Cottage Garden Planting Suggestions
Garden Forum -> Archive Quickie
Posted by: Lady_Stardancer
Ok, after seeing Maudie's pictures of her cottage garden inspired by Thomas Kinkade photo's, I would love to grow a cottage garden in my back yard. I have been thinking about turning a large section of my back yard into a garden for years, and now I'm inspired.
So besides foxgloves and nepeta, what would be appropriate flowers in a cottage garden? Also, would they do well in an area that doesn't have full sun all day long. And am wondering if cottage garden flowers are annuals or perennials.
Can't wait to start working up a design after I hear suggestions for what flowers you all think would make a beautiful cottage garden.
Posted by: terese
columbine
daisies
dianthus
hollyhock
old garden roses
how much sun are you talking about?
Posted by: Lady_Stardancer
My back yard faces south, but there is a stand of tall pines behind my house, so from sunrise and throughout the day, the sun is filtered through the pine trees. Even in high summer, my back yard never gets full sun. At the end of the day, toward late afternoon, the yard probably gets an hour and a half of full sun as there is a clear shot across my yard from the west without interruption of trees.
Posted by: Audwoman
It sounds like you have a good bit of shade maybe Daylilies, Hydrangea.
Posted by: mla2ofus
To add a few more:
columbine
bleeding heart
astilbe
alchemilla (lady's mantle)
Digitalis (foxglove)
polemonium (jacobs ladder)
geramium (cranesbill)
for some height you could use
aruncus (goats beard)
ligularia
filipendula
All of these are perennials plus there are a lot of lilies that can take some shade. If you check into them, some roses, especially the old roses, can take some shade. Also some of the clematis vines can take a bit of shade too.
Posted by: grindle
delphiniums
cosmos
clarkia
poppy
peonies
iris
Posted by: terese
Some of the less showy Clematis & Dahlias. Daffys?
Posted by: erdine
baby's breath, larkspur, strawflowers, phlox. and some of them are great for drying too.
Posted by: Maudie
Lady Stardancer:
I'm glad you were inspired by my garden. You're right; mine is full sun but many of these plants should do fine with a little less. My garden is a work in progress, constantly changing. I've been at this one for 4 years now. If I plant something which doesn't work out, I just move it to another garden and replace it. Right now, I have: Black Eyed Susan, Chives, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Creeping Thyme, Delphinium, Foxglove, Glads, Golden Oregano, Ladys Mantle, Lavender, Liatris, Lilies, Lupine, Nepeta, Obedient Plant, Painted Daisies, Phlox, Roses, Shastas, Sweet Pea (climbing the arch), and Veronica Speedwell. I did have Clematis on the arch, but it was damaged when a strong wind took down the structure so now it's annual Sweet Pea.
Good luck with your garden.
Good luck with your garden.
Posted by: lighthouseseeker
I love Cottage Gardens! Extend your seasons. Don't forget fall color with Asters & Mums. Then add lots of bulbs for next springs blooms.
Posted by: TransplantShock
You have to have shasta daisy's!!! Nicotiana too...my great grandma had losts of iris and cosmos too...as well as glads, hollyhocks and rudbeckias.
Posted by: Rowan
It's a little harder to get the cottage garden look in shady areas since most of the really good flowers for that like a lot of sun
Foxglove will tolerate partial shade... several other good recommendations were made already...
What you really want to keep in mind is just form and color -- instead of saying "I want this specific plant." think of your flowers in terms of "okay, there should be a tall yellow spiky one here, and a pink fluffy one in front of it here" ... Which, oddly enough, is how I rather imagine Kincade plans his cottage garden lay outs as well
Oh and another thing, keep in mind in shady areas: foliage color is your friend ... variegated and edged leaves on hostas and solomon's seal, or purple leaves on herucha... that kind of stuff.
Posted by: MaryG
Campanulas do GREAT in the shade. I have tons here and they're a real splash of purple when they flower. If I cut back the spent blooms there's often a 2nd bonus blooming later in the summer.
