Ohhh yes lets! I need major help with the grounds surrounding the cottage and my father-in-laws home. As you know, i know my herbs. That is no problem for me. What is, is i have no clue what to plant flower wise around here. But here are the facts: Summer is pretty hot (comming from the Arctic, everywhere is hot) around mid 80's to low 90's F. or high 20's to low 30's C. Winters are brutal but warms up very fast by April. No matter how warm it can get there is always the chance of a last snow fall at least until May. So those are the facts. Now the tour: This is my entry way, as you can see it is all driveway, so that basically i am going to claim as my potted herb area. Maybe a plant or 2 for hanging. (help with the hanging plants please) Here is (front?)side of the house where i can just dig up the whole area. I have already started so far, by raking and seeded some hyssop and kamomil next to the already there rubarhb. On the left of it that is. What i would like to see to that area is kind of an english style garden with stepping stones and such. Not neccesarily english plants, but plants that would work here. This area gets full sun all day and most of the night until about 11:30 at night. This is the back side of the cottage that is all shade until about 4-5 in the afternoon then full sun until late at night. The back of the cottage is actually the start of the back yard. As you can see it going into shade. It is full sun until about 1 in the afternoon then shade until about 8 in the evening. As you can also see the drive on the left goes all the way to the end of the hytte and on the right is the side i showed above that is just a little strip of land. Now, here at the very back of the yard bordering the neighbors is a rhodadendrum (errrr, spelling please,,lol) that has the flag pole behind it. There is a stone border there so something at one time must of been planted there. In this pic, all i can say is it probably at one time was a circle garden. You can see the rhodadendrum plant to the left, then there is a walking space then this, um, well area i will call it. The crocus' are at the top of it. There are a few different plants already comming thru in that area, but i have no idea what they are. I'll just post, let you get an idea, and we will take it from there what should be done with it all. Also on the first of these 3 you see a small yellow work shed. That is KB's dads area, he builds bikes,repairs them, sells them, ect. That area will be filled with bikes in a week or so because everyone around here knows he is the bike guy to come too. So planting over there is off limits unless i plant in planters on the fence. Thats okay. Now the back of his house, is just,,,well lets say a mess. There is a huge rose bush, that is so tall the snow mashed it to the ground and it us just comming up again. This also gets full sun most of the day then shade about 2 in the noontime, then back to sun until sundown. There is also the side of his house and the front that have beds in them, but i will post those later. Any help will be so appriciated. All i ask for is very easy to maintain, not alot of fuss plants and i will be so happy.
Oh wow Biita, you have quite a bit of space to garden there! Looking at your photos I think the red plant growing in picture #9 is a Peony...lucky you! At the back of the house where the Rose bush lives, is that an existing garden? Are there other plants growing along there? And what kind of plants do you like? Fragrant ones? Do you have favorite colors? It sounds like you have the same type of climate as I have here. Would you like seeds? I have lots to share if you would like.
That temperature range in the summer is perfect for just about every plant I know of, so you should have lots of choices. Potted herbs along that wall in picture #1 was my first thought too, they will love the radiant heat bouncing up from the driveway. Use a stand or two to give some height to a couple of the potted herbs...you could also use upside down pots, a child's chair, small table to hold them. Petunias make very pretty hanging baskets and they will hang down to fill in space too. If KB's dad doesn't mind, you could also attach a trellis to the wall at the front corner for a non-herb vine that would also be part of the english style garden in the front. Hollyhocks, gotta have Hollyhocks. I would think any fragrant plant and cutting plants, would be appropriate for the front garden. Echinacea, Glads, Iris, Lavender. Plants that attract Butterflies and Bees too. Will you be growing vegies this year? Looking at the spaces you have and the sun/shade info, that front area appears to be the best place for them and that would take away your english style garden. Or is there room between the front wall to a street or other property to put two gardens?
Wow, you're going to have some fun! Do make a raised rock garden where that circle of yours is, and fill it up with Sedum, Sempervivum, spring Phlox, Saxifragas and Lewisia, they will love the heat and will also take the winter cold. You can grow nearly all the plants that I have, since I think your winter climate is about as mild as ours. Where the Rhododendron is you could expand the plot and make an acid-soil garden with more Rhododendron (there are lots of rather small ones), Hostas, lilies, wood anemone, gentians and the likes. Or on the shade side of the house. An English cottage garden can hold just about anything you can think of that will take the climate. Trollius, summer Phlox, lilies, daylilies, Primula, peonies, astrantias, take your pick. Oh, what fun!
Ohhh geez now i really don't know where to start,,lol. The 2 areas i think i am going to concentrate on is the large area infront of my house, off the drive, and that circle place in the middle of the yard. The area along the back of Dads house does have plants in it, but i have no idea what. I think there is daffodils and this: is that a weed maybe? and a whole bunch of daffodils, just in clumps all over and another plant that has thicker leaves, i'm thinking it might be tulips, from what i have seen on the Stew. Then there is this monster rose bush (tree,,,lol) can this be cut now that it is starting to get buds? Netty, thank you for the offer of seeds but i can't have anything delivered unless they come in a prepacked package from a company. But i am getting to order some plants from Sweden. I just don't know what yet. lol. I'm like a kid in a candy store. Toni, i do like that idea of chairs and pots turned upside down. Also i like the trellis idea. I have free rein to do as i want, all but near the bike shop. KB's dad, (Kristian) told me dig the whole yard up if i want, then no need to mow the yard...lol. Sadly no veggies i think, but i do plan on trying tomatoes down here and some salad stuff. But not this summer for a real veggie lot. Strawberries are a must, but i am going to hang them along the front of Kristians porch. Droopy, I figured you would know what it is like down this way. And i asked KB where we could get some large rocks and, low and behold, right in the empty lot across the dirt drive way. Ohh happy days for me, so i will try your advice. Thanks all, this is opening my world up now to flowers. It will be lots of fun,,,lol!!!
Big glass for me. I saw some currants in the grocery store a few months ago, didn't buy them then and when I decided to they were all gone.
That unknown plant looks like a tistle of some sort.It is a weed at my home.They are invasive so I chop them up.You are going to have so much fun Bitta. Your temps are perfect for most any plants.Yellow squash would grow great in 5 gallon buckets and so does tomatoes.Cucumbers will also itf you put stiff wire about 3 ft tall around inside the bucket.Plant 3 seeds of cucumbers and watch them grow.I know you will enjoy.You could pot mints in pots too. Do enjoy yourself.
Your unknown is a poppy, Biita. If my guess is right, it's a double red one, very pretty but terribly invasive and near impossible to get rid off. You'd be better off with dandelions and ground elder.
Thanks Glendann, i think i might try the squash and cucumbers also. Goodness knows we eat enough of them with our fish. I will have my herbs, and mint is something i always have. Droopy, you know what is ironic. Me the dandelion fanatic, and not a single dandelion in the whole dang yard. I can't believe i will probably have to go knocking on doors asking if i can pick their dandelions,,,lol. They are going to think i'm crazy! Ground elder!!! Arrghhh!!! Please, please don't wish that on me,,lol. I fought that stuff up in Lofoten. No matter how much you pull, use white vinegar, then pull some more it never goes away and keeps on spreading. It reminds me of Kudzu Vine in the deep south in the states. Altho the ground elder isn't a vine it still takes over, and can't get rid of it.
I agree those are Poppy's Biita. They are not invasive here and very pretty. I look forward to mine blooming every year. Pity you can't accept seeds from me Biita...I have dandelion seeds!
