I am a vegetable gardener, and finally have all of our raised beds in. I am in love with cottage gardens, but most of the books and articles I find are all for northern gardens. Does anyone know of a book or links that have layout designs for southern areas? I have to have a plan to begin because I will probably flounder without one. I want to have flowers all around my raised beds area and in the front and side of my house.

Thanks for any help!
Dee

I think layout info can be translated easily to suite a southern garden, it's just a matter of switching out the plant materials for those that thrive in your area. For example, so many traditional Cottage gardens include Delphiniums and Lupines, neither of which will perform well here with summer heat and humidity. So instead I use Larkspur, Baptisia, Eremurus, and a few Hollyhocks to provide strong vertical lines. Where a northern garden may include Oriental Lilies, a southern garden may use Crinum instead.

I'm going to give it a stab this year... will have to put a lot of my favorites in with the tropicals and hope for the best.

Therese, are you living part time in both places?

Yes, I will be a snow bird between FL and WI.
though I still have to sell my IL home -- which is where my cottage-y garden was.... not much of it left as the state is working on a tollway project and I had to dig up a lot and don't have access to the rest. -- but it is their property.....

Sounds like you're making the best of it, how nice to escape northern winter

yes, that is one major reason we are down here. DH just could not handle the winters anymore -- that and taxes.

Hi Terese. Congrats on being a snowbird.

Hey Veronica... I was just thinking of you the other day.
Hope all is well up north.

Snow should help now about 3" overnight.

Hi Terese. Congrats on being a snowbird.

Well -- i bought one of those flat that holds 36 cells or those compressed coir that expand when wet...

I did mostly Agastaches and Salvias, 4) 4-O'clocks and Lobelia Cardinal flower

I had 1 cell where I had a single Red Salvia, as I only got 1 seed before the plant was crushed by a fallen tree... and accidentally added Yellow Agastache seeds in the same cell. I plan on taping the lid down [we are really windy here] and stick it out in the shade, and hope for the best.

I still have to do my "winter sowing" where I will use the usual variety of containers, just getting the time to get it done.
Plus get my herbs going.....

Kind of funny I found I had posted the same message 2 times.. Help we are really just now getting our winter weather...anxious for spring...

Veronica, has cabin fever got ya? I'm about there myself. More snow than I've seen in years, and to think I'd just been thinking I can sow peas any time now, LOL. With all the cold temps on the way, as well as more snow, I just hope to see the ground again before April!