7 Rare and Unusual Plants for Your Cottage Garden

Creating a fascinating and vibrant Cottage garden requires a little forethought and a subtle balance of interesting and perpetually blooming plants. To this end a gardener should include some unusual plants that will not only capture the eye, but evoke remarks from your garden visitors.  I have suggested below some of my cottage garden favorites, you will not find these in your local nursery, but instead will have to locate seeds,  it is definitely worth the time and effort.

1.      Crocosmia

Common Name: montbretia
Crocosmia is a small genus of flowering plants in the iris family, Iridaceae. It is native to the grasslands of the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. They can be evergreen or deciduous perennials that grow from basal underground corms. Type: Bulb

When I first saw this plant in Holland I thought it was an orchid, it was so lovely. The first bulbs I bought were “Lucifer” and from 10 bulbs within a few years I had hundreds. This is a striking plant in the garden.  It grows to 4 ft. tall and blooms from June to August. I might add they seem to prefer some shade.

Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers moist soils in full sun. Plant corms in spring 2-3" deep and 6-8" apart. Only reliably winter hardy to areas where winter temperatures do not dip below 0 F.  In USDA Zone 5 (and possibly Zone 6), it is strongly recommended that the corms be dug up in fall and stored over winter in somewhat the same manner as for gladiolus (but do not allow them to dry out completely). Propagate by division or by corm offsets. Tolerant of summer heat and in humidity.

 

 2.     Verbascum Common Name: Mullein
Drought tolerant.

Erect stems bearing profuse saucer-shaped flowers that are usually yellow, but also white, brownish-red, or purple. Individual flowers are short lived but numerous, and flowering takes place over a long time. Most plants in the genus Verbascum are biennials or short lived perennials and a few are annuals; some have semi-evergreen or evergreen rosettes. Most species self-sow, but not as a nuisance, and many seedlings vary slightly from the parent cultivar, thereby creating welcome surprises. Most species are found on dry, stony hillsides and open woodlands, but different species are well-adapted to cottage, gravel, rock gardens, or naturalized areas.
Noteworthy characteristics: Tall, upright flower spikes with small bright flowers bloom over a long period and create vertical accents in the garden. Leaves are often fuzzy and cast with a silvery sheen.
 Care: Fuzzy-leaved species prefer full sun, others will tolerate partial shade. Grow in any
well-drained soil. Verbascums tend to flop in fertile soil.
Propagation: Sow seeds of annuals and biennials in spring in containers under a cold frame. Divide in spring. Take root cuttings in winter. Take semi-ripe cuttings of shrubby species in late winter. These hardy plants grow to 3 ft. tall and 3 ft. wide. Pink Flower; Purple/ Lavender Flower; White Flower/ Use in Cottage Garden, Beds and Borders, Naturalizing, Suitable as Annual Style.






3.     Phlomis
Common Name: Jerusalem sage
Jerusalem sage is a shrubby evergreen in USDA Zones 8-10. Plants typically die to the ground in winter in USDA Zones 5, 6 and 7, with roots usually surviving. It is best grown in organically rich, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Plants tolerate some dry soils. Stems may be cut back after flowering to promote additional bloom.

Native to the Mediterranean, Jerusalem sage is a pubescent, mounding, shrubby perennial that grows to 2-4’ tall. Plants perform best in USDA Zones 8-10 where they remain evergreen in winter. Wrinkled, ovate to lanceolate, gray-green leaves (to 5” long) of this mint family member have a sage-like appearance but no aroma or taste. Whorls of yellow flowers bloom in spherical clusters (verticillasters) along the upper half of stems and at the stem ends in summer. Additional flushes of bloom may occur throughout the remainder of the growing season if stems are promptly cut back after flowering. It is a shame this plant is so hard to find.  When I lived in Ohio a local herb farm sold these plants and I bought one not knowing what it was until later. The blooms are so unusual and the odd shade of the leaf made this a most talked about plant in my Cottage garden.

