A beautiful spring day and garden in 2012
If my garden could talk, she’d probably say, “Don’t hate me because I’m English cottage garden style.” Unlike the woman at the center of the recent outrage in the press, my lovely English cottage style garden, isn’t being coy. She is always lovely, but the weather has conspired to give us great temperatures and just the right amount of rain.
When I started thinking about this post, I was actually remembering an old Pantene commercial from the 1980s not recent headlines.
Clematis H. F. Young
I was out planting a few new perennials, and I thought back to a conversation I had the other day with a garden designer/friend. He’s elderly and can’t visit my garden. He’d asked me about it before, and since the club had some copies of Oklahoma Gardener magazine from last year that featured my garden, I showed them to him before the meeting.
Rosa rugosa 'Therese Bugnet' which grows on in a pot on my deck.
He gave them a passing glance and said with a sniff, “Oh, it’s English cottage style, isn’t it?” Then, he turned away.
Ornithogalum nutans, SILVER BELLS, strange looking little creatures from 1629. I hope they keep coming back.
I guess he doesn’t like that style? That’s what made me think of the Pantene commercial. Gardening styles come and go, but you should pick one which is true to what you love. If that style changes, as mine has over the last twenty-five years, go ahead and change. Mine is more mixed anymore than one simple style. In the spring, it looks more English with an Oklahoma accent. Mid-summer, it’s all bright, brassy and red.
Rosa Cl. 'Souvenir de Malmaison' When the weather is just right, she is quite the beauty, but I would never recommend the climbing form. Often her flowers are a mess, and she isn't very strong.
One more thing . . . yes, it’s English cottage style, but does anyone have any idea how hard that is to achieve in Oklahoma? Take my word for it. It’s not easy. So, if you work hard at anything, and you show it to someone, and they don’t seem to appreciate it, show it to someone else. Don’t hide your style under a bushel. Or, your light for that matter.
Amen to that! If someone doesn’t appreciate the love with which you tend your garden, regardless of style, they aren’t worthy of its’ beauty! This is another post that I am so glad I’ve read at this time of writing about my own garden. Thank you again for another inspiring post. (And your garden is Amazing!)
I think your garden is stunning and I do know how hard that is for you to achieve! I also love an English cottage garden…shine your light is right.
Your garden, your rules! End of story. :o) I think it’s beautiful!!
Landscapers hope to create gardens that make other people happy, gardeners create gardens that make the gardener happy.
I think it is beautiful and absolutely perfect. I love your garden.
I strive to create an English Garden
Excellent advice, Dee! I think your garden is beautiful whatever style you want to call it. English cottage style has always been my favorite, too, and I think yours is an excellent example. A friend of mine stopped in last year when my lilies were in full bloom–in a riot of colors– and commented that my garden reflected my “hippie” background. I thought it was funny, because she didn’t know me when I was younger, and I was never a hippie:)
That’s funny, who would have thought anyone would dismiss a cottage garden? My favorite type of garden is English style with lots of flowers too. The more the merrier! I agree, your garden is lovely and you should grow what you love.
I was thinking of ordering Silver Bells after reading about them in S. Odgen’s book, Garden Bulbs for the South.
I want to live in your garden! 🙂
It’s a beautiful garden, no matter what you choose to call it. It always astounds me how misguidedly people bestow their hate. There are so many things in the world that deserve it more.
Your gardens are beautiful no matter the ‘name’ of the style. The advertisement, “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”
Thank you Darla. I think it’s especially beautiful this year because it’s had plenty of rain and the perfect amount of sun. Some years not so much.
your garden is lovely..I just had to PIN it..
Mona, thank you! I love pinning myself. I just followed your boards.
thank you Dee
How could anyone not love this garden of yours? It is so lovely! I would love to see it for real someday!
Katie, I just think he’s a professional horticulturalist, and it’s not his style. He is also elderly and a bit on the crochety side. It’s all good. Now, when are you comin’ to visit? Roses and peonies now with clematis. Later, it’s daylilies.
Maybe it’s time we (as gardeners in a prairie region) start working on a “prairie country style”, perhaps with just a touch of English country garden as a seasoning!
Gaia Girl, you are absolutely right. It is prairie cottage style. That’s much, much better.
Dee, I absolutely love your description of your garden! “In the spring, it looks more English with an Oklahoma accent. Mid-summer, it’s all bright, brassy and red.” Your garden is lovely and I am glad that you are not really bothered by what others say! This post brought to mind a recent experience of mine. A friend from the Perennial Plant Society called to try to talk me into putting my garden on tour. She gave me this one caveat, “There will be people who do not get your style and will be hyper critical to your face!” xogail
Thank you Gail. You’ve seen it so you know. 🙂 Wow, hyper critical to your face. That makes you want to do it I bet.
“English with an Oklahoma accent,” BRILLIANT! LOL I just love that. And yes, that is definitely a challenge and you have certainly created a masterpiece.I really love that clematis, so pretty and lush. Best gardening wishes this year, Dee! xoxo
You too on the garden wishes my dear Marie. Thank you so much.
We all have passions and styles that we love. I am reminded of an elderly classics professor who was passionate about heathers who visited a famous local English perennial garden. He took a look around and said, “Hmmm. I see your are into garish.” To each his own is the lesson. At least we all get an amusing story out of this kind of reaction.
Hey Pat, Wow, that heather passionista was a bit snarky wasn’t he? Mine was just not interested. I love the amusing the stories. They are the best. You made me laugh very out loud.
There isn’t garden style I don’t love. How narrow minded to dismiss someone else’s style. I remember an acquaintance visiting my garden. She had nothing to say about it. Then when I went to her garden recently she said, ” I know you don’t like my garden” That was because it was totally different from mine. Green, lush, shaded. Very attractive but out of my realm of possibility just because of location. I shall continue in my Texas cottage garden style because it seems to be what happens over here. I am not in charge anymore.
