Most people, when they hear the term "cottage garden," envision the quaint English countryside and colorful gardens filled with rambling roses, lilies, lavender, delphiniums, foxgloves, peonies, and daisies. The reality is that this style, like many others, has evolved.

One of several paths in the Sextons' cottage garden. A double-tier birdbath attracts wildlife.

Prior to the Romantic period of the mid-19th century, cottage gardens were similar to Colonial gardens, containing a practical mix of medicinal herbs, vegetables, cutting flowers, fruit-bearing shrubs and trees, and minimal flowering plants. Today, the style is anything you want; and more importantly, you don't have to live in a small cottagestyle house to create it. While the style in its current incarnation continues to evoke a romantic feel, be aware it also requires time to create and tends to be maintenance intensive.

Above, Vick and Gudrun Sexton. Below, Beth Burrell, garden designer

Vick Sexton and his wife, Gudrun, at the outset unaware they were installing cottage-style garden, have found their choice to be not only quaint but appropriate, relating to their outdoor living commitment. Giving full credit to the development of their garden to personal landscape failures, Vick says, "Although my career was in commercial real estate management in the Richmond area, working the landscape in my own yard has always been a challenge, and I have made many mistakes. When my wife and I moved to Mechanicsville in 2001, we decided not to start any major landscape improvements until we either made contact with a landscape designer or found a landscaper who would work with us, over time, to learn the right way. So, our first strategy was to educate ourselves. When we learned of the Hanover Master Gardener program, we signed up and attended class two nights a week for three months. After earning the certificate as a Master Gardner, we volunteered 20-plus hours per year at local garden-type places. And, it was though volunteer activities that we met landscape professionals Beth and Scott Burrell."

Having had the experience of a childcare center as a neighbor, the Sextons brought into their landscape requirement an intense desire for privacy. Unfortunately, because of its irregular shape and narrow property lines, their newly acquired yard offered a challenge. Capitalizing on remaining woodland, Vick began to install trees and shrubs for additional screening. Almost immediately, he ran into the problem of "right plant in the right place." Recognizing that he needed help, he contacted the Burrells.

POP'S FIX-IT SHOP A gardener's house adds charm to a shaded corner. Angular step-down paths meander though the woodland garden. Garden rooms outfitted with Vick's handmade furniture and garden accessories create romantic retreats, while selective plantings provide habitat. Access paths of eco-friendly materials lead a visitor to and from the front and backyard gardens. Highlighting the space is the installation of a few non-native but adaptable plants, such as Taxodium distichum 'Peve Minaret,' Hydrangea paniculata, Cupressus arizonica 'Golden Pyramid,' Robinia pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady,' and Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Ogon.'

Beth Burrell, a garden designer and president of Giving Tree Ltd., created a site plan that addresses the issue of privacy while avoiding too much green-ongreen coloration. She created a habitat and provided guidelines for Vick's hands-on, build-it-yourself approach. The Burrells and Sextons soon built a beneficial relationship. Vick says, "Beth, with her interest, enthusiasm, and depth of plant knowledge, kept us going when things got difficult and confusing. She spent a lot of time with us and made many visits to our house to give us direction and encouragement." The result? A cottage garden that jibes with Vick and Gudrun's expectations.

Although the garden is a strikingly beautiful space thoroughly enjoyed by its owners, Vick and Gudrun emphasize it necessitates "a commitment... that has over the years truly enriched our lives in so many ways."

VICK AND GUDRUN SEXTON recommend these educational resources: Virginia Master Gardener Association, vmga.net; Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, lewisginter.org; Maymont, maymont.org.