I’ve never seen the gardens, especially the big garden bed, so full and lush as they are this year. I was just outside walking around, snapping pictures, and I’m amazed by them. We’ve had an awful lot of rain this year and though I have complained about it, the result is more blooms than ever.
I admire manicured, neat gardens. I admire gardens, period! But I’ve come to learn that manicured is not for me. Lush and overflowing cottage gardens are my thing. I’m going to sound like a broken record, but self-seeding perennials have made this garden what it is. I’ve never had so much phlox as I do this year. It spread everywhere. I first planted it about 14 or 15 years ago and some years, it’s been lean to the point of my wondering whether it’s all died out. But wowie! This year the David phlox, which is quite tall, is making a huge statement.
As are the coneflowers.
And the brown-eyed Susans (rudbeckia.)
I reminded myself to drink it all in, every day, because summertime is fleeting and we’re now in August. The butterflies and bees and hummingbird moths are taking advantage of all of this abundance and that makes me very happy.
At the end of this month, we will celebrate 16 years of living on this property, in this house. Except for the boxwoods, which we planted that fall, nothing was done to the gardens until the following spring, so that makes 15 years of gardening here. Gardening on a tight budget which only allowed the addition of two or three new plants a year. We have huge hydrangeas, roses, catmint everywhere, day lilies, sedum, salvia, milkweed, ferns, clematis, rose of sharon, balloon flowers, hostas, yarrow, Solomon’s seal, butterfly bush, a lilac bush, boxwoods, and all of the annuals I plant every year, including morning glories, zinnias, and moonflowers. Then there’s all the pots that are full of annuals; in the secret garden, on the funky patio, and on the porch.
This is what I dreamt of for YEARS. All those years when I lived in apartments, or with roommates, or in in rental homes (where, by the way, I planted small gardens with the landlord’s permission) – all those years, I cut out and saved photos of charming little houses in the country with big cottage gardens. I began to think it would never happen. And, given the fact that we freelance, it’s a miracle we did.
Very grateful for flowers and gardens and beauty today. And every day.
Stay safe.
Happy Saturday.
Your gardens are just spectacular—this year and most other, too. Good job!
Thank you so much, Shanna!
Stay safe.
Nothing better then a cottage garden. It looks beautiful; all my favorites.
You are very fortunate to have had your dream come true.
Have a wonderful day!
Betsy
I am very grateful, Betsy.
Stay safe!
It looks lovely!
Stay safe!
Thank you, Ellen.
Stay safe.
Your gardens are beautiful! Manicured gardens aren’t for me either. I’m not a gardener at heart. It is a chore I don’t enjoy so the less effort the better. I plant very few annuals. 2 pots on the deck, 1 pot by the front door, and 3 hanging baskets on the porch….done.
I have 2 perennial garden areas and it is the weeding and mulching that I hate doing. I do enjoy the end result, though.
I didn’t want to believe the accusations about Gov Cuomo. But, now it seems clear that he should resign. It also sounds like there may be some criminal charges filed. It’s so sad.
Have a good weekend. Stay safe
You have to do the weeding and mulching to get the end result, Marilyn! I don’t know many people, including myself, who like weeding.
Stay safe!
“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
― Cicero
One of my favorite quotes, Anne.
Thank you.
Stay safe!
Yes!
My new favorite quote, Anne!
Claudia, Your garden is a labor of love! It is beautiful, colorful and lush. Amazing when dreams come true, and even more when they are so appreciated. Sherry B
Thank you so much, Sherry.
Stay safe!
What a stunning cottage garden! And your porch has got to be the sweetest in all upstate.Thanks for putting a smile on my face so many mornings this week.
It’s a pleasure, Annette. Glad I made you smile!
Stay safe.
Reminds me of the gardens at Anne Hathaway’s House and Mary Arden’s. Sipping tea with scones and that clotted cream. Yummmmmmm
Love your gardens love love
Thank you so much, Brenda.
Stay safe!
Cottage gardens are my favourite, I don’t care for anything too stylised. Yours looks wonderful.
