Cottage Garden Style
Cottage gardens were originally created out of need. Vegetables and fruits surrounding small cottages with flowers tucked in here and there. The cottage gardens of today may or may not include edibles but still retain the charm of those humble spaces. Small and unpretentious, meandering paths filled with a delightful tangle of treasures spilling over soft edges.
Picket fences, gates, arbors and evergreen hedges help create the structure of the cottage garden. Curving pathways made of grass, gravel or stone that lead somewhere…or nowhere.
Charming fountains will attract birds and offer the soothing sound of bubbling water.
Tuteur, arbors, porch posts or vertical garden art for roses, sweet peas, honeysuckle or any climber to scramble up adding height to the garden.
But where to start? As with any garden style the secret to creating a cottage garden is a bit of research and planning. An enjoyable task that can be done in the depths of winter when you are pining for spring.
When I first started my cottage garden journey I sat down one warm afternoon with paper and pencil in hand and did a rough sketch of the future garden area. Our home is tucked in the middle of 5 acres, so my first decision was to define the exterior boundaries of the garden and decide what hedging and/or fencing I wanted. Keeping the space on the small side as cottage gardens tend to be. I chose a combination of boxwood hedges and picket fencing with the quintessential gates and arbors.
The next decision to be made was what pathways and beds I wanted. This was two fold as the pathways would ultimately decide where the beds were to be and the beds would decide where the pathways would be. Then the choice of grass or hardscape. I decided on grassy paths in the front gardens and a combination of flagstone and gravel in the back.
What to do about visual height? Adding arbors at the entry points to the garden is a very good option. Any climber will scramble up and over creating an enchanting element. Mine are smothered in climbing roses that I allow to drape heavily adding a bit of “wildness”. Honeysuckle is another wonderful choice as it is easy to grow and can gain substantial height, offering intensely fragrant flowers in early summer attracting hungry hummingbirds. One of my arbors has a climbing rose on one side and a honeysuckle climbing up the other. I love the way they intermingle at the top creating a tangled jumble.
Tall narrow evergreen shrubs can also add height and act as punctuation points. Flanking gates they create a visual focus welcoming the visitor. Tucked in here and there they offer year round greenery and structure. Lilacs and other ornamental bushes as well as deciduous trees will draw the eye upward and offer homes for birds and other wildlife.
Once the “bones” of the garden are in place its time to choose your flowers. I like to have color in the garden from May thru early October using bulbs, perennials, biennials, annuals and dahlias. I have favorite annuals that I plant each year for each month of the flowering season, trying and adding new ones as I learn about them. A vast variety of flower and plant varieties in a multitude of colors will offer a feast for bees and other pollinators. The quiet sound of their busy “buzzing” assures me that I am contributing to their survival.
I love having birdhouses, birdbaths and bird feeders in the garden. I have found that all of these are essential to draw a large variety of birds. We have many visitors year round, whether they are hungry in the winter or searching for and building homes for their young. The garden is alive with their presence and activity.
Finally, the addition of seating spaces placed here and there. This will be determined depending upon how you use your garden space. Do you love to entertain large groups or have more intimate gatherings? Maybe you don’t entertain much at all and the garden will be your private sanctuary? Mismatched tables and chairs with the occasional garden umbrella will retain the charm of the cottage garden and offer areas for guests or respite.
All of this… created, gathered, planted and cared for over time will help bring the cottage garden of your dreams to life.
My garden is my sanctuary, it is a place filled with the bounty of Mother Nature in all of her tangled loveliness. Thank you for stopping by.
Wishing you the best of everything
X Susan