is in place, it will break open the backyard for me and give me the motivation I need to get started. With our brutal summers, shade is a necessity before anyone is going to want to spend any time out there.

Below, some "weeds" that I'm glad I didn't pull! Turns out my procrastination paid off - poppies, and a monkey flower (surrounded by real weeds! lol)!

Caitlin -

You are referring to these coneflowers, correct? If so, I can save you some seed this summer. The others in my photos won't come true from seed as I understand it.

PLMK

Carolyn