In my opinion May and August are the best months for them.
Up to now it’s been a very wet August, raining most days and quite cool. I’m sitting here this evening in a woolly jumper, the rain is pouring down. I’m watching the annual BBC Proms from the Royal Albert Hall and it’s Golden Age of Broadway night, I thought of you and Don.
Happy Saturday
Oh, how lovely! I hope you enjoyed it, Dee Dee!
Stay safe.
love your gardens and especially that your garden (and other) dreams have come true. very happy for you.
if i had space, i’d plant the flowers you’ve shown us … so beautiful and they pop up (almost) every year.
going on a ride with some family members soon. it will be under a gray sky … we are supposed to get some rain!
hope you are having a good day. stay safe, everyone!
kathy in iowa
definitely prefer wild, cottage-style gardens over the manicured kind. humankind has trampled and messed with nature in horrible ways.
kathy in iowa
Yes, indeed.
xo
Did a lot of cleaning today. Now, I’m tired.
Thanks Kathy.
Stay safe.
I’m glad you got your cottage dream. Your gardens are very thick and rich; beautiful!
Thanks, Vicki.
Stay safe!
Just lovely. Enjoy.
Thank you, Kay.
Stay safe!
Just two words…..absolutely beautiful! I love cottage gardens and your cottage you live in. I know how grateful you are for where you live. I am so happy for you two, that your dream came true. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Deb!
Stay safe.
Beautiful gardens!!!
Thank you, Lynda!
Stay safe.
Claudia…combine your two talents….do a painting of your blooming garden. I can picture where you could hang it in your charming and unique cottage. Look forward to more. It looks like a fairy garden to me, but what do I know. I no longer do much work in the yard. It always surprises me when some stray flower pops up. The hanging baskets I took such good care of a couple of months ago became the nests for two bird families and the plants did not survive…but the birds did. So now I have bunnies scampering around…stretching on the lawn and munching on the new shoots of whatever . I love the glorious abundance of color in summer and your gardens are eyepoppingly beautiful.
I did paint the flowers in the Secret Garden, remember? But, to your point, I am thinking about trying to paint the house and part of the garden…
It was sweet of you to let those birdies nest in your hanging baskets, Maria.
Thanks so much.
Stay safe!
Your cottage garden is as lovely as your cottage in the country! ;)
Aw, thank you so much, Donna!
Stay safe.
I’m with you…cottage gardens are the best. A few well-timed garden chores, a little of Mother Nature tinkering with seeds, a riot of color and pure exuberance. And they are a wonderful place to unwind as we try (yet again) to safeguard our health and that of those we love.
I feel like perennials are a gardener’s secret–so much beauty for a modicum of work, year after year after year! You have me considering coneflowers for 2022–you can never have too many plants, right?
Thanks for letting us all enjoy your loveliness, Claudia.
Oh, do consider coneflowers! They’re charming and they’re the gift that keeps on giving!
Stay safe, Roxie.
Lush and overflowing and naturally beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing this dream as well Claudia!!! Your generosity expresses your gratitude as well and expands the joy!
As a child I loved to read outdoors in the summer with a gentle breeze in the trees. ♡
Oh, so did I!! It was heavenly!
Stay safe, Grace!
It’s gorgeous, Claudia — and well done. You’re right about the perennials. I need to do that at the lake. The soil is bad, but if I can get them coming back it would be so much easier than hauling up pot loads every year! You have a huge collection. I love a country garden look like this with loads of color and lots of blooms!
Coneflowers and day lilies can take just about any kind of soil, Jeanie. They’re really tough.
Thanks so much.
Stay safe.
Just want to say “Hi” and let you know I am still checking in everyday! Your garden isreally showing o ff!
Take care…
Thank you so much, Kelly!
Stay safe.
Your gardens are so gloriously beautiful! I love huge beds of perennials blooming. It makes the rain in the early spring worth it all. Thanks for the walk about!
It does make all that rain worthwhile! Thanks so much, Lottie.
Stay safe.