Whether the magical image comes from a childhood storybook or a memory of Grandma's flowerbeds, the easy, joyful look of a cottage garden is immensely appealing. Filled with flowers with names such as "Rock Soapwort", "Lady's Mantle", "Lamb's Ears", and "Obedient Plant", it brings great pleasure to both the gardener and everyone who passes by. Don't worry about "rules" when making a cottage garden; just have fun creating pleasing combinations of color, texture, and proportion. The suggested plan is a little different from others, since it takes into consideration a setting that has both full-sun and part-sun exposures, a situation not all that uncommon. You may need to adapt the plan to your particular needs by omitting one grouping and repeating or expanding another. This fall, tuck, in clusters of spring Tulips and Daffodils, which will provide an additional season of enjoyment. As you develop your informal garden, try to incorporate some vertical element such as an arbor or trellis. Nothing says "cottage garden" more beautifully than a Rose-and-Clematis-covered arbor surrounded by a rainbow of cheerful flowers.