Glad to hear from you Robin! Hope you will become a regular here and post lots of pics. I agree, the Cottage Garden forum is the nicest place on GW; it is a happy place!
It is my opinion that one does not have to have a Cottage style garden to be a Cottage Gardener, it is the spirit that counts!
Welcome again!
CMK

Hi Robin, WELCOME, I've only been posting here a couple of years and if I had to class my garden I'd say it's non conforming rather like myself.
Parts of my garden are very cottage like, other parts I'm still scratching my head over. Depending on where you live determines what you can grow.
What I can say we're all Cottagers at heart and that's what counts, this is a very warm, caring and friendly group. We pick each others brains when we have problems with whatever, post photos of our successes mostly in the Gallery but the odd one in Discussions and, let's not forget our weekend trivia in Conversations thanks to TM.
We'll be looking forward to seeing photo's of your garden and hearing what you've been up to too.

Annette

Hi Robin, I've only been a GW member for a few months. I love this forum!
It would seem as though there is no strict definition of Cottage Garden. Gardens are always a work in progress, you grow what you love and love what you grow!
I love seeing pictures of everyone's gardens, they're always great inspiration.

BBH

To me, a cottage garden is any garden that is informal and stuffed full of happy plants.

Thanks for the welcome! I'm so excited spring is here and my flowering plants are beginning to bloom! I've hit various garden centers several times already and am planting like a mad woman!
Robin

Thanks for the welcome! I'm so excited spring is here and my flowering plants are beginning to bloom! I've hit various garden centers several times already and am planting like a mad woman!
Robin

ok-that's weird. I kept getting an error message when I tried to post the followup so I changed the subject line and finally it went through. Then, all my attempts showed up. :-0

Welcome, Robin!

I'm clear up north of you in Nebraska where we are hoping that we are finally clear of the snow and cold. I heard a mosquito buzzing by my ear last evening if that's any indication and there has already been a wasp in the house, LOL!
I'm just getting all my beds trimmed up and cleaned out and will be ready to start planting more seeds sometime tomorrow. Have fun planting! I can't wait to see pictures in the Gallery, of your garden :)

MeMo

MeMo-Hi there and thank you! Mosquito and wasp sightings may well be a sign that life is thawing out up your way! I lived in Northern Illinois for many years. I enjoy what I'm able to plant down here in North Central Texas so much-until the heat of the summer, that is.
Robin

Welcome Robin,
we garden in about the same zone - just a few states apart! For about 2 years I felt like I was gardening in Texas - heat, dry (very dry), lower humidity (or longer breaks in humidity). I loved the fact that I had very little disease in the garden due to lower humidity - I didn't like the water situation that much, lol. We're back to weekly rain and I once again have a cottage garden!!

GGG

Welcome Robin. You will feel right at home here. We have lots of warm weather zones posting.

I will be looking forward to pictures of your garden.

I think we have one of he nicest forums on the Web!

Robin, welcome!
It is a wonderful place to be - Cottage Garden Forum is filled with nicest people! Make yourself at home!
~Natalie

Robin,

Welcome to the cheerful forum -- all sunshine and blooms! :-)

Tell us more about your garden!

Cheers,
Cameron

Robin, boy you are excited. You posted like you were jumping up and down. LOL! What town are you near?

I don't visit many forums, but this one is the "bestest".

Kathy in San Antonio

Welcome Robin! Yes, it is a very friendly bunch here. Lots of laughs, and sharing. My old garden was 'cottage' style. Best compliment I ever got was from a visiting English lady who said - what a lovely cottage garden. I about popped my buttons!!! I have more perennial border right now, as I build my new gardens.

Nancy.

GGG-Rain! Yes, something we cherish here in N. Central Texas. We have gotten over 3.25" in the past week. (Knock on wood)! I collect it in flexible plastic pots to use on my raised vegetable garden and new seedlings!
gldno & natalie-thanks, you are all so friendly here!
Cameron-I have been gardening in the Ft. Worth area for over 20 years and am still learning lots. I have a small, unheated greenhouse which I start seeds in each year. It has running water, which is nice. I have a small organic, raised herb and vegetable bed and I direct sow bluebonnets along the perimeter of our 1.2 acres. Besides that, I have beds around our house and pool area in which I work hard to remove invasive Bermuda grass, amend with horse manure compost, stuff with flowering plants, protect from grasshoppers, Texas heat and drought.
Kathy-Yes, I am excited to find such a welcoming group of gardeners!
Nancy-If an English lady told me that about my garden I would definitely have popped something! Good going!
Robin