Oh, Jenny, you are a wise woman. I love all the garden styles. This is just I do best here. It is best suited for my climate unless I want cockleburs instead. I love your garden, and when I see it on your blog, I could kick myself I didn’t tell Pam I was early that year in Austin. Phooey!
First, what woman at the center of what outrage?
Second, have you seen that guy’s garden to see if it is an expression of perfection?
Third, a garden is a personality extension and sometimes an outlet for ways of being that we cannot expres in our lives such as boldness, softness, messiness or exacting structure.
Consider the artists’s studios you have toured. They are paint splattered with canvas, jars, bottles, brushes, mirrors, odd bodkins furnishings – our gardens are our art studios – workrooms and places of refuge where we retreat to connect with our inner selves.
Express thyself!
Oy Martha! I didn’t want to link to it, but now I have. I didn’t want to give them anymore click throughs. Here it is just for you my sweet. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2124246/Samantha-Brick-downsides-looking-pretty-Why-women-hate-beautiful.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
As for his garden, I’ve heard about it. He is quite elderly, and maybe he was sad he can’t garden like he once did. Doesn’t matter. We should do what we love, and I love, love, love it all!!!! Thanks for the analogy of a painters studio. I love it.
Ha, this reminds me of several people that have been in my garden. Just a little too unruly for them. That is ok. I don’t care for a formal garden but I do appreciate the effort and I know some people love it. My neighbor has over the years offered to “help” me tidy-up my garden. ha… Her approach to gardening is totally the opposite direction of mine. Fun though because we talk shrubs and flowers. She love them all too but in a much more constrained way. I try to keep her side of our garden looking a bit more tidy than the rest due to her unease of my cottage style. I know she appreciates that.
Lisa, I learned more about your garden from this comment than in all the years I’ve read your beautiful blog and gazed upon your pictures. Everyone is an artist in his or her own garden. Let’s all just keep creating as long as we can.
Wow…gotta wonder what his issue is!? Even though your garden style couldn’t be more different from mine I still see beauty in your garden. That man just needs to get over his bad self!
So I am curious about these headlines you mention. Care to clue in those of us not savvy enough to know?
Loree,
Just for you and Martha. Just kidding. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2124246/Samantha-Brick-downsides-looking-pretty-Why-women-hate-beautiful.html?ito=feeds-newsxml This is the link to the original op-ed. It caused a ruckus to be sure. As for the man, I love him anyway. He is a mentor of sorts.
Really, someone didn’t like your cottagey garden? Its the style I AM trying to imitate as best I can (i.e. that I just wake up that way beautiful, even though its really an illusion… and it took 2 hours in makeup and 1 in hair to get this way). And I agree, even in England its probably a lot harder to achieve that natural gracefulness than you would think.
Jess, not everyone “gets” the cottage garden style. They think it’s a mish-mash of plants, and it is, but it’s also a piece of art (as all gardens are).
Thank you for giving me a heads up. Now i know what to expect because I’ll be doing exactly what I want to do and it does seem to be different than others. Bonnie
Thanks Bonnie for stopping by!
Amen! Could not have said it better. My garden was created for my pleasure and enjoyment and if you happen to like it, YEAHHHH I’m not sure what my gardening style is, maybe; like me, it still a work in progress…..
And, Chris, I love your garden too. You inspired me with your rose knowledge.
Knowing OK, I am in awe of your cottage garden. What a challenge and you have conquered it beautifully.
Thank you so much Janet!! I appreciate your kind words.
The garden I’m with now started out as a cottage garden. I have found that this garden is evolving into a hodge podge of styling . I believe you can still call the garden overall as cottage style. However there are elements of prairie natives, contemporary grasses and conifers. As well as a few arid spiky plants . I suppose in some ways blogging influences my plant choices.
My son has moved to northwest Edmond and we are discussing new landscaping. That red dirt is nasty! I noticed that the Acme Brick plant near Edmond quarries their red clay on site. Wow, that tells me how mucky that soil is…lol.
I’ll be honest, I don’t care for that gentleman’s reaction one bit. It’s so dismissive and more. I can’t think of the more but I LOVE your garden, or the pictures of it anyway. It’s a garden to long for, a garden that is well cared for and loved. It looks like a sweet refuge, a safe place. Who cares what “style” it is? More than anything, it’s a reflection of you. Beautiful. Keep up the good work!
Amen! There’s a reason that English style gardens have been loved by so many for so long. Personally I love the classic blues and pinks of cottage style, and I love many of those classic plants. But it’s great that there are so many different styles to choose from nowadays.
Funny. I just plant what I love. It’s a lot of “styles” in one.
Wise words Dee…I have recently been writing about my style as it has changed over the years…more natural and native but has elements of English Country..like me it is eclectic…I love YOUR spring garden…gorgeous!!
Dee, most of the folks with unquenchable plant passion have English cottage gardens, I find. Too many plants, too little time, huh?
I love English Cottage style, always have. If it isn’t tidy, neat, or orderly enough for some people, well they can go visit someone else’s garden! I think plants were meant to be grown together, not in huge clumps of the same, or even those dreaded repeating mantra’s. It is the spontaneous mixtures of color & texture, scent & wildlife refuge that makes a garden exciting.
Exactly. It’s YOUR garden! If you’re like me, I garden for me, not anyone else. My heart and soul (and sweat and toil) are in my garden and it gives me such joy, which is really why I garden in the first place. Any photos I’ve ever seen of your garden, Dee, are simply lovely. But I guess it’s like home styles – not everyone likes the same thing. Personally, I’m glad it’s that way. All the same would be boring.