How I Created My Own Beatrix Potter-Inspired Cottage Garden

Turning and old patch of gravel and weeds into a Beautiful Beatrix Potter inspired Cottage Garden.

[karenmancini]

Hi there, I sent that book to you back in July 2020. So glad you are using it. Love the book!!!! :)

[frankdonofrio]

Hi Michael, I enjoyed watching your video, but I feel the need to offer you some advice on the cottage garden. You should not use landscape fabric/weed barrier in a perennial bed. Plants need to establish a deep root system and be able to develop and multiple. You will have constant problems in the future and won't be able to remove the landscape fabric in the future after you finish planning. 1)Remove the fabric. 2) Keep the good top soil from the forest. 3) Plant the bed. 4) Add a layer of biodegradable mulch on top and around all the plants to keep out the weeds. You can take my advice or not. Best wishes with whatever you decide.
Frank

[rosemarythyme]

I've been gardening for 50 yrs so I can name a few of the plants you couldn't identify. Also there's many plant identifying apps for your mobile phone that names a plant by simply taking a pic of it.
15:43 Delphinium/Larkspur
16:51 Peruvian Lily
17:40 Dianthus (Also called Pinks)
18:32 Grape Leaf Anemone
23:00 Blue Lobelia

The cottage garden looks wonderful. What a transformation! Your Eden climber and Wisteria will be absolutely gorgeous in bloom! One tip on the Mint - keep it potted or plant by itself with room to grow because Mint is known to spread like crazy! If left unchecked, it becomes a garden thug!

[deborahwebster]

Those plants are all lovely, you’ve made a wonderful combination. You will want to do some research on how large these plants grow in width. The little pink flowers are actually called pinks. They’re in the carnation family. Pinks can triple or quadruple in diameter. Peonies and hydrangeas will become shrub size eventually. Dahlias are tubers you dig before the ground freezes, can either grow to chrysanthemum size or get very tall, depending on the type. Give your roses space for good air circulation so they don’t get black spot. Iris tubers will increase gradually. Your lupine are at the baby stage and will be much bigger. Both hosta and Japanese anemone reproduce exponentially. Make sure to give the clematis a sturdy structure to climb. The azaleas are rhododendrons, and can grow over six feet tall and wide. You have so many pretty plants! You have plenty to create another equal sized garden space and still have the lush garden cottage scheme. I love that you and your mom are working at this together, Michael. Thanks for sharing. I do love Beatrix Potter as well, and you’re an inspiration. You make me want to shop for flowers this year, though I’m concentrating currently on growing food.

[deebowker]

The first plant you queried is a Delphinium and the second ones you weren’t sure of look like Alstroemerias (Peruvian Lilies). A charming piece of filming Michael.

[robertastanger]

It is so pleasant to see Ernest with his grandfather and their interaction, is just beautiful. Glad to see you back.

[francesbolen]

The tears were just flowing watching Ernest enjoying his Grandfather time! So sweet! What amazing childhood!

[martaaberg]

How big Ernest has gotten! What a lovely life for children, living with extended family and learning so much from everyone.

[anitasujiivana]

The plants in the hot pink pots are lillies—very fragrant! Hydrangeas can grow several feet tall and wide and they’ll quickly out grow the space in this area. Perhaps move them to near the picnic table. They’ll provide winter interest if you don’t cut them back in fall.

Overall, your plant spacing is for now(today)—and doesn’t allow for normal growth (height and width) of the plants.

Ignoring optimum spacing means you’ll spend more time later on moving crowded plants to other areas that haven’t grown optimally because they’re too crowded.

Peonies can grow several feet talks and wide, so the spacing here is not at all ideal. Also, separate them if you plan to keep them in this bed.

The hostas may not be best for this area, assuming the slanted roof of the greenhouse is south facing. Hostas do best in shade or part shade—not sun. Move them to another area.

For those with tags, check the spacing requirements. For those without tags, I suggest you take pictures of them and search for them online, via an app or take to the nursery and identify them that way. (Write the names down and then research online for spacing. Then check spacing requirements.

For adding globe boxwoods, be sure you get tiny ones or be prepared to constantly trim them back. They will add more structure and winter interest, but place them FIRST, then fill in with some of the rest of the plants. (Again, you bought too much for that small area.) Boxwoods near the corners (allowing for normal growth) may be best with one or more on that long stretch would look good.

Creating thyme would be a nice ground cover in this bed which will keep weeds down. Makes a super healing drink and wonderful for cooking.

[dennispatrick]

How cool to have your father teaching Ernest things. He will never forget it.

[supermommaloha]

I miss you, Michael! Your style is unique and creative! Please continue to post! ❤

[Mlinzon]

I hope your dad lives a very long life. He is absolutely precious and Ernest has a best friend for sure. ❤

[Grandmotherof]

That smile on Ernest’s face as he drove by with his grandfather, beautiful!

[oliverpavic]

This is where you can distinguish yourself from your brother in terms of videos. Showing you and your family in the family chateau where it all started, First for you, then Steph, then Billy, than Dan etc. etc. We love that! Welcome back Michael ❤️

[stitchychris]

As a gardener, I'm so jealous of your beautiful soil. So rich and healthy and full of local fungi. Your plants will love it.

[lynlijalysbalderdottir]

Michael, you and your Mum have chosen some very pretty plants. There’s a gardeners rule of thumb, you put the tallest in the back, the bushes stuff in the middle and the little ground covers upfront. You will also like to have four seasons of interest. Remember, bark or stem colors will have winter interest and blooming plants in early spring, mid spring and late spring. Then follow up with blooming plants for early, mid and late plants for each season. Have fun growing your beautiful space. It’s looking fantastic. Enjoy!

[ludmilabevan]

Mike, the flowers you don't remember are Delphiniums and Peruvian lilies (Alstroemeria) . Delphiniums are rather rather tall, lilies too. Make sure they do not obstruct the shorter flowers. Plant the tallest ones at the back of the border for the best colour display. You can dig up the wild fox gloves if you recognise the leaf. They only live for 2 years. First year they grow, next year they flower, then they seed themselves and die. If you transplant them in flower they might not like it and you will not achieve anything. Sometimes it is easier to get their seeds as you can chose the colour. After that just let them take care of themselves as they do seed a lot. Shrubs like Hydrangeas and Azalais in general are not the part of a cottage garden. Plant them on a opposite side of a path to frame it. Make sure that all your plants are perennials. If any of them are annuals you might find few bold patches next year. But again some plants do seed themselves. You can also plant some fennel among the flowers and thyme at the front of the border. Cottage garden is not easy, you have chosen the most difficult path. Good luck!

[leslieogd]

It’s so wonderful to see three generations of Pethericks and friends creating memories through work. The garden is going to be lovely but the memories will last forever. How fortunate for all of you to have a video record for later! Ernest is so fortunate to have such a wonderful family!

[moonshayde]

Michael - you need to leave some space for many of your plants as they will get wider once they're established. The clematis will need some sort of structure or frame for them to climb up...my clematis are against a wall with a trellis to climb on & are over 6 feet tall and spread is approx 3 feet along the trellis. You have enough plants for 2 times the space you're planting. Would also be good to plant tulips, crocus, daffodils & bluebells so you have spring colours

[maryyoung]

So precious to see a small child with his grandparent learning useful things