The Beginnings of My Cottage Garden

I've always loved the look of a cottage garden.  Until recently, my garden was mostly shade, so it was hard for me to create the unstructured style and informal design of a sun-loving cottage garden.  

We recently had to remove several trees from our yard, so the shade is gone and all summer I've been so excited to be focusing on a sun-filled space.  I found annuals to add immediate color.  The zinnias, celosias, and especially the lantana that I planted are thriving.  In these last few weeks of summer I've added long-blooming perennials, but I'll have to wait until next Spring to truly appreciate them.  I look forward to seeing them grow and crowd themselves into dense overflowing beds.

My new garden seems sparse right now.  You'll have to use your imagination to envision what it'll look like next year when it has a chance to spread and bloom.

Of course I had to add a sphere.

I added a rose topiary in front of the chimney.  

Next year a purple clematis will climb the arbor behind the topiary.

What is a cottage garden without a fence?  Instead of making a continuous fence, I placed sections of this vintage iron fence throughout the garden.  It makes a wonderful back drop.

Section from an old iron fence in the garden.

Looking into the back yard through the fence section.

Another fence section

Looking up from the back yard.

I've always wanted Russian Sage in my garden.  

Russian Sage

If you look carefully you'll see a bee on the right side of the image.

Yea, a bee in my Russian Sage.

I mentioned that some of the annuals I planted earlier in the summer are thriving.

They really add color to the garden and are a constant to the every changing perennials.

Marigolds

Do you believe this Lantana started out as a tiny plant.  It has woven its color among the liriope.

Lantana blooms woven into the liriope.

I've had this perennial garden filled with Black-Eyed-Susans and Phlox outside my porch for many years.  It's bursting.

Perennial garden next to my screened porch.

I'm so looking forward to next year's garden.

To see my cottage garden at dusk, go here.