 

4.     Amaranthus, Love Lies Bleeding

Brilliant red seed heads dangle liker rubies.
HEIRLOOM. Brilliant red seed heads dangle like shimmering ruby necklaces from the tops of sturdy, 3-5 ft. plants. With long-lasting color, they're great in arrangements, fresh-cut or dried. Amaranthus needs heat and a long season. Start in containers and set out 6-week plants after frost. The tiny seeds take 2 weeks to sprout. Many parts of the plants, including the leaves and seeds, are edible, and are frequently used as a source of food in India and South America —this plant is an annual but self-sows, so it should come up year after year. It grows to five feet or more in hot dry climates and less so in cooler climates or zones with a short growing season.  My plant I pruned into a tree and it blooms continuously. It is a lovely plant in the Cottage garden.

 

5.     Helenium

 Pretty and tough! Drought tolerant Grows and shines in heat, drought, humidity and rain.

This North American native is one of the most weather-tolerant annual plants we've ever grown. This champion is both pretty and tough, taking all the heat, drought, humidity, rain, and anything else that comes its way. Neatly mounded plants are covered with 1" yellow daisy-like blooms that self-clean, keeping plants in tip-top shape all season. Use either as dramatic accents or as fillers. Its loose, airy habit lets the cheerful flowers peek through other annuals such as salvias, gazanias and celosias. Very easy to grow and fast to flower. Long-blooming helenium lights up the late-season garden with showy daisy flowers in brilliant yellows, browns, and mahogany, centered with prominent yellow or brown discs. Many of the best cultivars are hybrids. All are excellent for cutting. Deadhead to extend bloom time, and divide the clumps every couple of years to ensure vigor. This plant likes plenty of sun and does well in zones 3-8, but I live in Zone 9 and it grows splendidly. Is grows between 2-5 feet and is about 2 ft. wide. Special Features: Flowers, Cut Flowers, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Tolerates Wet Soil, Deer Resistant, Easy to Grow

 

 

6.     Felicia heterophylla 'The Blues'

Drought Tolerant.  Commonly referred to as the ‘true blue’ or ‘kingfisher’ daisy, it is one of the few Felicia’s with entirely blue flowers; both the ray and disc florets are a stunning electric-blue in contrast to others with yellow centres surrounded by blue/purple or white 'petals'.  Very easily grown from seed, this fast growing annual plant is ideal for any bare, sunny area. Growing to around 12 in tall use them as an edging plant along an informal border. They work exceptionally well in containers and planters. The gorgeous blue flowers are borne above tidy, compact foliage. Flowering in just 8 to 10 weeks from sowing they will flower prolifically on sunny days with their happy flowers facing the sun. Felicia will do well in average soil, but do require good drainage. Place them in full sun to enable their blooms to be at their best and provide shelter from winds. Felicia are very easy to maintain, they are  but would appreciate watering during dry summer months. Deadhead regularly for a constant supply of fresh blooms. Plant Uses: Cottage/Informal Gardens, Borders and Beds, Paths and edging, Drought Tolerant, Container Planting

 

7.     Cerinthe Blue Shrimp Pride Of Gibraltar Flower Seeds

Blue Shrimp Plant
Cerinthe major purpurascens
Sometimes referred to as 'Blue Kiwi' and 'Pride of Gibraltar', the Blue Shrimp Plant is one of the most asked about plants in our garden. It’s almost steel blue-green foliage and sensational deep blue bracts and small purple flowers make a wonderful impact in the garden. Early in the season this unusual plant resembles a garden pea but as the stems lengthen, they branch to produce showy blue flower bracts with small purple bells that seem to grow out of the leaves and stems. Very attractive to bees. Heat tolerant throughout the summer and also hardy down to at least 23 degrees F. Cooler nights in fall produce an even deeper blue color. While technically an annual, this self-sowing hardy plant will drop its large pea sized seeds throughout late summer and early autumn and will grow in and around the same patch for quite some years. Growing to approximately 18-24 inches tall, this rare heirloom variety is a subtle but beautiful plant that is quite easy to grow and low maintenance. This beautiful and unusual plant draws hummingbirds and bees. Instructions included. Self-sows from its own seeds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Must Have Old Garden Tea Roses

