You Really have a magnificent garden !! I love how full and lush it is . Feels like visiting a botanical garden . Do you consider yourself a plant collector ? I see a lot of unique , beautiful plants there . How long have you been working on your garden ?

Hi Lilyfinch,
Thank you for viewing the garden,..i have had it said that i am a plant addict,..if i see one i like then i will have a go at growing it,..at present i have a Brugmansia growing,..not a plant that thrives here but there are some which will survive,..it may not mature enough to produce blooms before the season ends but i love to try,..plants do surprise us,..i like your suggestion,..do i consider myself a plant collector as its better than a plant addict but both descriptions hit the nail on the head.

My present garden started 10 years ago from scratch,..cuttings,..seeds and the occasional gift of a plant,..this was the original Cottage Garden growers idea,..swapping seeds and plants rather than buying any.

Philip

Your garden is beautiful! I love the cottage garden look, but living in Phoenix it's a difficult look to achieve. The video was perfect.

Hi 1212dusti,
Thank you for your compliments,..delighted you viewed the video thanks again,..yes i can well understand how difficult maintaining a Cottage Garden would be in Phoenix,..here in Ireland it is easy enough though making room for new plants coming up each month can turn into a race,..Delphiniums though still in bloom had to be cut down to the base to make room for Hollyhocks but the Delphiniums will bloom again before autumn arrives.

Philip

Hollyhock Double White.

Hollyhock Double Pink.

Double Dark Pink.

It can be difficult to get bloom from most plants during the summer here, it's really amazing to see these kinds of plants and the amount of bloom they have in your part of the world! Looking forward to seeing more of your garden.

Hi 1212dusti,
We have approx eight months of good growth here,..easing off in November,..just about anything i have tried to grow has given good results,..except for a Banana Tree,..which grew fine but the problem come winter was taking it inside,..even after cutting it back it took up too much room so i swapped it for some other plants with a friend,..despite all the good points with growing plants here i would rather be somewhere like Phoenix for the warmer climate.

Philip

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Phygelius,'fanfare Orange',..blooming for the past few weeks.

Day Lily,'Little Grapette'.

Lilium,'Rialto'.

In a shady moist corner of the garden there is a Fuchsia growing over a Lace Hydrangea and some Hosta.

I can not resist posting the picture below of Tigridia pavonia,..they are blooming very well today,..common name is Tiger Flower/Mexican Shell Flower,..i grow them in containers so i wont make a mistake and plant something on top of them.

See who blinks first,..was the impression i got from this Bee.

If you like warm, Phoenix is the place, temps here have been over 110 degrees most days, although we've had some welcome rain. I've never seen Fuchsia as large as this, only in hanging baskets, rain makes all the difference! The Shell Flowers and Lilies are wonderful and the bee's expression says it all! Thanks for the beautiful photos.

Oh 110 degrees most days might make me change my mind,..we had up to 100 degrees last Summer and i was exhausted that temperature was not what we are used to,..70's and 80's i can just about cope with as i was based in Cyprus for six months with 60's to 70's,..i visited Utah but well north of you in Salt Lake City and up to Yellowstone then across to Los angeles but mostly remained in Indiana and Ohio,..loved it all i must say.

We had 48 hours of rain non stop last week and this week one good shower each day with sunshine between the showers lol.

Yes the fuchsias thrive here with the wet soil.

A view of the moist shady corner.

Chrysanthemum blooming at present and will continue up to November.

The rose "Ice Cream",..in full bloom just now.

A no name rose as it was grown from seed but does not resemble any other rose in the garden nor the parent bush.

Stunning. l've seen "heaven."

Thanks so much for sharing all your beautiful pictures, Phillip! Now that I've visited the cottage garden forum, I'll be watching for many more pictures from you in the future. Indiana and Ohio are good states for summer gardens, although the winters might be harsher than Ireland. You're an incredibly talented gardener and would have a beautiful garden wherever you lived!

Dusti

Hi patann,

Thank you,..the sun was shining today and sitting in the garden did feel like heaven and for a change no rain today.

Philip

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Korresia Rose.

Hi Dusti,

I will be around for the future and will be posting more pictures.

A new plant in my garden,..Elephant Ear,..grown from seed which came from Indiana so it should thrive here,..its in a 30 inch container.

I've been reading some of the other cottage garden threads, and your garden is beautiful! You've also done an amazing job with your neighbors garden. She must be thrilled to have you living next door. I'm growing Ears on the patio, but they thrive in the heat, kind of surprised to see them growing in a cooler climate.

Hi Dusti,

Ah yes my neighbors garden,..i just look in every day to dead head and prop up plants then add any surplus plants i have coming along and i always have surplus,..just today i gave her a Lace Hydrangea in a large container,..you would think it was a cash present from her reaction but that's what makes me keep looking in and keeping her happy.

Well its very interesting that you also have a Colocasia,'Elephant Ear',..certainly a tropical plant and a big leafed one as well,..has yours grown very tall,..mine is only in its infancy but growing fast each day and its noticeable .

This plant will survive here until the temperature drops to about 40F-4C but i will dig it up before then and store the root in a cool dry place for next year,..i have it in a spot that is warm but does not get sun all day,..below is how it looks tonight.

Philip

No, my Elephant ears are maybe 2 feet tall, for some reason, the leaves are smaller than yours, I think it's the high heat we have for months on end. It stresses a lot of plants. I'm looking forward to September, most plants bounce back and look good until the first frost. I looked again at some of your threads, it's wonderful to see so many beautiful flowers. I know your neighbor appreciates you.

Hi Dusti,

I can well imagine the intense heat having an effect on some of your plants and it could well be the Elephant Ear needs humid and moist weather,..jungle like,..its warm enough here and certainly wet,..i know there are many different species of Elephant Ear so yours may not be the same as mine.

Elephant Ear Plant - Google Search

I spotted a beauty of a Vivarium some time back,..going cheap,..so could not resist it and the pear shape.

Love the red Cyclamen, Phillip, your choice of flowers looks smashing! Thanks for the link, growing tropicals is something that is fairly easy in the desert. Now that I'm going to be checking out the cottage garden threads,(with my face pressed against the window) I'll be enjoying the amazing gardens that some of you have..