When we moved to the cottage, it was in the late summer of 2005. I was overwhelmed with the move and getting situated in our new home, so I held off on any planting until I could take my time and get to know the property. The one thing we did do was plant four tiny boxwoods in front of the porch, an area that was sadly barren looking. Here’s a glimpse of the boxwoods as they looked the following spring (2006):
Teeny-tiny. I can spot the beginnings of my clematis right below the second post from the left and the newly planted Lady Elsie May rose bush on the far left. The tiny rose bush that you can see on the far right didn’t survive.
Here’s what it looks like in this summer of 2013. I added the rose bushes, hydrangeas and spirea on the far left and all the plants that are around the corner in the side-of-the-house garden beds. The boxwoods have done terrifically well; I shaped them with my pruners just the other day. On the far right is the hydrangea that I planted last summer. I’m hoping it grows enough to balance the larger bushes on the left.
When the spring of 2006 arrived, I was raring to go. I couldn’t wait to start prepping the large garden bed. Always on a budget, I added just enough plants to make it affordable and manageable. Here’s a photo of me watering the garden – it gives you a nice idea of the beginnings of the large garden bed.
Here it is today, in the spring of 2013; not a lot in bloom yet, but you can see how everything has grown. (I notice that I hadn’t yet planted anything in front of the shed.)
I like a densely planted, free-form sort of garden – a lush look with plants spilling over each other. After 7 summers, we’ve reached ‘lush.’
In those first days of getting to know my garden, I started this journal:
I wrote quite a bit in those days – logging in details as to the first and second years of the garden.
I was just discovering the cycles of the trees and the plants. When did the Catalpa bloom? What about the peonies?
Take note of the entry highlighted by the arrow. Salvia – dug up by Riley. The salvia was in a raised bed by the kitchen door and that boy loved to dig there. I miss him.
The cranesbill geranium and astilbe lasted a few summers, the creeping veronica lasted a bit longer. All of those plants eventually died. Who knows why?
Perennial gardening takes patience. Except for the pots of annuals and the little area in front of the dog corral that is grown from seed, every plant in the gardens is a perennial. For six of the last seven years, I have added a few more plants (remember I’m on a minuscule budget) each spring. Eventually, I put in two more beds on the side of the house. Slowly, over time, I discovered what worked well and what didn’t. We’ve reached an agreement of sorts, my gardens and I. We know each other. I agree not to use pesticides or anything that will harm the environment. The garden thanks me by growing naturally, allowing the proliferation of healthy bugs (and some not so benign) as well as providing a home for butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. If, like a couple of days ago, I see that the deer have been chomping on a few plants, I use Vicki’s all natural deer repellent recipe and spray all the plants.
Does that mean that there are holes in some of the leaves from caterpillars and bugs? Yes. It sometimes makes getting a good photo a bit more difficult but, in the end, I don’t care. Not only do I have a garden that I love, a place of peace and beauty, but I’m not polluting the soil or the ground water.
And here’s the kicker: after 7 years of planting, I’ve reached the point where I don’t have to spend any more money on new plants. The perennials come back every year like old friends, and I can trust that they will be a bit lusher, a bit fuller. I simply buy some annuals for the porch and the funky patio and that’s it.
Until I start a new garden bed.
Hmmmm.
Oh, cottage and gardens, I love thee.
Cicada update: Just about a half mile up our road, where the woods are more plentiful and are next to the road, the sound of the cicadas is deafening. Don came back from an errand yesterday and told me about them, so we got in the car so I could give them a listen. Amazing. These 17 year cicadas, millions of them, are making the most incredible noise; the cicada buzz along with a high pitched drone. It sounds like something out of a science fiction movie! I even saw them flying around.
Wow.
I recorded them with my iPhone but I couldn’t figure out how to transfer that to the blog without a lot of hassle. Then I realized that all anyone has to do is search for Cicada/audio and you’ll have a good idea of what I’m talking about.
Happy Monday.
Absolutely gorgeous Claudia! So much fun to see the before and after photos. With plenty of summer days ahead, I’d go out and park myself on the porch, iced tea in hand and dive into a good book. I’m on my 4th Deborah Crombie mystery….thanks for the recommendation :)
You read my mind, I’m going to post on reading on the porch tomorrow! So glad you’re enjoying Deborah Crombie, Lori.
It’s amazing how quickly things fill in..I also keep track of things that I have planted..People will ask me years later about a plant..Good to have a reference.
I think I have to do a bit better in that department – I haven’t updated the journal in a while!
You have a beautiful property!!
xo Kris
Thank you, Kris!
its all so lovely! No cicadas here…
Maybe your area wasn’t due for the 17 year cicadas?
Hi Claudia, I like lush and spilling over just as you have it. If I were there we could trade plants. I gave away succulents yesterday to a friend. i am working on getting the ground cover, Lithodora, in my flowers garden so as to reduce my mulching of our free pine straw. We have been invaded by rabbits and they are eating our salvias and Black Eyed Susan’s. Problem is they are awfully cute. xo, Olive
I know. Our rabbits have, so far, stayed away from the garden. But I would find it hard to be mad at them if they did, they are adorable!
Hi Claudia!! Your yard and gardens looks so lovely!! I especially like the rose bush you have planted to the right of the porch – it is stunning!! A garden journal is such a neat idea to keep track of the garden and the goings on in the yard – I am going to start one myself.. The cicadas are also very loud here, Claudia!! I first thought they were some kind of machinery until it dawned on me what the sound was. They should be around for about 6 weeks, but they sure create a racket while they are here!!! Have a good rest of the day – Francine
They are incredible, aren’t they?
