How to plan a cottage garden from layout to picking plants

cottage garden design

There are tons of perennials that make perfect choices for cottage-style, low maintenance garden borders. They're ideal for pollinators and available in a wide range of stunning varieties from the prolific purple 'Rozanne' to the elegant 'Kashmir White'. A cottage-style garden is basically a very informal and traditional type of plot, where flowers steal the show. We're talking voluptuous borders full of color and texture, amidst traditional materials such as stone walls and red brick edging.

What is a cottage style garden?

An old-fashioned cottage garden can be just what the doctor ordered. However, if the plants have been selected carefully for multi-seasonal interest, something should always be in bloom. It is more of a personal preference of the individual hobbyist.

Choose colors with confidence

In this photo, I planted lavender Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’ along with Flower Carpet® ‘Pink Supreme’ Roses for an exuberant effect. They are both fairly easy to grow and the Stachys tolerates some drought. One of the most distinctive cottage garden plants with their tall spires of speckled bells, foxgloves are a natural choice for this look.

cottage garden design

Install raised beds to create a sense of order amongst chaos

Underplanting your trees with seasonal blooms is a great way to add interest to an otherwise uninspiring part of your garden. There are many different approaches to landscaping around trees, but bulbs are one of the easiest options. Here, vibrant red tulips interspersed with naturalized grape hyacinths and dots of yellow tulips and daffodils make a painterly palette in this otherwise dead space. Sow seeds of this biennial in summer for blooms the following year. Seeds should be planted 1/8″ deep in fertile, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil and watered in gently. The hardy geranium makes a great edging plant for your cottage garden because of its long bloom time, dainty profusion of flowers, and ease of maintenance.

Sow seeds of this quick-growing annual in a kitchen plot or cottage-style bed to fill in gaps and provide late-season color. One of the most beloved and widely used garden plants, romantic roses are a staple of cottage borders and landscapes. Use a larger bush type as a background plant in a cottage border or a climbing type trained on a fence, trellis, or arbor. Roses combine well with clematis and many summer-blooming perennials. This cheerful summer annual comes in many different plant sizes and flowers in colorful shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, white, peach, green, and bicolors. Mass medium-sized varieties in the middle (or dwarf varieties in the front) of a cottage-style border or cutting garden for months of continuous color from mid-summer until frost.

cottage garden design

But in order to have them bloom every year, you will need to plant them two years in a row. It is easy to grow as long as it has sun and well-drained soil. And the evergreen, sword-shaped foliage adds an element of diversity to the boarder. Although the silky large blooms only last 10 days, they deserve a space for their splash of color and interesting seed heads. There are varieties for every height requirement so you can plant them anywhere in your garden.

Add Definition with Flowering Shrubs

Available in a range of opulent colors, their silky ruffled petals pack an old-style glamour punch. They are the ideal flowers for creating a sense of romance in your cottage garden too. 'The cottage garden style can be adapted to any garden, whether rural or not, small or large.

Unearth your perfect greenspace with the help of our expert advice on plant selection, landscaping, garden how-tos, maintenance, and trends. Allow self-seeders to spread, and if something pops up in the wrong spot, dig it up and move it. As this is a natural planting style, everything can have its place.

While traditional gardens are typically filled with pastel colors, you can use brighter shades in your cottage garden. Adding a pop of color here and there can make your cottage garden stand out. In addition to watering, you will also need to fertilize your plants regularly. This helps ensure they get the nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy. There are many different types of fertilizer available, so be sure to choose one that is right for the plants you are growing.

Once they have bloomed do not deadhead if you want them to self-seed. It’s tubular spires have dangling, speckled flowers on all sides along the stem. Because of their height, Hollyhocks need to be staked or tied to a trellis or fence. Then they will self-seed as long as you don’t cut the stems off before they have gone to seed. Single or double cup-shaped flowers cover the spikes from top to bottom. Perennial Dianthus is short lived so save seeds to re-sow where necessary.

Classic seed mixes can include ox-eye daisies, marigolds, teasel, chamomile, foxgloves and poppies, but you can also include ever-popular cosmos and ammi majus. ‘Meadows can be a glorious addition to the garden, whether purely wildflowers or enhanced with other species. They make a harmonious medley, attractive to us and also to a host of wildlife,’ says Clapp. Pergola ideas is ideal for this purpose and can also create a private shaded, sheltered area to escape the midday sun.

These 25 Shade-Loving Plants Will Bring New Life to Your Garden - Veranda

These 25 Shade-Loving Plants Will Bring New Life to Your Garden.

Posted: Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Stone garden wall ideas make lovely additions to cottage gardens, for a timeless, countryside look. It also provides a useful divider between 'rooms' of your garden, or for added privacy and shelter. 'Do you want a hot border filled with oranges, yellows and reds, or do you want softer colors such as blues through to purple, with hints of pinks and white? ' Sticking to a specific range for your garden color scheme will add an enchanting yet cohesive feel to your plot, so give it a try. Classic furniture such as the best bistro sets, or wooden benches or dining sets, are other go-to choices to suit cottage garden schemes.

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