COTTAGE GARDEN SUCCESS PART ONE

For several years I've been tweaking my cottage garden.  I think this year is my favorite.
All the perennials have filled in and my garden is bursting.  This post was bursting too, so I divided it in to two parts.  Link to part two is at the end of this post.  Just click the highlighted words to be directed there.

 The first pictures are of my end-of-the-summer garden.  I've been taking photos all summer as the perennials take their turns blooming.  Some of the later close-ups are from earlier in the Spring and Summer.  There's always something new to enjoy.

Earlier in the Spring my peonies bloomed.
 They're only around for a short time but they're oh so gorgeous.

SPRING-BLOOMING PEONY SURROUNDED BY FERNS

Another Spring fave is my clematis.  It loves to climb the arched pergola.

Once the Black-Eyed Susans get started, they bloom most of the summer and into the Fall.  I originally planted them near the walkway beside the screened porch.  Over the years they've volunteered in almost every garden.

BLACK-EYED SUSANS NEAR THE SCREENED PORCH

The Black-Eyed Susans surprised me last year and appeared in the front yard under the pine.

VOLUNTEER BLACK-EYED SUSANS IN THE FRONT GARDEN

They even managed to work their way into the side garden and mix in with the perennial hibiscus.

PERENNIAL HIBISCUS AND BLACK-EYED SUSAN VOLUNTEER

CLOSE-UP OF MY PERENNIAL HIBISCUS

I have roses on either side of the chimney.  There are two shrubs and one rose topiary.  They bloom, then take a two-week break and then bloom again.  They're around from Spring to Fall.

MINI ROSES

I do add some annuals to my garden.  The vinca came back from last year's seeds.

VINCA VOLUNTEER

I also like to scatter flower pots around the garden.  These white begonias are near the front porch.

BEGONIA IN A VINTAGE PLANTER

My absolute favorite annual is Lantana.  I buy small plants in May and by August they've filled in all the empty spaces in the garden.  There are two kinds of Lantana.  One crawls and spreads.  This purple creeping Lantana started out as two small plants!  You can see my sedum, a perennial, that's about to bloom.  It's at the base of the bird bath.

PURPLE LANTANA COVERING THE GARDEN

Lantana also comes in a shrub form.
 I planted a six-inch high white lantana in this pot in May and in August it's huge, beautiful, and blooms until frost. The butterflies love it.  Did you know that Lantana is a perennial in the South?

SHRUB LANTANA IN A FLOWER POT

I think I'll have to stop here.  The post is getting too long.
Link to part two of cottage garden:  here.