 OGR Tea Roses are little know and scarce to find. You will never locate them in a big box store or your local nurseries. Most people have never heard of them. Growing up in the South these roses were very common, but they were passed on by cuttings. When a girl got married she received a cutting from her Mothers tea roses and so on. 

 

Of all the Heirloom (Old Garden Roses) roses, the profuse, graceful scented Tea roses are among my favorites.  Tea roses are not as hardly as their subsequent offspring the Hybrid Tea, (do not like cold weather) but they have plenty of other generous attributes to recommend them.

• First off, they are wonderfully scented. I could spend a whole afternoon in the rose garden.. 
• Another plus is, they grow fairly fast.
• They are large, and fully loaded with bloom in the spring.
• They complement companion plants.

I don’t think a Cottage Garden could be complete without one or two   The Tea roses were introduced from China in the first half of the nineteenth century. They can be slightly tender but were highly prized for their large blooms, repeat flowering and the inclusion of yellow in the color range. They are beautiful, delicate creatures.

 

     The early varieties were bred for the show bench but with further cross breeding they developed into the hardy garden plants that predominated in the 20th century. They come in a huge range of colors, shapes and sizes. 

 

 Pruning Guide: Prune when reducing main stems by half in winter/spring.

 . My personal favorites in my own Cottage Garden include the following ....

  

Lady Hillingdon, cl

A vigorous and hardy climbing rose, and one of the best tea roses still in existence. The blooms are made up of large petals, resulting in long, elegant, waxy buds, which open to large, loosely formed flowers of deep apricot-yellow. These hang gracefully from the branch and emit a delicious, rich tea fragrance. ‘Lady Hillingdon’ continues to flower throughout the summer with unusual regularity. It has fine contrasting dark green foliage, which is coppery mahogany when young. 15ft.

 

                                                    

Safrano

1839

Though its parents are unknown, ‘Safrano’ is recorded by Roy Shepherd as "the result of the first successful attempt to control parentage by hand pollination", thereby introducing a new era in rose breeding. This rose has double, well scented flowers of bright fawn, with long-pointed buds. It was once described exhibiting "lovely buds of sunset coloring... saffron to apricot in the bud, changing to pale buff... A pretty and hardy variety, worthy of a place in every collection..." The new shoots of foliage are plum colored, contrasting nicely with the blossoms. 4 to 6 feet

Specimens of 'Safrano' that are at least a century old exist in cemeteries and abandoned home sites.

 

  

 

    Cramoisi Supérieur

1832

This fine old rose has velvety, rich crimson flowers with a silvery reverse and a deliciously fruity fragrance. The double, cupped form of the blossoms is distinctive, keeping with the rounded shape even when fully open. Like all true Chinas, it is very nearly everblooming in a warm climate. The leaves are small, neatly shaped, dark green and very healthy. The plant has an upright habit and, if left unpruned, will slowly grow to over five feet tall and equally wide. Cramoisi Suprieur or Agrippina, as it is sometimes still called, is one of the old roses that can often be found in country gardens of Texas and the South. It is a valuable and beautiful landscape plant that provides almost continuous color.

 

       

  Général Schablikine

1878

This lovely old Tea has very double, fragrant flowers of copper-red shaded with cherry that open from rather long buds to nearly flats. A sturdy plant with plenty of foliage, ideal in a hedge or as a specimen.

