Getting Started Cottage Style

Laying the bones of a lakeside cottage garden was on the schedule this week. Jenny and Tom recently purchased a sweet lake home and are taking their personalization outside now. They removed two big old dwarf Alberta spruce to their back lot while we transplanted the rose of sharon road side. This cottage had minimal existing landscaping and Jenny and Tom want to create a lovely English style garden, heavy on flowers and eventually stuffing the beds.

The sandy, gravelly soil conditions were not beneficial for growing but make for great drainage. After mechanically desodding the beds we tilled the original soil then added 6" of organic soil which we again tilled. The focal point of the front bed is the Japanese maple, over thirty five perennials will give this bed a quick jump next spring. Victoria blue salvia, a few cosmos, half dozen cleome and bing, bang, boom you've got a full, healthy bed.

The west side keeps our low maintenance, colorful theme going with five, pink knock out roses and a boomerang lilac (blooms all season). The Ivory Silk Lilac tree is the anchor for the southwest lakeside corner planting which Jenny and Tom will complete at their leisure. They have already planted the east side so we went ahead and mulched that as well.

Tom will be installing a white picket fence with an arbor and gate parallel to the road. That will really add to the cottage charm and roadside appeal. Down the road more lawn will come out and beds will eventually be developed along the fence.

The next project on my drawing board is this single story residence in Fort Wayne, IN. We seldom go to the Fort for work but we do have many suppliers located there, 45 odd miles to our south. The house belongs to the mother of a gentlemen whom we did work for many years ago. When we worked on his house we got along famously and have maintained a cordial if distant relationship. We had dinner together in Fort Wayne after visiting at mom's house at a place called Naked Chopsticks, great food, wonderful company and stellar conversation.

A good moment in life.

Mom's house has some large junipers which give it a dated appearance and has generally gotten a bit out of hand in a few of the beds. It should not be to difficult to bring a fresh look to the landscaping, mom's only request; a pink, flowering dogwood.