how do you set up a cottage garden

Although the whole point of a cottage garden is that there are no rules or guidelines, these tips can help as you get started:

1. Start small. ...
2. Use a good mix of plants, including a variety of fragrant flowers, and start by planting large clumps so it's not just a jumble. ...
3. Repeat both plants and colors to create a sense of flow and harmony. ...
4. Add some paths for access and weeding. ...
5. Add some structure with small trees, shrubs or obelisks covered in vines. ...

Full Answer

How do you grow a garden in a small cottage?

"Keep your cottage garden small and, most of all, fun." Then, over time, as your confidence grows, increase the size. 2. Invest in Good Soil "Starting with good, rich, organic soil where plants will thrive with a minimum of watering and fertilizing cuts the work from the start," Trout says.

How many plants do you need for a cottage garden?

This is a signature look for cottage gardens, where swathes of naturalistic planting is used to create a loose and unstructured effect. It’s easy to do too. Just remember you’ll need three, five or seven lots of each plant, then arrange them in repeat groups for impact.

What is a cottage gardening style?

According to Darrell Trout, an avid gardener, writer, and lecturer with a passion for the easy-growing beauty of cottage gardens, their style is "relaxed, colorful, and fun." Because nature is allowed to take its course more in these spaces, as opposed to the careful manicuring other styles may require, they tend to need less work.

Do you care about spacing in a cottage garden?

There's no concern for spacing, no worry about planting in odd numbers, no graduations in height. A cottage garden's greatest appeal is that it seems to lack any conscious design. But even a cottage garden needs to be controlled.

How do you layout a cottage garden?

A cottage garden should be located in a sunny area, usually along a walkway towards the front entrance and embellished with a rustic-looking gate or arbor of some kind. The path leading up to the front door is normally characterized by straight lines with an abundance of flowers spilling over each side.

What is a cottage garden style?

The cottage garden is a distinct style that uses informal design, traditional materials, dense plantings, and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. English in origin, it depends on grace and charm rather than grandeur and formal structure.

How do you make an old fashioned cottage garden?

3:4315:01Designing an Old-Fashioned Cottage Garden - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we like putting together an entire mix of things that can be useful and mixing. Them all up. ForMoreSo we like putting together an entire mix of things that can be useful and mixing. Them all up. For the aesthetic quality and for that diversity that comes in with a cottage garden.

What are the characteristics of a cottage garden?

Though no two cottage gardeners—or their gardens—are alike, most share certain characteristics which proclaim them as cottage gardens. They include a sense of enclosure, strong vertical elements, a small lawn or other “people” space, a wide assortment of locally-adapted plants, and personalized garden accessories.

Are cottage gardens easy to maintain?

Even if you don't have a cottage, you can blend your home and lawn into a cottage-style landscape. By learning the basics of this carefree style and using plants that thrive in your area, cottage gardens can be easy to design and to maintain.

What is a cottage garden flower?

A cottage garden is an informal planting where flowers take centre stage. Imagine masses of hollyhocks, daisies, phlox, catmint, and foxgloves mingling together and spilling out of garden beds.

How do I combine plants in my garden?

The key to creating plant combinations is using contrast in the color, texture or form of your plants....Bringing it all togetherIf choosing a contrasting color, it's best to choose plants that have a similar form and/or texture.When introducing more textures, keep the color or the form of the textured plants similar.More items...•

What is the difference between an English garden and a cottage garden?

"Cottage is sort of the more wild, diverse, unkempt version," he says. "English would be more formal. English gardens utilize hedges and crisp, vertical evergreen accents to define spaces and punctuate certain areas."

What is Japanese garden style?

What is a Japanese garden? Japanese gardens are serene and simple places of calm, providing a peaceful retreat for reflection and meditation. They avoid the extravagance of many Western garden designs, and consist mostly of evergreens, rocks, pebbles, sand, ponds and waterfalls.

Are there fruit trees in an English cottage garden?

Cottage gardens can be traced back to the 1400s, the Tudor period. English cottage dwellers, typically desperately poor peasants living in the countryside, carpeted small plots of land with all of the vegetables, fruits and herbs they needed to survive.

What are cottage trees?

Cottage garden trees are usually productive – apple, pear, plum, greengage, damson, cherry, mulberry, quince and medlar are all ideal and dwarfing root stock means that there should be room for at least one tree even in a tiny garden.

How do you make an English garden?

0:2911:20How to Make a Garden | English Garden Design Ideas - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnother signature feature of english gardens is a focal point either a water feature or a sittingMoreAnother signature feature of english gardens is a focal point either a water feature or a sitting area we've added both to our design with a garden bench. And a fountain.

What is the difference between a cottage garden and an English garden?