3 to 5 feet

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devoniensis

1858

Known as "Tradd Street Yellow" in Charleston, where it is highly admired, this rose is sure one of the all-time greats. Its flowers can be primrose yellow, magnolia white or ivory, depending on the weather. Always of large and sumptuous form, with an intense heady fragrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madame Joseph Schwartz

1880

The white color sport of Duchesse de Brabant.
Very fragrant.

4 to 6 feet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RhodologueJules Gravereaux

1908
Medium pink, tea fragrance, great cut flower and  blooms throughout the season.  Introduced/discovered in 1908.

Cross of Marie Van Houtte x Madame Abel Chatenay.Pink blend.  Mild fragrance.  Medium, very double bloom form.  Blooms in flushes throughout the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 tags: roses, fragrant, cottage garden, plants, Tea rose, Old, Heirloom, Safrano, Rhodologue Jules Gravereaux, Madame Joseph Schwartz

How to Grow Delicious Plump Raspberries

Raspberries, plucked soft and sweet, are the most delicate of fruits. This makes them perfect for home gardens—you can give them all the tender handling they need and enjoy them at their best.

Raspberries ripen through much of summer and fall. Summer-bearing plants such as 'Boyne' fruit on 2-year old canes. Ever-bearing plants such as 'Heritage' and 'Redwing' can produce both a summer crop (on second-year canes) and a fall crop (on new canes). However, ever-bearers produce their best crops when only allowed to fruit in the fall, as explained in "Pruning and Training."

Best Climate and Site
Raspberries generally grow from Zones 3 to 9, but you'll need to find a cultivar that's appropriate for your climate. In Northern areas, try extra-hardy cultivars such as 'Boyne', 'Nova', and 'Nordic'. In the South, try heat-tolerant 'Dorman Red', 'Bababerry', and 'Southland'.

Find a site with full sun and good air circulation. Avoid places where high winds can whip the canes around and damage the plants. The site should be at least 1,000 feet (30 m) from any wild blackberries or similar bramble berries that could share problems. Provide fertile, well-drained soil that hasn't been used to grow bramble berries, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants, or roses, which can leave behind diseases that attack raspberries.

Choosing Your Plants
Buy only certified disease-free plants. You can get the bareroot, in containers, or as tissue-cultured plantlets. Your best option is probably vigorous, year-old, bareroot plants that have been propogated from virus-indexed stock.

Raspberries come in several colors. Yellow and red raspberries are the hardiest and are very sweet. Black raspberries are delicious but are the least hardy and the most susceptible to disease. Purple raspberries fall somewhere in between red and black.

Select raspberry cultivars that ripen at different times to spread out your harvest. For example, you could plant early-ripening, red summer raspberries such as 'Algonquin' and "chilliwack', then black raspberries such as 'Bristol', then ever-bearers such as 'Autumn Bliss' and 'Heritage'.

Planting and Care
Plant red and yellow raspberries 2 feet (60 cm) apart in a row, and they'll fill in solid in a year or two. Space black and purple raspberries 3 feet (90 cm) apart. Keep the row width fairly narrow—6-24 inches (15 to 60 cm) wide—to allow every cane to get plenty of sun and be fully productive. Mow or till along the edge of the row as needed to keep the raspberries from creeping out.

Apply compost and a little balanced organic fertilizer in late winter, if needed, for good growth. Mulch to discourage weeds and keep the soil evenly moist; water during dry spells. Propogate by division or layering, but only if you are sure your plants are healthy. In many cases, you're best off buying new, certified disease-free plants.

Pruning and Training
Regular pruning will encourage your plants to produce high yields of top-quality berries. For a single fall crop on ever-bearers, simply cut off all the old canes at ground level when they are done fruiting.

Summer-bearing red raspberries produce fruit on 2-year-old-canes. Cut down the old, grayish brown fruit-producing canes after you harvest, but leave the new, current-season canes to produce berries next year.

In late winter, remove the smallest canes to leave three to six sturdy canes per 1 foot (30 cm) of row.

