Heirloom Flower Garden Plan

So. last week and over the weekend, I took advantage of the future post feature of WordPress and took 4 days off. I’d like to say I relaxed and ate bon bons in the Calgon-Take-Me-Away bathtub, but alas, no. I did yard work. Our yard, when we first moved here 6+ years ago, was an overgrown disaster. We bought the place with big plans of rehabbing everything and selling it again… famous last words in 2006. Sadly, our finances took a huge hit over the recession and the yard remained… shall we say… well, still a disaster. Happily, our finances are under control again, and I can’t wait to show you the work I did in the yard!

I really don’t have a green thumb – at all. I kill more plants than I am able to keep alive. So I did a ton of research over the last few weeks to help me figure out what to plant in my zone 5 flower garden that is drought-prone (because I forget to water stuff all the time). I remembered seeing in one of my old seed catalogs a vintage/heirloom flower garden plan. The catalog is from 1917 called “Everything for the Garden” from Peter Henderson & Co. in New York City.

Sadly, the garden plan here isn’t really my type. For one thing, it’s an annual flower garden, and I try to plant mostly perennials – it is a precaution I have to take against my likely laziness next year. For another thing, it is quite formal – I’m way more of a wildflower-cottage-garden kind of gal. Which was disappointing, because I really loved the idea of planting a garden based on what would have been common flowers in 1917.

For those of you who may be curious, here are the flowers in the catalog that were prominently featured (assuming based on popularity):

Cardinal Climber

Imperial Sweet Sultan

Cosmos (which I hear are so easy to grow a kid can do it – that’s my kind of flower!)

Hollyhocks

Japanese Morning Glory

Giant Shirley Poppy

Spencer Giant Sweet Pea

Gladiolus

Silver Moon Rose

Dorothy Perkins Rose

And two that don’t seem to be available these days: Mammoth Butterfly Pansy and Giant Comet Aster

So anyway, if you are the kind of gal who likes formal gardens, and has the time and patience to plant annuals every year, and want to create an old-fashioned heirloom flower garden, then this is your garden plan!

Vintage Heirloom Flower Garden Plan from 1917 - Click for larger printable page

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