Greetings from Darien, Connecticut. My name is Andrea Huntington, and I’ve enjoyed working on my cottage gardens at my 1780s home. This little garden includes foxglove (Digitalis purpurea, Zones 4–9), salvia (Salvia nemorosa, Zones 5–9), catmint (Nepeta × faassenii, Zones 3–9), peonies (Paeonia sp.), shasta daisies (Leucanthemum × superbum, Zones 5–8), roses, and clematis growing up the obelisk. It brings me such joy!
A bright yellow daylily (Hemerocallis sp. Zones 4–9) glows in a ray of sunshine.
The tall spires of foxgloves blooming in front of the obelisk. Foxgloves are a biennial, with foliage the first year, and these classic cottage garden flowers the second. To ensure that you have them every year in your garden, you can sow new seeds each year, or simply let them self-sow, which they will do in many climates as long as the mulch in your garden isn’t too thick for the small seeds to germinate. View our plant guide to foxgloves here.
The gray foliage and small blue flowers of catmint fill in open spaces in the garden and pull the whole planting together into one harmonious whole. View our plant guide to catmint here.
Pink roses and catmint in full bloom. In the center, the foliage of peonies indicates what was showing off in this space earlier in the season. Behind that, the buds on shasta daisies promise more flowers and color to come later in the summer.
The fuzzy silver leaves of lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina, Zones 4–8) are as soft to the touch as they are appealing to the eye.
The obelisk with clematis growing up it provides height and focus in the garden.
A view down the bed, with the obelisk presiding over a rich tapestry of flowers and foliage. For more cottage garden inspiration, click here.
Looking down the bed from the other side.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Gilmour 811673-1001 Sprinkler
Dramm 17050 50′ ColorStorm 1/2″ Standard Soaker Hose
Scotts Cordless Grass-Shear/Shrub-Trimmer Combo
Comments
Your cottage garden is perfect for your 1780's home! Foxgloves are one of my faves. Would love to see more photos, especially including your home. Thanks for sharing.
Your CT garden is certainly overflowing with picturesque charm, Andrea. Your plant selections are very harmonious with each other and seem to mix, mingle and support each other like the very best of friends. I'm intrigued by the beautiful stone work that shows up close to the house...is it a separate wall or the foundation for the house?
Love it all.
My idea of a perfect garden - thanks for sharing!
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in