The First Look at My Kitchen Garden and Modern Garden Cottage
I’m finally sharing the first look at my kitchen garden and modern garden cottage—a project I’ve been quietly sitting on since early spring. I wanted to wait until after Christmas to share, and if you’re already feeling the pull to start gardening again, consider this your sign. I have so much goodness coming this year, and I can’t wait to bring you along. Here is the first look at my kitchen garden and modern garden cottage.
A Home for My Garden Notes (and All the In-Between)
I loved this space so much that I gave it its own Instagram home. For years, my garden notes lived everywhere—journals, seed packets, scraps of paper, half-finished lists. Creating @gatheredgardenco felt like the most natural place to gather it all in one spot.
This little corner of the internet is where I’ll be sharing gardening, entertaining, seasonal joy, and all the small projects unfolding in and around the kitchen garden and garden cottage.
Specifically, I’ll be sharing weekly garden updates, projects, what’s working, what’s not, and the everyday beauty of seasonal living—from the first seeds to the final harvest.
But for now, let me introduce you to my Garden Cottage.
How Gardening Became My Favorite Hobby
I’ve been gardening—and sharing it online—since 2020. It all started with virtual learning and a homeschool science assignment. One of my kids needed to plant seeds. We grew peas. And somehow, that turned into a full-blown obsession (as these things tend to do).
At our last house, the garden moved or expanded every year. I rebuilt it, added to it, planted around it, tweaked it again—until it finally landed exactly where I wanted it.
And then… we moved.
Starting Over with a New Garden
Not long after deciding to move to South Carolina, we were driving home from church, saw a listing sign, called a realtor friend, toured the house, and made an offer in under 24 hours. Sometimes the right things don’t require a pro/con list. The house sat on a generous piece of land — exactly what we’d hoped for — and it already came with a garden space. Gardening had quietly become my favorite hobby by then, and we knew immediately we wanted to take what was there and turn it into the biggest kitchen garden the space could hold.
We packed up our life and headed to South Carolina — new state, new schools, new teams, and a completely new garden to start from scratch.
Designing My Dream Kitchen Garden
My Pinterest boards were busting at the seams but alas, I was pregnant with our fourth, so we took a year off and kept things simple — planting in the existing boxes and letting life settle. Then this past spring, we finally created my dream kitchen garden. This will be my first full season in it, from seed to fall harvest, and I cannot wait to share every part of it with you.
I brought in the wildly talented Carmen Johnston of Bespoke Garden Plans with my sketches, photos, Pinterest boards, and a very optimistic plant list. Together, we designed the layout, the bordering landscaping, selected pavers and lighting, and my husband built the cedar garden boxes. From there, I designed, planted, and slowly brought the garden to life.
From Potting Shed to Garden Cottage
What started as a practical need for storage (our garage was losing the battle) turned into a classic case of being married to a contractor. A small potting shed became insulated… then wired… then plumbed… and somehow evolved into a multipurpose space for homeschool days, garden work, floral design, hosting, hiding, dreaming — and yes, briefly, gym equipment and a sauna. For now, it works. One day, it’ll be exactly what I originally pictured. I dream of hosting dinner parties and flower workshops!
I waited until everything felt finished, styled, and photographed to finally share this — and I’m so grateful for how it came together. I’ve always loved interiors, gardens, entertaining, and thoughtful spaces, and this cottage feels like all of that meeting in one place.
I’m so glad you’re here & I hope you follow along @gatheredgardenco.
Shop all of my Amazon Garden Finds here!
Sources & Links
Photography: Jessica Steddom
Garden & landscape design: Bespoke Gardens
Chicken Coop Paint: Tricorn Black
Chicken Coop Planters: I found them on Amazon. They are great quality, lightweight & have a shelf inside so you don’t have to fill them the entire way.
Landscape Pavers: Techo-Bloc Slate Shale Grey & Villagio edgers
Landscape Edging: Tumbled Cobblestone
Cedar Garden Beds: These were custom-made by my husband & guys at his construction company.
Garden Pathways: Chipped Slate
Garden Arches: I found them at several retailers but ended up ordering off of Amazon for faster shipping!
Plant Supports: Pea Tunnel, Tall Tomato Cages, Small Tomato Cages, Pepper Cages
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