Black and purple raspberries produce fruit on side branches that grow off the older canes. During summer, cut off the fruit-producing canes after your harvest, and snip off the tips of new canes when they're 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) tall to make them branch. During the dormant season, remove the smallest canes to leave four to six sturdy canes per 1 foot (30 cm) of row. On the remaining canes, cut out any spindly side branches and trim the remaining side branches back to 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) long.

Harvesting
Harvest berries when they're sweet and ripe. Eat them promptly or freeze them. Berries do not keep ripening after harvesting. For best flavor and ease of picking, wait until they are fully ripe. Some raspberries offer a slight resistance to picking even when fully ripe. Let your taste tell you when to pick. Red raspberries vary in color at maturity from light to dark red. Some purple ones change from red to purple to almost black, with sugar levels increasing as the color darkens. Raspberries slip off the stem when picked, leaving a hollow inside the fruit.

Pick your berries as early in the morning as possible, when they are cool. If the berries are wet, let them dry before picking. Handle them gently and place, don’t drop, them into a shallow container. Refrigerate immediately.

It’s easier to pick berries with both hands free. Tie two long strips of sturdy cloth like apron ties to a large tin can or small bucket. Tie your picking can around your waist, or hang it around your neck. Put your berry basket in the bottom if you like. Carry an extra basket to put overripe or moldy berries in as you pick; removing these berries will help prevent rot problems from occurring later.

Problem Prevention and Control
Several fungi diseases may attack raspberries. Powdery mildew can cause a white coating on fruit, leaves and shoots. Anthracnose produces dark blotches on canes and possibly sideshoot dieback. Cane blight causes wilted shoot tips and dark spots on the canes. Proper pruning, as previously described, should prevent many of the problems. If these diseases were a problem the previous year, spray with lime-sulfur when the buds begin to turn green. Check catalogs for resistant cultivars.

Viruses may produce stunted growth, curled, yellow-marked leaves, and/or crumbly, malformed berries. There is no cure; dig and destroy infected plants. Start a new patch in a different site with certified virus-free plants.

Crown gall can cause lumpy swellings on the roots and the base of shoots. Dig up and destroy infected plants. Replant new stock in a different site. Avoid wounding stems.

Bright orange spots on the undersides of leaves in spring indicates orange rust. This incurable disease attacks black and purple raspberries, as well as blackberries. Remove and destroy infected plants.

Gray fuzz on the fruit indicates fruit rot. Pick and destroy infected berries. Gather ripe fruit daily.

Borers are insect pests that damage canes, causing wilted shoot tips. Look for a small entry hole near the base of the wilted area. Prune off damaged tips or canes, borer and all. If the shoot tip is wilted but you don't see an entry hole and if the inside of the cane is discolored, a disease may be the culprit; cut off the cane at the base and destroy it.

Health Benefits of Raspberries (click to read more)

15% Off any order with code CAFFPATCH through 8/31 at CooksGarden.com!

"Raspberry, Tricolor Collection 4 Plants"
"The three most favorite color raspberries in one collection."  $44.95
 

"Raspberry, Crimson Giant 1 plant"
"Late season raspberry with very large, red fruits. Fruits are easy to pick and pull from sparsely spined canes." $15.95
 

This article is courtesy of Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Orgainc Gardening.
 

How to Plant Fall Flower Bulbs

 

 

  

Tulips are spring flowers, which means that their bulbs should be planted in autumn. The good news is that planting flower bulbs is fast, easy, and nearly foolproof.

One reason fall bulbs are so beloved of both beginner and master gardeners is that, they are so easy to plant you can concentrate your efforts into the fun part of gardening — design.  

This brings back memories of my trip several years ago with a good friend to the Kuekenhof Gardens in Holland.  The design of the tulip beds were so incredibly beautiful and artistic and the color combinations inspiring. I am sharing some of the pictures I took to give you plenty of ideas for design and bulb selections. Sit back and enjoy this arm chair travel today.

