Page 71 - MNLGA Free State Spring 2024_WEB SPREADS

CULTIVATING COMMUNICATION (Continued) Cottage gardening is an experience,

Overflowing container gardens with living things, they change, they grow, whether you grow for food, or
fantastic flowering combinations can and there is no “right” or “wrong”
be an easy transition for houseplant way. They can add to the garden, beauty, or both.
parents when they are ready to and they can remove. And when the
venture outside. The mixed borders garden gives them too much and
of vegetables and ornamentals can plants need divided – they can share
provide more seasoned gardeners with friends and neighbors.
with the artistic outlet they are
Let’s start at the beginning –
looking for. Experimenting with new
containers. For those plant parents
combinations, harvesting their own
who have every houseplant and want
cut flowers, growing their own food,
more! Hypertufa troughs planted
and even creating their own secluded
with Dianthus, Iberis, and Festuca will
refuge from the busy world.
provide an early spring show. Larger
For installation customers – the containers with Allium ‘Millenium’,
cottage style of Gertrude Jekyll is a (continued on page 72)
frequent request, with lush borders
and season long color. A bit of PHOTO CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
Verbascum roripifolium
Geranium pratense 'Boom Chocolatta'
Whether you are a Allium sp. and Paeonia sp. - common cottage garden plants
Cut flower harvest from the summer garden
retailer or an installer Allium 'Millenium'

– cottage gardening

applies to you.

Your DIY customers

can easily relate to it,

whether they garden

on a balcony or a

1-acre property.

organized chaos within the plantings
which are framed with structure of
hedges, walls, or fencing.

Many times, these customers can
benefit from “coaching” – if they
maintain their own properties after
installation, they might need the
encouragement from a professional.
Share with them how gardens are

70 SPRING 2024• Free State News Membership Matters • SPRING 2024 71