The main differences between modern cottage and formal English gardens today are typically size, scale and the professional status of their designers. The naturalistic, organic concepts of drifts of color and succession of bloom make both modern cottage and formal English gardens places of refuge and contemplation.

What makes a cottage style home?

The primary features of a cottage-style home include shingled, stucco walls, balconies, small porches, gable roofs, and bay windows. Generally, a cottage house is a one-story or 1 ½ story structure.

Do you use mulch in a cottage garden?

"Mulching helps maintain soil moisture levels and prevents weeds from growing," Trout says. "As organic mulch (bark, compost, or leaf mold) breaks down, it improves soil. Mulch also gives the garden a neater, more unified look."

How do you make a cottage garden UK?

Cottage Garden Design ChecklistSimple layout with paths and large productive flower beds.Traditionally using warmer materials such as bricks and clay pavers.Informal layouts with zero wasted or dead space.Hedgerows or willow fences as boundaries.Vegetables, fruit and flowers live together to maximise growing space.More items...

What is the appeal of a cottage garden?

A cottage garden's greatest appeal is that it seems to lack any conscious design. But even a cottage garden needs to be controlled. Some of the most successful cottage gardens start with a formal structure and soften the framework with the lavishness of cottage plants.

How to surround your home with a cottage feel?

If you'd like to surround your home with a cottage feel, you can start simply by putting a small bed on either side of the path or drive to your house and continue to expand it over the years. From there you can add additional paths and seating areas and other personal touches.

What to put in a garden to keep it from looking blurry?

Add some structure with small trees, shrubs or obelisks covered in vines. Strong feature plants, like shrub roses, flowering trees, and shrubs will prevent the look from becoming blurred and gauzy. Evergreens give any garden a sense of structure.

Do cottage gardens look the same year after year?

Finally, don't expect your cottage garden to look the same year after year. Allow the plants to be active partners in the creation of your garden.

Is a cottage garden more expensive than a formal garden?

The plants will keep moving around and the balance between them will ebb and flow. A cottage garden is less expensive than its more formal counterparts: Although you won't get an immediate impact, you can start a cottage garden with a few packs of seeds and some patience.

Do cottage gardens need to be maintained?

Cottage gardens don't have to be perfectly maintained: While you will want some order in your garden, it does not need to be immaculate. There is less chance of anyone noticing a couple of weeds or a plant that needs staking.

Is there a rule for cottage gardens?

Although the whole point of a cottage garden is that there are no rules or guidelines, these tips can help as you get started:

1. Starting a Cottage Garden From Scratch

"Don't create a monster that you don't have time to feed regularly," Trout says. "Keep your cottage garden small, and most of all, fun." Over time, as your confidence grows, increase the size.

2. Invest in Good Soil

"Starting with good, rich, organic soil where plants will thrive with a minimum of watering and fertilizing cuts the work from the start," Trout says. He also recommends doing a soil test to learn the type of soil you have. Add organic matter yearly, either by purchasing compost or making your own.

3. Position Plants Carefully

Much work in a cottage garden design comes from not having the right plant in the right place, either because of the variety's full size or its preferred growing conditions. As you gain gardening experience, you can push the envelope, Trout says. "But the healthiest plants—ones that need less care—are those that are in ideal conditions," he adds.

4. Select Tough Garden Plants

Some of Trout's favorites on his cottage garden plants list include spring-flowering bulbs, purple coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea ), wild indigo ( Baptisia australis ), 'Stella d'Oro' or 'Happy Returns' daylily ( Hemerocallis ), New England aster ( Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Alma Potschke'), and Russian sage ( Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Blue Spire').

5. Cover Soil

" Mulching helps maintain soil moisture levels and prevents weeds from growing," Trout says. "As organic mulch (bark, compost, or leaf mold) breaks down, it improves soil. Mulch also gives the garden a neater, more unified look."

6. Use Automatic Watering

Trade dragging a hose around for hands-free watering. Trout recommends using drip lines because "it's easy to put the water exactly where you want it, and not on the foliage or flowers." Plus, he points out that it's efficient because "less water evaporates into the air."

Set Off Plants with Hardscaping

Boulders, laid out in natural-looking formations and dug one-third of the way into the soil, are good year-round anchors that complement their flowering companions. In addition, a picket or rustic fence makes a fitting backdrop to a cottage garden, adding order to the visual chaos of mixed plantings.

Why do cottages have picket fences?

A front fence neatens the look of sprawling plants and supports tall and rambling flower stems.

What are the grapevines that are woven into a naturalistic fence, garden gate, and arch?

Cut grapevines are woven into a naturalistic fence, garden gate, and arch that support 'Joseph's Coat' climbing roses and 'Roger's Red' grapevines that have broad heart-shaped leaves.