•  Choose plump and firm tulip bulbs. Do not plant a bulb that is soft or shriveled, as it may be rotten or dead inside. Bulbs should be planted as soon as the ground is cool. In most parts of the country, this would be around the time of the first frosts, when evening temperatures average between 40° to 50° F. But you should plant at least six weeks before the ground freezes. You can, if necessary, store bulbs for a month or longer, if you keep them in a cool dry place. When in doubt, however, the bulbs belong in the ground. They won't last till next season.

•      Read the label: Try to keep the label together with the bulbs until planting.           Without the label, you can't tell the red tulips from the white ones just by looking at the bulbs.

• Where to plant: You can plant bulbs just about anywhere in your garden — so long as the soil drains well. The Dutch say, "bulbs don't like wet feet." So, avoid areas where water collects, such as the bottom of hills. Bulbs also like sun. But the spring garden is very sunny — the leaves aren't on the trees yet. Get creative!

• Prepare the planting bed:  Start by digging the soil so it's loose and workable. If it's not an established garden bed, chances are the soil could use the addition of some organic matter such as compost or peat moss. These are available at most local garden retailers.

• Tips for Planting Bulbs: Plant the pointy end up. That's about all you need to know. It's easy to spot the pointy end of a tulip; tougher with a crocus. But in most cases, even if you don't get it right, the flower bulb will still find its way topside. Plant big bulbs about 8" deep and small bulbs about 5" deep.

 

• Fertilizer:  No fertilizer is necessary for the first year's bloom. Bulbs are natural storehouses of food. They don't need anything to flower the first year. For bulbs that are intended to naturalize or perennialize (return for several years) or for bulbs that are coming into their second year, spread an organic fertilizer such as compost or well-rotted cow manure, or a slow release bulb food on top of the soil. If you do fertilize, never mix fertilizer in the planting hole. It can burn the roots. Also don't follow the old adage of adding bone meal. Modern bone meal adds little nutritional value. It can also encourage pests and even dogs to dig up your bulbs looking for bones!

• Water the bulbs only if really dry. Unless the ground is very dry, there is no need to water the bulbs. Newly planted bulbs may rot if the soil becomes sodden and waterlogged. There should be enough rain through the autumn and winter to provide your bulbs with enough moisture. By March or April in the northern hemisphere and September or October in the southern hemisphere, your bulbs should have transformed into beautiful spring tulips.

Design Ideas

·    Plant bulbs in clusters. Don't plant one bulb alone, or make a long thin line along the walk. Clusters give a concentration of color for greatest impact. Even if you don't have enough bulbs for a big bed, small clusters can make a super spring show.

·       Plant low bulbs in front of high. This is a good general rule for bulbs that bloom at the same time. Our website will give you the height of the plant and it's approximate flowering time. Of course there are times to break this rule. For example if the low growing bulbs bloom early and the tall bulbs bloom late, plant the tall in front. Their display will camouflage the dying foliage of the smaller bulbs!

·    Try a double-decker effect. You can plant small bulbs in a layer right on top of large bulbs. If you plant bulbs that flower in the same period you can create an interesting double-decker effect (picture bright pink tulips blooming above cobalt blue Grape Hyacinths). Or you can stagger the bloom time by planting mid- and late-season bloomers together, creating a spring display that blooms in succession, for a whole season of color!

In the end, what you do with fall bulbs is limited only by your imagination. A few hours one brisk autumn afternoon can yield months of colorful excitement in your yard or garden next spring.

 

 

 

Very large flowers create a

sea of yellow and orange.

10 Bulbs $9.95

Daffodil, Petit Four

A very classy white daffodil with rounded trumpet petals.  10 Bulbs $12.95

 

 

Daffodil, Tahiti

Vivid yellow and orange colors create a tropical like flower. 10 Bulbs $9.95