My Cottage Garden - Garbage Finds and Wind Chimes.

Wendy Plyman
by Wendy Plyman
My cottage garden is my sanctuary from a very busy life. I have my morning coffee sitting on the porch with my dog by my side watching the birds and butterflies enjoying it too.
I delight in the hunt for discarded items that I can up-cycle and re-purpose in interesting ways. My family contributes to this ever growing garden making coming home to new treasures sitting in my driveway always fun.
Living in an area that equally distributes the four season’s means I get to enjoy its beauty with an ever changing rainbow. Color and fragrances meet my senses at every turn.
Whimsy is a theme I carry through from one end to the other. I allow things to basically pick their own home. If I plant something and it doesn't do well, I move it to a spot it likes. I can then divide it and divided it; sometimes I have divided as many as six times. A plant I rescued from a garden center can provide me with many many plants. Discarded plants at the end of the season are some of my best bargains.
This is my moon flower. It only blooms at night with a full moon.
In my cottage garden you will find things are unstructured and whimsical. I enjoy having just as much fun with my gardens as I do with my life. It is my home, my children’s home, my dog’s home, and with all the bird house’s I think the birds call it home too. Butterflies, bees and frogs and all manner of creature call my gardens home including the deer that help themselves to my Hostas.
My wisteria is about 8 years old now.
I get these beautiful blooms with a variegated color.
My Astilbe will still be there next year. I split it six times already.
This is the right side of my house. I found the ladder in garage when I moved in. I would not use it to step on, but as a garden decoration it works nicely. A few bird houses setting on it and I have added height in a lovely shady spot. A variety of Hosta added several greens that flower and do well in the shade provided by that big tree.
These are my garden children. I have had them for 15 years. Over time I have had to repaint them. I call it changing their clothes. We all deserve new clothes once in a while. Sometimes they are in the front of the house greeting everyone that drives by.
My Lilacs are a spring shot of color and fragrance.
This Trumpet vine is about five years old now.
Garbage finds and wind chimes. Old drawers, solar lights, flags, statues and potted plants make an interesting focal point siting next to my garage door. All of this was salvaged from the trash. Trash to treasure is fun and you don't have to worry about it in the weather. I'm always finding more so if it gets destroyed no biggie.
This is my water feature. I got this from my daughter for a Mother's Day gift 3 years ago. I think he looks like a little Buddha man.
Hostas, Hostas, and more Hostas. Potted flowering plants add a touch of color and help to define the edge of the porch.
This is one of my flower beds; this headboard was acquired from the trash too. So of course I had to add the chair. The lighthouse and pin wheel adds a touch of whimsy.
This is my flower bed. My sister found this old headboard out on trash day and picked it up for me. It was broken up and needed some repair but I like how it came out. The deer seem to like coming and eating the Hosta plants that was at the foot
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  • Hannah V Hannah V on Aug 04, 2014
    Check this out @Miriam I :)
  • Julie Holm Julie Holm on Oct 09, 2014
    Love your end results using found things--also that you named the plants. It has a feeling of fun, love, lots of hard work, and I appreciate the care and inclusion of the other "beings" that inhabit your wonderful garden and yard--birds, bees, and the deer. Great job, Thanks.
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