How do I set up a cottage garden on a budget?

A cottage garden is one of the easiest styles to set up on a budget. The look is unpretentious and informal, and borders and containers can be filled with many plants that you can grow yourself from seed or propagate from cuttings.

What is the best way to grow plants in a cottage garden?

There is no better way to get closer to your plants than by growing them from seed, and so one of the best cottage garden ideas is to include a greenhouse or glasshouse .

How do I start a cottage garden from scratch?

To start a cottage garden from scratch, the key is to plant traditional flowers and plant at the right time of year. Garden landscape designer Fi Boyle MSGD explains that there are two key times of year to plant. ‘The first is the early autumn when the soil is still warm and not waterlogged but everything is starting to die back and settle in for the winter.’

What plants grow in a cottage garden?

The secret is to create a framework of structural plants that includes drifts of lavender and masses of roses, and mix with perennials such as foxgloves, lupins and hollyhocks to add tall punctuation marks to the planting.

What is a cottage garden style?

The romance of the quintessentially English cottage garden makes it a firm favorite. This is mainly due to the dense planting, profusion of color, and mix of different flowers used in pockets of planting with different themes.

How to add drama to a cottage garden?

Choose dramatic spikes with striking vertical lines and big showy plants with larger than life leaves to add show stopper moments to a cottage planting scheme. If you want drama in your borders opt for statement plants like these.

Why is it important to add focal points to a cottage garden?

Adding a few key focal points to your cottage garden is important to help draw the eye, and create a gentle sense of purpose and structure, without overlapping into formality.

What to put in a cottage garden?

Cottage gardens often have rock walls, stone accent pieces, or slate walkways. Small areas of gravel with some painted metal furniture and flowing plants around could be added. If your yard slopes, consider slate steps.

How to make a cottage garden look relaxed?

1. Use flowing border edges. Many cottage gardens have a curved edge to the garden border. The desired look is relaxed and loose, not rigid and formal. Think about curving your pathways too. All of these flowing lines add the softness to your garden that you are going for. 2. Allow the plants room to grow.

What to put in bird bath to attract birds?

Well placed bird baths do a great job of attracting the birds to your garden. Be sure to also add plants that get seed heads, like sunflowers and cone flowers too.

What should a cottage garden look like?

Cottage gardens should have the look of the natural English countryside with wild flowers and clumps of native flowers growing here and there, just reaching into the path. 3. Add some charm. A cottage garden says “come in, relax and wander and stay for a while.”. Get this feel by adding some charm to your setting.

Is a cottage garden chaotic?

Just because a cottage garden likes a free flowing effect does not mean that it should be chaotic. A well planned cottage garden is definitely planned from the start to look relaxed.

What is cottage garden?

A cottage garden is the type of outdoor space that allows you to forget about babysitting tidy rows of high-maintenance plants. Instead, it gives you the time to simply relax in your garden and enjoy all the plants with minimal effort put into growing them.

How to embrace cottage garden?

If you truly want to embrace having a cottage garden, you need to embrace diversity in terms of looks. In other words, get used to the idea that your cottage garden won’t look exactly the same year after year. Once you accept the idea of an informal style and a messy look, you’ll be able to allow the plants to be your partners in how your garden will look.

What is the name of the flower that grows in a cottage garden?

Also known as Granny’s bonnets or Columbine flowers, Aquilegias are very popular among gardeners who own cottage gardens. Their bonnet-shaped flowers look extremely attractive in such an informal design.

Why did people start cottage gardens?

Back then, British labourers started to plant cottage gardens because they had little land and little time to care for their outdoor space. In addition, they needed to grow food for their loved ones and herbs that they would use to treat illnesses. That’s how cottage gardens became the norm. They were low-maintenance, and they combined all types of plants that people needed, from vegetables to fruits, herbs, and a few native flowers that would thrive with very little care and would ward off bugs.

What are some decorative touches to add to a garden?

So, don’t be afraid to add some personal decorative touches such as hedges, rustic fences, benches, or even a wall which can later serve as a background for your garden beauties.

Is lavender a good plant for cottage gardens?

This evergreen shrub isn’t specifically suitable for cottage gardens. The best thing about lavender plants is that they look great and suit all types of outdoor spaces. Most varieties of lavender feature purple flowers, but you may also find some varieties with white or pink flowers.

Do you need a cottage garden?

If you’re anything like us, then you probably have very little time to care for a complex outdoor space and you don’t want to feel like your garden doesn’t leave you with any time to relax, you need a cottage garden.

What Exactly Is a Cottage Garden?

