Cottage Garden

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Susie

Hi Jez, well I think it has just about all been said! I can't better the advice you have been given above, especial from Polygro.

Cottage gardens are dear to my heart though, I have always loved this style of gardening (my granny's garden was a good example when I was young) and tried to copy it myself before I discovered nature gardening. The mindset you have to get into is that you originally had a garden for producing fruit, veg and herbs for medicines. The flowers were secondary. Obviously over time this changed with the bias more towards flowers and less towards veg.

I think a cottage garden should always have a few poles of runner beans, the red flowers look so pretty and it will give your flower bed height and a quintessential English "quirkiness"

It's not so much a cottage garden of old as the flowers for the borders is what i'm seeking Suzie (desperately, grown) for the Severn Valley Railway Platform, though my principles in my garden can be very closely connected as I do grow fruit herbs and will be sowing some old worldy veg plants into my new pre meadow area! Runner beans I was planning last year to grow either side of the front door if you can call it that????! But hard to find a variety that will grow about 8ft. Thanks very much indeed for your input ,seems we are akin to keep traditionals of old alive some where? some how be it Hedgerow, Wildflowers, growing fruit and veg as organically as we can muster. I'm happy for the Organic bit to free seed from my garden some what

[Susie]

Originally Posted by Jez

It's not so much a cottage garden of old as the flowers for the borders is what i'm seeking Suzie (desperately, grown) for the Severn Valley Railway Platform, though my principles in my garden can be very closely connected as I do grow fruit herbs and will be sowing some old worldy veg plants into my new pre meadow area! Runner beans I was planning last year to grow either side of the front door if you can call it that????! But hard to find a variety that will grow about 8ft. Thanks very much indeed for your input ,seems we are akin to keep traditionals of old alive some where? some how be it Hedgerow, Wildflowers, growing fruit and veg as organically as we can muster. I'm happy for the Organic bit to free seedfrom my garden some what

How about planting a hop rather than runner beans? I think they grow big and very quickly too.

I edited my previous post to add some plant suggestions.

Yes, it is good to have kindred spirits who love the traditional form of gardening in tune with nature.

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Susie

How about planting a hop rather than runner beans? I think they grow big and very quickly too.

I edited my previous post to add some plant suggestions.

Yes, it is good to have kindred spirits who love the traditional form of gardening in tune with nature.

Runners beans for the door. Have visions of growing hop along my south facing fencing! Once again nice to be intune

P.S Do you own a copy of Pam Lewis's Stickey Wicket book by any chance?

[Susie]

No, I hadn't heard of Stickey Wicket until I googled it just now after reading your post. It sounds just my kind of book so I shall try to get hold of a copy.

Thanks, Jez!

[tufftie]

I used to have a book on Victorian Gardens /gardening - they were very into their plants and often had big collections - they liked collecting things. Think ferns were one of their big ones? Just a thought - could you some how set it out as they would have done - use similar techniques..use the flowers etc in the same way. Also have a little info board so visitors can read about it?

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Herbaceous Collections - J Parker Dutch Bulbs

These have offers on at the moment not a bad price..I have just ordered 24 plants (perennials) for £12.

I have bookmark the web page! Thanks once again Kaleigh

[Jez]

Just been on my first Nursery Outing of 2008. I Found all most every plant for the cottage style borders of The SVR!! Spent £35 on a few nice plants- Digitalis Excelsior Pink (1), Digitalis Purpurea Foxy (looks almost blue) 2 ! Lambs Ear (2), Lupin Noble Maiden (1), Lupin The Chatelaine (1), Lupin Chandelier (1), Salvia Purpurea (sage) 2, Cephalaria gigantea (2), Scabiosa Caucasica Perfecta (1), Scabiosa Atropurpurea Beaujolais bonnet (1), Alcea (Hollyhocks) Rosea Nigra (2). Think i'll be buying some more of the same next week +/- a few different varieties. Can't wait to get them in!

happy gardening WABBERs

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Jez

Just been on my first Nursery Outing of 2008. I Found all most every plant for the cottage style borders of The SVR!! Spent £35 on a few nice plants- Digitalis Excelsior Pink (1), Digitalis Purpurea Foxy (looks almost blue) 2 ! Lambs Ear (2), Lupin Noble Maiden (1), Lupin The Chatelaine (1), Lupin Chandelier (1), Salvia Purpurea (sage) 2, Cephalaria gigantea (2), Scabiosa Caucasica Perfecta (1), Scabiosa Atropurpurea Beaujolais bonnet (1), Alcea (Hollyhocks) Rosea Nigra (2). Think i'll be buying some more of the same next week +/- a few different varieties. Can't wait to get them in!

happy gardening WABBERs

Don't plant anything yet. I got too impatient and planted some small lavenders they have all turned brown and dead looking I am going to wait until the end of May now to plant all the rest.

[Jez]

No don't worry there kayleigh! I am applying herbicide to the borders before planting. Something I don't like doing but needs must! So I'll give it 6 to 7 weeks before I start planting like you suggest, in which time I'll Just keep on buying more plants!

Also have found some seed packets I have never used and forgot all about- Hollyhock Giant Singles mixed and a packet of Sweet Williams, well thats a plus

Thanks for the concern!