Bookworm Cottage Style

This is our third year in the garden. Each year (as the budget and our energy allow) we add a few more perennials in anticipation of the garden growing into a lush, colorful, and enchanting landscape. What you’re looking at above is the view from mid-June, and features a mix of hydrangeas, roses, and peonies.

Can you believe this is what we started with just three years ago? You can view the 2025 garden tour here.

2026 Garden Updates

• Dug up all 7 remaining hostas
• Planted lots of new plants:
  • 3 bloomstruck hydrangeas
  • 1 Peter Brand peony & 1 Crinkle White peony
  • 1 Emily Bronte Rose
  • 1 Sombrero Poco Hot Coral Coneflower & 1 Eastern Purple Coneflower
  • 4 more creeping phlox
  • 1 Robin Hood Dahlia, 1 Lark’s Ebbe Dahlia, & 1 Canby Centennial Dahlia

Below are photos of some of my favorite flowers.

^^ The coral charm peony (planted spring 2024), gave us one beautiful bloom, as it did last year. I think I made a mistake last year by not deadheading it, so hopefully next year we see more blooms.

^^ The Jacorma peony (planted spring 2024) was a huge success with at least a dozen flowers this year.

^^ The roses (all planted spring 2025) have been producing lots of flowers all summer long. From left: Parfuma Earth Angel; Carefree Wonder; and Celestial Night

^^ A closer look at the Parfuma Earth Angel. So pretty!

^^ Lady of Shalott Rose (planted spring 2025)

^^ These Endless Summer Bloomstruck hydrangeas were planted in 2024 and are thriving. The younger plants (not pictured) are significantly smaller and don’t seem to be growing at the same rate. Maybe I will experiment with fertilizer next spring for the stragglers.

^^ 2026 was a good year for lilacs!

^^ I put in a few different types of coneflowers. This particular one was planted last spring.

^^ I tried 3 different types of dahlias this year, but only the Larke’s Ebbe have flowered. I think my mistake with the other two was that they don’t get enough sun. Lesson learned!

Looking ahead, my big garden goal for the coming season is to experiment with bulbs (tulips and daffodils). I also hope to dig up and store the dahlia tubers to try again in a sunnier spot next summer.