A cottage garden is defined by the type of plants used and the style that they are planted. Basically, it means that all the flowers and plants are grown to blend in a pleasant style. Few gardens are more pleasing to behold than an old-fashioned cottage garden. The juxtaposition of a multitude of flowers gives off a cheerful, whimsical feeling that allows gardeners a quiet sanctuary to relax and step back in time for a moment.

What makes a cottage garden so charming?

One of the things that makes a cottage garden so charming are the additional design elements that add visual interest and create a picturesque scene. The majority of cottage gardens typically are built around a small path or walkway, giving the visitor the chance to walk peacefully through as the flowers spill out toward the path. Many cottage gardens have brick or cobblestone pathways that give an old-world charm. Some cottage gardens have rustic-looking ironwork fencing or a picket fence surrounding them, often accompanied by a small gate or embellished entryway.

What is the scent of lavender in a cottage garden?

No cottage garden is complete without traditional English lavender. The tall, purple stalks of blooms emit a stunningly sweet scent. Sweet pea is also a mainstay as these flowers will weave around shrubs and bushes and give off a strong, lovely perfume. They can be trellised on a fence line or an arbor for a delightful look. Purple Sweet pea looks lovely when planted next to the delicate pink stalks of Hollyhock. Both grow quite tall their scents compliment each other very nicely.

What are the two star shaped bloomers that give a woodland feel to your cottage garden?

Columbine and flowering tobacco are two star-shaped bloomers that give a woodland feel to your cottage garden.

What flowers are good for cottage garden?

The pink, purple and white blooms of phlox are another lovely choice due to the fact that they are irresistible to hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and birds, bringing life to your cottage garden. Don’t forget about your shrubs. A striking butterfly bush is a perfect addition. Hydrangeas and lilacs bushes are also a staple ...

Why are cottage gardens so popular?

Cottage gardens have become exceptionally popular due to their Old World charm and whimsical beauty. They are elegant spaces that overflow with varieties of flowers, herbs, shrubs, and décor. A cottage garden is hand-crafted by the gardener, making it something truly special. A cottage garden will never be the same from one year to the next, ...

Why are cottage gardens called cottage gardens?

Thus, creating the name “cottage garden ” as it was for poorer cottage dwellers to sustain themselves with food. If there were any flowers or plants, they needed to have a practical value such as providing nourishment or medicinal value, rather than simply being aesthetically pleasing. The land plots of these medieval cottagers were so small that everything grown was jam-packed together, rather than plotted out with any type of designated spacing.

What is the best way to arrange plants in a garden?

Garden designers frequently speak of plant form as a guiding principle when arranging plants. This essentially means that you should consider the overall shape or outline of the plants when arranging them in your garden bed. In general, if you seek a formal look, try to use precise geometric plant shapes, such as squared-off hedges and neat edging plants. If you want a more informal look, irregular forms are appropriate.

How to start a garden with compost?

Furthermore, no matter how healthy your soil is, you can't go wrong adding compost to it when you first start a garden. Work the compost into the soil with a rototiller or manually with a garden pitchfork. Then, rake the ground level to prepare it for planting.

How does landscape fabric work?

3 It works by blocking the sunlight that is necessary for weed seeds to germinate. Holes can be cut in the fabric to insert garden plants, and optionally the fabric can be covered with mulch to hide it. Because the fabric is porous, water drains straight through to the soil. To prevent grass and other plants from invading your new bed, lay down some edging, as well.

What is the foundation of a garden?

Healthy soil is the foundation that makes any garden a success, and most plants have an optimal soil type in which they thrive. Common issues with soil that can affect the health of your plants include:

How to keep grass from invading my new garden bed?

To prevent grass and other plants from invading your new bed, lay down some edging, as well. A good place to use landscape fabric is in a shrub bed. When planting a group of landscape shrubs, simply lay down some fabric and cut holes in which to plant your shrubs. The bed should stay fairly weed-free for years.

Where should a garden bed be organized?

In general, a garden bed should be organized so the low-lying plants are in the foreground or used as edging, the medium-size plants are occupying the middle section, and the tall plants are in the back. The rules shift a little with an island garden, where it can be viewed from all angles.

Can you move plants around?

I's common for gardeners to move plants around if they are not thriving. Or, perhaps they want the garden space for something else or they decide they don't like the design. Whatever the reason, many plants can be successfully transplanted. Follow the transplanting advice for your specific plant and wait patiently for the plant to adapt to its new location..

Where to Start

Planting A Cottage Garden

Choosing Plants

Features and Structures

• There should be harmony between landscaping and the architecture of the house. Use materials to keep the look, such as weathered bricks, flagstone, wood chips, gravel, or stepping-stones, for paths and paving. Allow the paths to meander, avoiding straight lines or defined patterns, and soften them with billowing plants that spill over, blurring the...

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