I've dreamed of having a cottage garden for years, and it's finally happening! After growing up in Wyoming—where brown landscapes were the norm—I fell in love with the idea of lush, layered planting full of blooms and texture. Now, after almost 3 years on the East Coast, I'm ready to begin bringing that dream to life… starting with one corner of our backyard.

In this video, I:
-Build a raised garden bed (without leveling the ground to keep a natural, settled look)
-Run drainage and install composite edging to prevent erosion
-Share my peat-free soil mix for healthier plants and a healthier planet
-Add layers of cardboard, twigs, leaves, and undyed cedar mulch
-Plant a mix of white and purple blooms (with a few colorful surprises!)
-Talk about planting annuals alongside perennials for instant impact🌿

I’ve also got a separate video with the full backyard design plan if you’re interested in seeing the big picture: https://youtu.be/XnoBcd_pAcI

This little patch of earth already brings me so much joy—and I can’t wait to see how it evolves!

🌼 Want to work together? Contact me: www.theclaytorhouse.com/contact
📸 Follow along on Instagram: @theclaytorhouse
💻 Explore more projects: www.theclaytorhouse.com

List of plants (please offer any advice you have in the comments):
Delphinium (Hunky Dory Blue)
African Daisy (Voltage White)
Asiatic Lily (Tiny Diamond & Tiny Crystal)
Pansies Candytuft (Snowsation)
Hyacinth (Purple, White, & Pink) Sweet Alyssum (Easy Breezy White)
Pincushion Flower (Butterfly Blue)
Nepita Lupine (Staircase Blue)
Dianthus (Scent First Memories & Clavelina)
Lobelia (Magadi Compact Dark Blue)
Baptisia (Decadence Lemon Meringue)
Snapdragons
Salvia (Noble Knight)
Creeping Phlox (Spring White)
Foxglove (Camelot Lavender)
Violas
‘Berggarten’ Sage
‘Hidcote Blue’ Lavender
‘Arp’ Rosemary
‘Italian’ Oregano
Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Irises (White & Purple)

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Timestamps
0:00 – Introduction + Current Yard
2:10 – Running Drainage Pipe & Composite Edging
5:10 – Building the Retaining Wall
6:23 – Soil Mix & Filling the Bed
10:47 – Planting Begins!
14:19 – Garden Reveal 🌼
15:17 – Final Reflections