Old-Fashioned Gardens – NANCY WITH THE LAUGHING FACE

May 30, 2026

Romantic Spring Shrubs for Woodland Gardens

The months of May and June are all about romance with these lovely woodland shrubs!

Spirea

If ever there was a shrub that brings to mind white weddings, it’s the Bridal Wreath Spirea. It’s an absolute stunner when in full bloom with long, cascading branches that go all the way to the ground. Even the buds are romantic – they look just like clusters of tiny pearls! After blooming, this shrub turns a lovely shade of blue-green for the rest of the season.

Tall Azaleas

Tall azaleas, many of them native, bring colorful blooms to eye level and upwards, some even growing to 20 feet! Their slender, graceful growth habit lends them well to tucking behind lower-growing shrubs or planting near the base of larger trees where they enhance the understory in a woodland setting

Rhondodendrons

When a large shrub is needed for impact, but you lack full sun in your yard, consider rhododendrons. Some can grow into huge shrubs over time, so make sure that you have the space needed for these massive beauties. A mature shrub in full bloom will take your breath away!

Lilacs

Not only do lilacs provide us with big, flouncy blooms, they are also one of the most fragrant of all the spring shrubs. The Beauty of Moscow sports porcelain-pink buds that mature to a soft white after they open, and the heady scent of just a few cut flowers will fill your entire home!

Leucothoe

Though not well known, the Rainbow Leucothoe is an invaluable four-season shrub for the woodland garden. Best appreciated up close, I find that photographs really don’t do it justice. Evergreen and ever lovely, Rainbow grows to about four feet high by five feet wide with long, cascading branches that flower at the tips in spring. But it’s the foliage that makes this shrub so special, for it changes over the seasons with highlights of red, pink, and cream, and these magical color shifts positively light up the dappled shade!

Mountain Laurel

This old-fashioned Mountain Laurel is a mid-sized shrub that blooms beautifully alongside Azaleas and Rhododendrons. Deep green foliage makes a quiet statement in the garden most of the year, but there’s no missing this beauty once it starts to bloom in spring. To me, the new chartreuse leaf growth on these shrubs is just as pretty as the blooms!

All of these shrubs grow well in Northeastern Massachusetts, zone 6a

Photos by Nancy Marie Allen

February 15, 2026

The Environmentally-Friendly Cottage Garden

Lately, the world of flower gardening has become weighed down with recommendations that often sound more like commandments, such as: “thou shalt go native,” “attract pollinators,” “make it sustainable,” and “provide habitat for wildlife.” Although these practices are all beneficial for our gardens and planet, to the average home gardener they can sound daunting. Over the years, I’ve created gardens that boast of all those good things, but I never followed a rule book, only my own common sense.

Fortunately, for new and old gardeners alike, one of the easiest ways to establish a garden that is environmentally-friendly, sustainable, full of pollinators, native plants and habitat for creatures is by planting a classic Cottage Garden just like our ancestors did!

The carefree Cottage Garden style is based on old English country gardens that incorporated a mix of herbs, flowers and vegetables – everything a family would use – conveniently growing just outside the door. Today’s gardeners can use the same diversity of plantings, and by doing so, create a garden that is not only beautiful but sustainable and teaming with life!

Some perennials to include for a classic cottage garden vibe are: Roses, Foxglove, Lambs’ Ears, Nepeta, Peonies, Iris, Daisies, Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Coreopsis, Hardy Geranium, Lady’s Mantle, Daylillies, Allium and Monarda. Annuals like Sweet Alyssum, Cosmos, Petunias, Zinnias and Nasturtiums help provide a long season of bloom and attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. A quick internet search can help you find native options for your growing zone. Personally, I never shun beautiful plants just because they aren’t native; instead, I include native versions wherever possible.

And, don’t be afraid to add some herbs to your cottage garden mix. I like to use chives, thyme and parsley with my flowers and, if you have room, Borage makes a big statement with its sparkling sky-blue flowers. Vegetables also make colorful companions. Leeks work really well with their tall, blue-green leaves, and growing some peas on an obelisk could be another charming addition; just be sure to choose vegetable plants that don’t take up much room and won’t compete with your flowers.

The art of gardening should be a pleasure, and gardens a place where we can escape the cares of the world! I encourage you to rekindle the joy of gardening, plant what you love, and don’t get bogged down in all the rules!

All photos by Nancy Marie Allen

January 24, 2020January 28, 2020

An Old-Fashioned Flower Garden

Many years ago while out on an early summer walk, I came across a fairy-tale garden of such enchanting beauty that it stopped me in my tracks.

Hollyhocks (Photo by Kirsten Riemer on Pixabay)

I vividly remember an abundance of towering multicolored hollyhocks and lavender spires of foxglove along with a supporting cast of many other vintage beauties, all combined in a seemingly random but oh-so visually pleasing way. As I stared in awe and admiration, I wondered what it was about this particular garden that spoke to me?

Foxglove (Photo by Holger Schue on Pixabay)

While taking in the beauty of those pleasing blooms, I experienced a wondrous feeling as though I had been transported to a long-ago place and time! In that serendipitous moment, I discovered the old-fashioned style that I wanted to recreate in my own flower beds, one that would connect me to beautiful gardens of the past.

Romantic Roses (Photo by Rebekka D on Pixabay)

An old-fashioned flower garden can include any mix of shrubs, perennials, biennials and annual flowers that have been grown for generations. Some of these plants may bring back fond memories of grandmother’s garden or have an association with a special event in our lives while others carry a delightful fragrance that we simply can’t live without. All are classic plants we’ve come to recognize as cherished old friends!

Fragrant Lilacs (Photo by Sofia Livarinen on Pixabay)

A good place to begin an old-fashioned garden is with some romantic shrubs. Lilacs, Hydrangeas and Vintage Roses are three classics that can create the backbone of your garden. Next, you’ll want to add perennials and biennials such as Bleeding Heart, Peonies, Violets, Lily of the Valley, Forget-Me-Not, Foxglove, Hollyhocks, Ladybells, Lavender and Columbine. Annuals will fill any blooming gaps with ongoing flower power, so be sure to add a variety for season-long color. Some great choices are Sweet Peas, Petunias, Cosmos, Four O’Clocks, Pansies, Marigolds, Zinnias and Heliotrope. If you like to get an early start on blooms, there are also many heirloom flower bulb varieties such as Snowdrops, Daffodils, Grape Hyacinth and Tulips that you can tuck in around your other plants.

Peonies (Photo by Jill Wellington on Pixabay)

The shrubs, plants and bulbs mentioned above are just a small sampling of what you can use to create your own old-fashioned garden. Whether you make it formal and structured or keep it casual and carefree, the only hard and fast rule here is to include plants that you love!

Lavender and Pollinators (Photo by Annette Meyer on Pixabay)

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links to the companies listed below. When you click through on a link and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank You!