It's really hard, not only figuring out what will go together, but to find out what blooms at the same time, and likes the same conditions.

Kelly, my favorite way to do that is to take a bloom or leaf and carry it around the garden holding up to potential neighbors. I'm often surprised at what looks pretty together, things I wouldn't have thought about if I hadn't seen them side by side. You also have a good idea that the plants in question will be showy at the same time each year, well...more or less. I have seen things vary considerably from year to year in bloom time.

Polly,that is one of my biggest problems. I really have to research to get the combos just right and half the time its just kizmet that they do.
Believe me no one is mor surprised than I am.

I have a hard enough time keeping up with the watering at the moment, sadly. But hopefully I can make a few notes for fall... One mistake that MUST be corrected in the fall when it feels safer to transplant. I put some coreopsis Jethro Tull by my mailbox. Its blooming for the first time this year, and is absolutely gorgeous.. unfortunately I hadn't realized how early it would start blooming, and my Azaleas up by the house also finally put on a really good show this year... but they're a peachy/pinky color... standing by the road, I cant think of a worse clash! I"m all for hot pink and orange and purple and all sorts of bold combos... but gold and peach is just unforgiveable! Yuck! Its so bad that I think the coreopsis is going to have to leave the front yard entirely!

Kelly, I'm the same way about bright gold, just can't stand it with pastels. I use so many pastel colors in most of the yard, that I've limited bright gold to a couple of beds with a lot of orange and red and another with purples and hot pinks and bright coral.

Good choice Neal.Any yellow is hard to place.
I just returned from a trip to an iris grower.
Pollyk and I met there last year for dwarf iris time and this year we went for TB's.It was over 80 with humidity to match. We made quick choices and didnt take time to chat.
She is one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet.
Here is what I got
All NOID's

How exciting Jo Ann, I especially like that blue and white one!

I thought these California Poppies which self seeded along an unstairs pathway near my daylilies looked very cottage garden.



Here's a closeup of some really golden ones.

Just a cottage garden corner with roses, lilies, catmint and shrubs in back.

Just fantastic Rita.Such a treat for the eye

Beautiful Rita. I hope the neighbors appreciate it as well. enjoy!

Here is a little corner of the backyard under the old cherry tree. Second picture is a closeup of the little purple roses along in there.

Beautiful, Rita! Very much captures what I think of as the cottage garden look! Do you know if that Rose is called 'Blue Rambler', aka 'Veilchenblau' ? I'm curious because I used to have Blue Rambler at my last home, and it was such a good grower for me.

Wow, you are good. That is exactly what the rose is. I just love the purple color of it when its blooming. In the first picture you can see the roses in back of it also and that one is Mozart an old hybred musk. To the very left of the cherry tree is Majorie Fair, another small single flowered rose. I have shrubs all the way in back and honeysuckle. Plus in front are the daylilies and Tall Bearded iris plus some catmint. It is very much a jumble of mixed up things made to try and look like they just all happened to grow there. Of course they didn't just happen, I planted them until I got the effect that I wanted.

Don't you just love that blue cast it develops as the blooms age! I love it with the other 2 varieties too. Isn't it funny how much effort it takes to make it look like Mother Nature planted it herself? I find myself moving plants in full bloom quite frequently, it just bugs me so much when the placement isn't right.

ahhhhmen

Here are those California Poppies again.



And some annual Lupines I grew from seed. Just sowed seeds in early March and this is what I got.

Daylily corner along the roses and spirea.

Love the DL's with the rose