Cottage garden
My family and I live in rural North Carolina, so I thought a cottage style/mixed border garden would blend in best with our surroundings.
I've been gardening since 1994, and have tried to create four seasons of interest in our garden.
Back Yard Cottage Garden Flower Close-ups Front Yard Garden Huge (Half Acre Plus ) Large (5,000 - 10,000 sq ft.) Path / Walkway Pond Side Yard Stone / Rock
17 of 30: This is a Acer palmatum 'Shishigashira,' Lion's Head Maple that my husband fell in love with a local nursery. I went back a few weeks later and bought it as a father's day present a few years ago.
22 of 30: This is my favorite shade garden. This is my attempt at having plenty of color in the shade without alot of blooms.
Comments / Questions
Thanks Sam(Sandy). Might I add, your garden is awe inspiring to me. You also have a gorgeous home, makes three of mine !
I'd be glad to add some pics of the house, my posts need updating anyway, things have grown quite a bit since these pics were taken. I'll see if I can get some good shots tomorrow, if the sun is out.
Your gardens are absolutely beautiful.Looking at them inspires me to dig more beds.I also love Larks gardens(very lovely) You two are very talented gardeners.Gardening is my passion as I see it is also yours... Please post pics of your home,I can see a little of it in the photo's.It looks like a perfect country cottage....Our tastes are very much alike.... Sandy
Sorry iheartmovies, but the comment seemed to cut out part of my list on photo 13. Below arbor, I have phlox paniculata, red beebalm, siberian iries, dahlias, and in the back ground is salvia guarantica 'blue enigma'.
Thanks Garden Fairy, I appreciate your wonderful comment. I really like your hydrangea collection, you made some great selections, and your paver patio with seat walls is to die for !
iheartmovies, glad you liked the garden. In photo #8 I have a Spiraea 'shirobana',salvia 'fuji snow', variegated sedge, fagopyrum dibotrys variegata, heliopsis helianthoides, collarette dahlia, medallion daisy, variegated forsythia 'golden times', sophora davidii, kousa dogwood, tithonia, purple leaved caster bean plant, purple leaved oxalis, purple blooming campanula, cuphea firefly, coleus, and a pink blooming hibiscus shrub.
photo #13 vines on arbor are trumpet vine, and a wild clemati
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This is so beautiful, I hope someday to have a garden this beautiful. Bravo!!
First a beautiful garden, makes me think of " the secret garden". I particularly love pictures 8 and 13, well designed, but they look perfectly wild as if you could have just happened upon it. What plants/flowers did you use for those pictures?
Sorry Lark, I forgot to answer your question. Twice a year I use the leaf blower (late Autumn, and early Spring clean up). The rest of the year I use an old broom to sweep the mulch that gets washed into the path along with oak and popular blossoms that fall in late Spring.
Thanks a million Lark, so glad to hear you like it. If I remember correctly, your garden style is very similar to mine. It's been a while since I've been on, but I do remember looking at your garden photos, they left quite an impression on me. They are gorgeous, and left a smile on my face.
Hope the cold winter weather lets up soon. Until then, I'll be following your lead, looking at all the wonderful gardens here on Yardshare...:-)
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! I love your style of gardening...your use of textures, heights and color keep the viewers eye floating through your garden. You are a very talented gardener. I also like your stone patio area, the stone adds warmth. How do you keep the leaves and debri from breaking down in your crushed stone area? Blowing? Thank you for adding Spring to my Wisconsin Winter day. Smiles, Lark
I can't thank you enough Coastal Gardener. That's the nicest thing anyone's done for me in awhile. I really appreciate it...;-)
I just posted a comment on the contest page in support of your garden. Frankly, I'm a little disturbed by some of the postings that are getting numerous votes -- some have only one or two photos and are not anywhere near the quality of your gardens. What in heaven's name are people thinking?
Thanks for that wonderful comment Coastal gardener. It's funny that you say that , because I thought the exact same thing about your garden and casted my vote for you a month or so ago....:-)
I just by accident discovered your garden while browsing the site -- and I have to say it is absolutely wonderful! Frankly, I can't figure out why you are not at the top of the "inspiring yard" contest --- I'm casting my vote for you!!
I'm so happy to hear you liked my 'work in progress', Margaret and Sarah...;-). I would have never thought 16 years ago that my garden would wind up being this large. My problem is, every time I drive by a plant nursery I feel compelled to stop in, and I always wind up finding something I seem to think I can't live without...lol.
What an incredible variety of shapes and colors in your garden! This is a beautiful living quilt. I wish my garden were so nice.
wow, wow, wow
Donna, I swear my chest just grew three times it's normal size after reading your wonderful comment ! You really do my heart good...:-)
Fastforward, so glad to hear you enjoyed my garden. I can't wait to see photos of your fairy garden. Your grand children are just going to LOVE it ! It's something they will treasure for the rest of their lives...:-)
Thanks a million Donna F. ! Sounds like you have the gardening bug too..:-) I began flower gardening as a hobby in '94, and is now on the verge of being deemed an obsession, ( according to my husband )... lol . I agree with you wholeheartedly, there's nothing more gratifyiing than sharing my plants and having my friends share their plants with me. It makes all of us feel alittle more connected to each other's garden. I bet, being you live so close, that we grow many of the same favorite pl
You have definitely inspired me! I'm just starting a Fairy Garden for my grandchildren. "Jamma's Fairy Garden...in the beginning" is the name of My Yard. I sure hope my new garden eventually turns out as lush and beautiful as your Cottage Gardens! Your amazing variety of plants and your artistic design is spectacular.
Absolutely gorgeous. I am near tears...this is just beautiful.
Wow, I loved ever picture - your gardens are wonderful - I want to wonder through them looking at each flower - very inspiring. I feel the same as you "hooked for life" I tell my friends that this is my drug - plants. I seperate them and give them away, and friends share with me too - I LOVE free plants! I am in SC - we are neighbors.
Thanks so much for your kind words ! It's hard to beliieve this all started with just one plant... Now I'm hooked for life.....lol
This is beautiful! :-)
You have such talent. All of your hard work has paid off. That sitting area looks very relaxing. Thanks for sharing!
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