The first major bush I planted in my garden was a male holly bush. Did you know that you need a male and a female holly bush in order for the female bush to produce the signature red berries? Neither did I! I quickly found out, and bought the male holly first. You see, you only need one male for several female bushes. Fun tidbits for Trivial Pursuit! Now the male holly, which I call Prince, started dropping his leaves. I was worried, and did some internet surfing. I have found this out with gardening this year, when in doubt, start with the easiest remedy for the problem first! In Prince's case, it was a lack of iron. The poor thing was anemic! Evergreen spikes fixed him up after about two months. That is another thing I've found out about gardens, they take time. I'm beginning to start planning in terms of years, which I hadn't done before. So the holly bushes will be huge in another few years. That is how I got the first part of the cottage name. Holly.
Rose comes from all the rose bushes I've planted. Some have flourished, some are still looking a bit well, wimpy. Let us not forget that this year in Minnesota, Japanese beetles have been a horrid pest. I've sprayed, cussed, and flicked those buggers off my roses. In Japan they are considered good luck. I began to wonder if they loved my garden simply because I did too! I have nearly a dozen rose bushes and I worry over all of them. Of course the dog does his own thing to help them along by making sure they get watered now and then! We have had words, the dog and I, but like most males, he has very selective hearing!
Now you know where Holly Rose comes from. My two favorite bushes in my garden. They cover all the seasons, since the holly looks stunning in winter, and the roses the rest of the year! Now to explain the cottage part.
To call my home a cottage is perhaps being too kind to it. It was built in 1870, is two stories with less than 1200 feet of space, and has seen better days. We actually live on the first floor. The second floor is smaller and has tenants. I'm quite content with my half of the house. As I grow older I find I like having less to take care of in the housekeeping department. It has been a challenge downsizing, but a fun one. I started thinking of the house as a cottage the first day I walked in and realized we were moving to a place that is half the size of our previous home.
The cottage is a tad beyond shabby in some ways, it has had a hard life in the last few years, but part of life's journey for me has been to refurbish or restore old homes. I do not know why, but I love old homes. To me, anything built after 1900 is too modern for my tastes! Old homes have a flavor, a feeling, and often a charm that you cannot find in new homes. You may keep your modern, clean looks with minimalist patterns and neutral colors. I'll take the gently tattered grace of bygone eras. The busy, slightly cluttered look of a cottage garden, a home that's loved and filled with color and texture, and the bits and pieces of a lifetime. I am blessed that I have a husband who is a carpenter, however let me add a caveat to that. Like the doctor's wife who died from appendicitis, having a carpenter for a husband doesn't mean he'll be the one fixing the house!
This cottage is a wonderful place to live. So what if the house currently sags a bit in the middle? Or that I have learned to ignore the two inch dip in the dining room floor near the wall? I really did ask my husband if the door jambs were tilted slightly to one side, and he said yes, they were. It wasn't the sangria I'd had to drink, it is just part of living in an old place. The bottom line is this; I find a serenity here that I hadn't felt in my previous home. I walked into this place and knew it needed my care. At least for now! I decorate it thinking, 'Victorian Cottage' for a theme. Thus I dub it Holly Rose Cottage.
Welcome to my home. And yes, that is my dog, Charlie, guarding the gate!
