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. The cottage garden design is an economical style as a lot of the flowers can be grown from seed, such as inexpensive annuals. You can seed swap with friends and neighbors and also take cuttings to grow on in your own garden.

Before you start planting, amend the soil with well rotted cow or rabbit manure, compost, and/or triple mix. Dig it in well. In addition to roses foxgloves and delphiniums are also hugely popular for cottage gardens. 'A classic cottage garden is filled with pastel shades, roses, foxgloves and delphiniums to name a few,' notes Marcus from Dobbies.

Cottage gardens

The choice of vegetables was very limited until King Charlemagne (800 AD) issued a decree that increased the types of plants grown — things like cucumbers, melons. rosemary, cumin, fennel and globe artichokes. The three things to take into consideration, no matter what you decide, though, are as follows: create a space for friends and family to gather, for wildlife to take shelter, and for plants to thrive.

A careful choice of plants and mulching materials make modern cottage gardens just as manageable as their any alternative. Roses are a must-have for colour and scent in summer, and blowsy hydrangeas will keep interest going into autumn. Dogwoods act as a foil for flowering plants during the warmer months’ of the year but take centre stage in winter when their leaves fall to reveal colourful stems.Karen Burgess credits her bountiful cottage garden with healing her from illness, consoling her in hard times and inspiring her floral art. “I’d die without this garden,” she smiles. “I had cancer during the Covid pandemic, and that’s when I truly learned the benefit of this wonderful outdoor space. The original cottage gardens were productive plots for the less well off. They were about growing fruit and veg to feed the family. Flowers were brought into the mix for various reasons Remember – gardens are not created overnight; they evolve over years. Keep adding to it and, before you know it, you will have created your own dream cottage garden. What is a cottage garden style?

Include plants that flower repeatedly, really earning their place when space is limited,’ suggests Rosy Hardy. Start small: you don't want your cottage garden getting out of control; learn how to keep the plants fed and looking abundant, then gradually increase the size. Also remember the taller the pergola the more unstable it may become and it may also be harder to maintain,' he adds. Getting to this point has involved more overgrowth cutting than Karen cares to remember, and many hours spent lovingly nurturing her beloved blooms from seed. Which cottage garden plants?It’s fair to say that Karen’s come a long way since then. Having overcome her illness, she’s launched a thriving career as a watercolourist and textile artist, working and teaching in her Dartmoor garden-side studio. And central to that career change is the lush rambling country garden she shares with her five cats and thriving wildlife. From intricate petal appliqué bags and edible flower biscuits to floral wreaths and framed pressed flowers, every one of Karen’s creations has been directly inspired by her homegrown blooms. The cottage garden plants in this garden have only just been planted but already you can see how modern materials bring a contemporary feel to the patio area You don’t need to be confined to only authentic plants, though, as a colorful mix of bulbs, perennials, annuals and flowering shrubs will give a year-round vision with more structure. For more on cottage garden plants and flowers, take a look at our feature. An annual spring application of 1-2 inches of well-rotted animal manure will insure that the plants thrive. It is easy to control the soil mix – growing acid-loving plants, for example, when your have alkaline soil.

The relaxed style of a cottage garden is achieved by keeping the layout simple. Avoid anything too fussy or complex as the outline will soon be lost once the plants get going. The key to creating a modern garden is to think outside the box (so veer away from the traditional lawn and narrow flower beds combo). Instead, focus on adding intrigue with water features, climbing plants, and darker fences – and try swapping your lawn for deeper beds, filled with structural evergreens, ornamental grasses, and maximalist flowers. What is a modern garden style? In my experience the best place to do this is around a dining table and chairs and so I spend a lot of time discussing furniture options with my clients. However, if you have missed the autumn window fear not, you can also plant in spring and this does work just as well. You may need to keep a bit more of an eye on your plants as in recent years we have had very dry springs. Fi recommends giving plants a good soaking from time to time while they’re establishing. How do I set up a cottage garden on a budget?

Origins of the cottage garden

Yet you don’t need to own a thatched, period stone cottage in the heart of countryside to enjoy this kind of display. These informal, mixed planting schemes can be created around any style or age of property, whether you live in a town, city or a village in the middle of nowhere. In fact, the benefit of a cottage garden is that the style is typically very busy - ideal for anyone wishing to grow lots of plants in a small area. Consider arranging a seedling swap with friends, so you can share your home-grown wonders, and make your garden more diverse. Also learn how to take plant cuttings to multiply your collection of plants for no additional cost.