Posted by: Lady_Stardancer
Ok, after seeing Maudie's pictures of her cottage garden inspired by Thomas Kinkade photo's, I would love to grow a cottage garden in my back yard. I have been thinking about turning a large section of my back yard into a garden for years, and now I'm inspired.
So besides foxgloves and nepeta, what would be appropriate flowers in a cottage garden? Also, would they do well in an area that doesn't have full sun all day long. And am wondering if cottage garden flowers are annuals or perennials.
Can't wait to start working up a design after I hear suggestions for what flowers you all think would make a beautiful cottage garden.
Posted by: terese
columbine
daisies
dianthus
hollyhock
old garden roses
how much sun are you talking about?
Posted by: Lady_Stardancer
My back yard faces south, but there is a stand of tall pines behind my house, so from sunrise and throughout the day, the sun is filtered through the pine trees. Even in high summer, my back yard never gets full sun. At the end of the day, toward late afternoon, the yard probably gets an hour and a half of full sun as there is a clear shot across my yard from the west without interruption of trees.
Posted by: Audwoman
It sounds like you have a good bit of shade maybe Daylilies, Hydrangea.
Posted by: mla2ofus
To add a few more:
columbine
bleeding heart
astilbe
alchemilla (lady's mantle)
Digitalis (foxglove)
polemonium (jacobs ladder)
geramium (cranesbill)
for some height you could use
aruncus (goats beard)
ligularia
filipendula
All of these are perennials plus there are a lot of lilies that can take some shade. If you check into them, some roses, especially the old roses, can take some shade. Also some of the clematis vines can take a bit of shade too.
Posted by: grindle
delphiniums
cosmos
clarkia
poppy
peonies
iris
Posted by: terese
Some of the less showy Clematis & Dahlias. Daffys?
Posted by: erdine
baby's breath, larkspur, strawflowers, phlox. and some of them are great for drying too.
Posted by: Maudie
Lady Stardancer:
I'm glad you were inspired by my garden. You're right; mine is full sun but many of these plants should do fine with a little less. My garden is a work in progress, constantly changing. I've been at this one for 4 years now. If I plant something which doesn't work out, I just move it to another garden and replace it. Right now, I have: Black Eyed Susan, Chives, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Creeping Thyme, Delphinium, Foxglove, Glads, Golden Oregano, Ladys Mantle, Lavender, Liatris, Lilies, Lupine, Nepeta, Obedient Plant, Painted Daisies, Phlox, Roses, Shastas, Sweet Pea (climbing the arch), and Veronica Speedwell. I did have Clematis on the arch, but it was damaged when a strong wind took down the structure so now it's annual Sweet Pea.
Good luck with your garden.
Good luck with your garden.
Posted by: lighthouseseeker
I love Cottage Gardens! Extend your seasons. Don't forget fall color with Asters & Mums. Then add lots of bulbs for next springs blooms.
Posted by: TransplantShock
You have to have shasta daisy's!!! Nicotiana too...my great grandma had losts of iris and cosmos too...as well as glads, hollyhocks and rudbeckias.
Posted by: Rowan
It's a little harder to get the cottage garden look in shady areas since most of the really good flowers for that like a lot of sun
Foxglove will tolerate partial shade... several other good recommendations were made already...
What you really want to keep in mind is just form and color -- instead of saying "I want this specific plant." think of your flowers in terms of "okay, there should be a tall yellow spiky one here, and a pink fluffy one in front of it here" ... Which, oddly enough, is how I rather imagine Kincade plans his cottage garden lay outs as well
Oh and another thing, keep in mind in shady areas: foliage color is your friend ... variegated and edged leaves on hostas and solomon's seal, or purple leaves on herucha... that kind of stuff.
Posted by: MaryG
Campanulas do GREAT in the shade. I have tons here and they're a real splash of purple when they flower. If I cut back the spent blooms there's often a 2nd bonus blooming later in the summer.
