Elements of a Cottage Garden
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Ideas and suggestions for planning your own cottage garden. Tips for plants, as well as non-plant items that add interest and color.
One of the things I like best about gardening is being able to watch something grow. To start out with very small plants, or even seeds, and just a few years later, end up with beautiful blooming beauties is indeed satisfying. One of the easiest types of gardens to grow is a cottage garden. Although informal and colorful, a traditional cottage garden does have certain style elements. This type of garden got its name because it was almost always attached to a small house (or cottage.) This made it convenient for the cottager to gather herbs or vegetables for cooking. Today’s cottage garden can be planted next to a garden shed or along a fence. Another idea is to plant a garden surrounding a deck or patio. If you are blessed to be a cottage owner, definitely plant a garden next to your home.
My cottage garden is, and most likely always will be, a work in progress. It’s not attached to our house, but it’s attached to our shed, and a fence that runs along our property line. Over the years, plants have, for one reason or another, been moved or removed. It’s not completely balanced right now…one end is denser than the other. At the beginning of each growing season, I have hope that any changes I made the year before will add beauty and color. Some growing seasons I have more luck with that than others!
Elements of a Cottage Garden
A border marked with field stone, rocks, or a low fence
Like I said above, an English cottage garden got its name because it was usually hooked to a small house or garden shed. To designate and contain the garden area, a border of some sort was installed. Today that border can be anything from flagstone to rocks collected from a field. Any sort of low fence works as well.
Low plants in the front, taller plants in the back
Years ago, cottage gardens were planted with herbs, vegetables and traditional flowers, like primrose and violets. In addition to herbs and vegetables, today’s cottage gardens can include hardy perennials and self-sowing annuals. To create a hedgerow effect, taller plants are planted in the back of the garden, and low growing plants are planted in the front. To achieve an old fashioned and layered garden, plant loose rows in graduated heights. Throw the rules out the window, incorporate some curves, and have fun!
Cottage Garden Plant Suggestions
- Rudbeckia – Black Eyed Susan – ‘Goldsturm’ or ‘Indian Summer’
- Echinacea purpurea – Purple coneflower
- Shasta Daisy (‘Becky’ is a good one)
- Peonies
- Sedum – ‘Autumn Joy’
- Phlox – ‘David’ (tall and fragrant)
- Phlox – ‘Cloudburst’ (low growing)
- Coreopsis
- Dianthus
- Hardy Geranium
- Lavender
- Clematis
- Morning Glories
- Climbing roses
Blooms with different colors, sizes, and textures
Today, the sky is the limit when it comes to plants. Some perennials that work in a cottage garden are daisies, black eyed susans, daylilies, or lavender. Try to include plants that have different blooming seasons, so there is some color in your garden all the time. Mix up the size of the blooms too. Tiny blooms like dianthus look great next to larger blooms like peonies.
Climbing Vines
One thing a cottage garden must have is a climbing vine or two. Morning glories or clematis are two that work in almost any growing zone. If there is no fence, a trellis or pole of some sort works just as well for support.
Garden Art for a Cottage Garden
Add personality and interest to your cottage garden by installing some sort of garden art, or a non-plant item. Some examples are:
- a statue (St. Francis is always a good choice)
- a bird house
- a bird bath
- a trellis
- a weather vane
- stepping stones
- galvanized metal
- large baskets or buckets
- garden markers
Choose something that reflects your personality, and your interests or hobbies. Use these non-plant items to fill in empty spaces, or to add interest where there is none.
No matter what kind of garden you have, and no matter what the size or shape, the most important thing is that it brings you joy. The feeling you get when you walk out your door into a garden that you planted is, perhaps, one of the best feelings in the world. As Audrey Hepburn said, “To plant a garden, is to believe in tomorrow.” Because you know…there is always a new growing season around the corner.
Thank you for the stroll through your garden. One thing I’ve started doing is adding some solar lights. Tall, short, hanging, scattered throughout. Ones that look as good during the day, as they do at night.
Enjoy your weekend, Ann.
Your garden is lovely. Very peaceful and serene looking. Thanks for sharing.
We started some seeds of Rudebeckia Indian summer because I can’t always find them in the local nursery. They sometimes self seed but not always I love them in summer bouquets so want to have a large clump of them in my garden in front of my daylilies and sunflowers. Your cottage garden is very pretty and I love that you have added some shrubs and statuary. If you have a power source a fountain even a small one will attract the birds to your garden. So interesting to watch and they are great at controlling insect pests.
Lovely garden Ann. I love gardening also but enjoy seeing what others are doing in their gardens. Thank you for sharing. Jean
I e;njoyed seeing your cottage garden. I have dreams of having one in my front yard. with a mix of perennials, annuals, and herbs. Got the bulbs from Breck’s last year. Ended up putting them in my veggie garden space as the man who does our yard work already had the sander on his small dump truck for late fall! Too late to have him dump loam where I needed it! So everything bloomed beautifully in the garden. I want a trellis in front of the gas tanks with hollyhocks. I want, I want, I want….all in good time!
Love this post on cottage gardening!!! You have inspired me to try a garden near our deck and fence area. It will be a fun project. Thank you Ann for sharing your garden with us!!
Love seeing your gardens! I spend most of my free time working in my yard. I started 3 years ago with nothing but a patio we had just finished. Now we just need some grass that can take the Georgia sun and heat! It’s been a re-education after living in Ohio for almost 40 years.
Thank you great info, i have a lovely garden I used Miralcle Grow shake on three month fertilizer and roses and plants bloomed beautifully put my peopnes have buds but only have had three blooms do they need special fertilizer
Your yard is beautiful and I especially love your peonies! Hope you are doing well!🌷💕
I love the cottage garden, it calls me to move north. Most of these plants would not survive my Florida heat! Love your site and your paintings.
Calm and peaceful view.
Hi Ann, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your blog. Always beautiful photos, yummy recipes and decorating perfection! I always learn something new and look forward to your posts. You’ve made self quarantine bearable. Thank you for all you do. I love it all! Lynne McMullin
So beautiful. You certainly know how to make it look lovely.
Beautiful garden, Ann. Thanks for sharing it with us!
I love your garden from the weathered fence, the plants, the stone border,so charming.I would love to have a space like that but unfortunately would not last with all the deer we have here.
Beautiful and peaceful Ann. I love all of your color choices and that so many pretty blossoms can be cut and brought inside. I struggle to find things for my yard that the deer won’t devour. :)
Your Cottage garden is lovely! And are those Limelights? Beautiful with the lush purple Mandevilla. I have been looking for “Brown-eyed Susan” plants or seeds and can’t find them. It’s funny how one year a particular plant is in every garden shop and then the next year, can’t find any. Thanks for the peek into your sweet garden.
I found Brown eyed Susan plants at Home Depot earlier this spring. It’s doing well so far!
Such a charming space. I like the variety of plants you have chosen.