Some great blooms you have there.
Thanks for sharing

I think a cottage garden is what you make it , usually an eclectic mix of various plants.

LOL! I searched "cottage gardens" here and didn't find this forum!

I am new at this. I have packets of self-sowing annuals, some perennial seeds, and a few existing perennial plants to include as transplants.

I've read the packet instructions about scaterring seeds for temperature stratification, but I could use some advice on arranging them at first. Simple scattering seems too iffy and uncolorful, and putting too many of any one seed in one area seems to defeat the intent.

One plant of something like mixed color larkspurs seems random, maybe 6 of them is good for 3 sq ft, but 3 sq ft of identical blooms is more like my old more formal bed.

I get that scattering seeds of the higher growing ones should be at the back and the smaller ones in front, but how do I deliberately create random and mildly organized at the same time?

I know that, over time, the plants will organize themselves where they are happiest, but true randomness comes hard to me.

How do I balance scattering and grouping?

I am not sure how to answer your question but I will tell you how I work it out .
My beds are heavy on perennials so my annuals come up between them . If I want a specific color or flower I lay down a square (rubber flexible stepping not/ stone) to save a space in the fall when i do clean-up. then in the spring I ether spread seed or in most cases I plunk plants into the spaces.
I have a small green house where I start most plants. I am bad at keeping weeds out so they will some times take over before the seedlings get a good start.

as for random I know odd numbers always look more random
I often do three in a triangle then a loner off just a bit
I tend a large garden in town and the owner goes with 5 or 7 , groupings look best in a big garden because color gets lost in most single plants unless it is a bush.

Good luck I always remember a garden is a living constant changing thing so every season you have another chance to get what you are looking for.

I like the identifying of spaces to plant annuals with covers. I'll use box cardboard cuz it is what I have. But that's a start for me.

I have a dozen packets, some perennials, but mostly self-sowing annuals. The packet instructions say to just scatter them, but I want to give them a good start.

Fortunately, I have lots of planting trays and a 4-shelf light rack so I can do both.

Things are starting to look really good in my cottage garden:

Looking better every day:

Early summer is my favorite time in the garden.

Beautiful garden pictures!

Eric4home said:It's funny how our memories effect our perception of things. My wife loves almost any flowers but she thinks hollyhocks are to cover trash cans. Where she grew up many people planted tall flowers to hide their bins.So hollyhocks and larkspur aren't planted here.

I would suggest using trash cans to hide hollyhocks! LOL! The foliage gets so unsightly but the flowers stay nice.

Does anyone know if Joe Pye Weed will grow in the shade? I have an east side spot against my house I can't grow anything, either to much sun or not enough. I seen some of this at a park and thought it was nice, kind of tall and full and had purplish flower heads on it. But it was partial shade, mostly sun and they have auto watering there, so I guess it may like a lot of moisture?

Hi Frilly, I grow Baby Joe pye Weed in an east facing bed, it gets morning sun, I have had it there for several years, I fertilize in the spring and give it a regular amount of water, the bed can get dry at times because of invading tree roots and I grow many other plants in it, still it does well. It can be slow coming up in the spring, first year I thought it was dead and was going to dig it up when I saw it had growth starting.

Fall is here. I'm in clean-up mode. The maple trees are just starting to turn color. It turns cool at night.
Some things that delighted me this summer: if you cluster delphinium they continue to put on a bloom show all summer and into fall; be sure to stake them. Lantana-a beautiful addition to a container. Even in the heat, it bloomed-and lots of spectacular, vibrant colors. Trumpet lilies-double in height & number of blooms from year one to year two. I gave them a nice fertilizing after the blooms died back. Mini-roses: Japanese beetles didn't bother them. Cup & Saucer vine: it looks frail in early spring, but don't be fooled, it'll climb 16 feet tall & fill out to block any view on the other side of the trellis-and cleans up nicely at season's end. Oh, and the flowers come non-stop.
How did your garden grow this year?