I’m going to try to be better about writing in my garden journal.
This was great, Claudia! I love seeing how a garden progresses over the years. And not planting boxwoods here is a major regret of mine although I bet they do so much better there than they would here. Do you remember a writer Dee Hardie who used to have the last page in House Beautiful? I fell in love with boxwoods after seeing hers and her love for them. She would prune them (on the inner twigs) in time to make boxwood wreaths for Christmas and they lasted until Easter. Anyway, I have a gardening journal too, stuffed with tags like yours, written more in detail in those first 10 years of gardening than now. That is how I was able to remember what all used to grow here when I wrote about it. And reading it again took me back through time so I advise every gardener to try to keep a journal. I even have taped in mine wildflowers my grandsons picked for me when they were little!
I love the simplicity of the plants you have for your foundation plants. And even in winter you still have the greenery of the boxwoods. Covered with snow I’m sure they’re so lovely. And you had a lot of snow this winter! Your big garden area reminds me so much of the English gardens I fell in love with in Vita Sackville-West’s books years ago. That result of not seeing everything at one glance. You may have planted this garden frugally but you have achieved the perfect New England garden.
Oh, thank you, Dewena. That means a great deal to me. Yes, I remember Dee Hardie – thank you for reminding me of her! I think a journal is such a good idea. When I opened this up last week, I was reminded of how this property started out, what worked, what didn’t work and of how far it has come. Sometimes I see a tag and try to remember when I hada that particular plant and what the heck happened to it?
I love English gardens, so if the big garden reminds you of one, I’m very happy.
I absolutely love your garden and I’m always stopping by to look even though I don’t comment much. I have the same attitude towards gardening- I share this earth with the bugs, snakes, birds, etc and I don’t believe in pesticides. Nature has a way of taking care of itself and you don’t know that the bug that is eating your plant might be crucial to our environment. I might also be killing off bugs that the birds needed to eat this summer-our actions always have some kind of impact somewhere. We’re all on this Earth together and I think there is room for all of us :)
Beautifully put, Kim. I couldn’t have said it better.
Claudia !
Your garden is turning out to be quite like mine… plant a little, replant a little (when something dies or is dug up)
add some more when time and money allow… I had a much greener thumb in my younger years, before my children came along…sadly, I didn’t garden much after my children, only the occasional ‘Zinnia’ with my daughter (we planted those together almost every year). But now…with an empty nest, I am retraining my thumbs to be green. I’m even planting some blooming flower plants. It is such fun…and like you I take notes.
I called my children and told them that when the Cicada start their ‘songs’ I want them all to come over and have a listen. We will be having our 17th YEAR in THIS HOUSE. I think it will be neat for them to hear the Cicada that went underground …when they were just little kids!!!
I listen for them…I’ve not heard them yet! I’m starting to get impatient.
Like you…I’d drive down the road to listen. :)
have a wonderful week. Pat
Oh, perfect! 17 years in your house and 17 year cicadas! I just love that, Pat!
I just love seeing your cottage and gardens Claudia..I don’t use any sprays or chemicals either..I figure that nature will take care of its self..It’s not our time for the cicadas here but I remember the last time it was..Even thought their red eyes look a little spooky to me..they are harmless and it is an amazing thing how they live and die..
The red eyes ARE a little spooky, but they are really gentle creatures!
This inspires me so much to keep on the path I’m on with our garden. It is a slow process but I’ve got nothing but time. Everything about yours looks amazing!
It’s worth the wait, Jen.
Your garden has really prospered! Love the before and now photos.
Judy
Thanks, Judy.
I love your house and gardens, Claudia. Perennials are definitely the way to go for a natural looking garden that doesn’t have to be replenished each year and it is so fun to watch things bloom over the course of the growing season. I know you will enjoy your garden this year. xo Laura
Thanks so much, Laura.
Claudia, your sweet country cottage and yard are just beautiful! What a wonderful, cozy home you have created.
Loveliness all around. I love boxwoods so much and hope to plant several in the fall. Your gardens surrounding your cottage are so happy. They remind me of Jayme’s at Tales of the Coop Keeper :) You girls got it going on in the plant dept!
It’s taken us many years to get our gardens the way we’ve wanted them, too. In fact, bought three more perennials today. Isn’t it awesome to see your “expected friends” come back every year – bigger and better? Though this year one of my hydrangeas died and we have no idea why. The one right next to it is just fine. We had the cicadas here a couple of years ago and I still remember the weird, but awesome, deafening sound they made.
I hope my gardens grow up to look like yours someday, Claudia! I just posted about mine and they have a LONG way to go before they look anything like yours! Gorgeous!… Donna
Amazing! I loved each and every picture and every single word of this post! And I so love that little garden journal. I have mine of my old garden, too.
Actually, I’m catching up with you, Claudia. I have been so crazy busy lately (BTW, we moved 3 months ago!) that I haven’t had the time to properly read and enjoy my favorite blogs. We’ll have to move 6 more times until september, before we can have a permanent address, but I so love being here that I don’t mind! Our stuff is still in storage, but at least we have a roof over our heads. Good reason to be happy, right?
On a side note, I meant to THANK YOU dearly for your words, which I cherish.
Hugs for now,
Monica xoxo