If you are wondering how to design a cottage garden, then there are several things you will need to take into account. A natural cottage garden is one that many people try to capture, but fail to achieve.
When it comes to modern mindsets and gardening, every plant has its place and every place has its plant. This makes designing a cottage garden difficult, as the main theme of one is of ‘freedom of flowers.’
So, if you want to create a cottage garden, such as those found in England, you will want to grow plenty of wildflowers, along with roses of all colors and sizes. Tall hedges will help to create the borders of the garden, and plenty of heavenly scented lavender is a must.
Stone walls should be seeded with beautiful wallflowers, while moss and lichen should never be cleaned off of the wooden and stone elements in the garden. Quintessential cottage garden flowers include hollyhock, lupins, phlox, and delphiniums.
How To Design A Cottage Garden Path
No self-respecting cottage garden would be complete without a winding pathway through the grounds. So, if you are wondering about how to design a cottage garden, a pathway is an absolute must.
The entry should consist of a wrought iron gate, which leads on to a small pebbled pathway. On each side of this path, there should be copious amounts of scented roses, lavender, heather, and daisies, which seamlessly meld into one another freely.
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Stick To Native flowers
A true cottage garden will not feature any plants which are not native to the area, so if you want to ensure you create a perfect cottage garden, then keep to locally grown plants only.
A pond is always a standout feature in a traditional cottage garden, and it will usually be small and located in a wishing-well style receptacle.
Create Natural Garden Structures
When considering the best ways of how to design a cottage garden, tree’s and shrubs should feature heavily. You need to be thinking along the lines of holly, yew, conifers, and birch, which are all iconic plants in a true cottage garden. To achieve the right effect, these should be planted to the rear of the garden in a natural and relaxed manner.
Other common shrubs and plants found in a cottage garden are Camelia, Gerbera, Ivy, Clematis, and Hyacinths, so when looking at the best ways of creating a cottage garden, these should be toward the top of the must-have list.
Sunflowers are a mainstay through the summer months, and snowdrops should fill the garden in early springtime.
Keep Things Natural And Avoid Plant Manipulation
You should never have structured flower beds as things should naturally grow into each other. This can be kept neat and tidy with some hand shears.
If you have a lawnmower, you are not going to need it as a cottage garden will consist of overgrown meadow grasses instead of perfectly manicured lawns.
Butterflies and bees love these, so if you have done it the right way, your garden is going to be a veritable haven for them. Knowing how to create a cottage garden is a complex yet achievable task, and its foundations lay in harmony and freedom.
