Creating a Cottage Garden

There are so many reasons why I chose to create a cottage garden after moving into my home almost 8 years ago. All I knew was that I didn’t want to follow any formal gardening rules. I was new to gardening, and had no idea what the rules even were! I wanted a carefree and relaxed outdoor space.

My cottage garden overlooking the Puget Sound.

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My greenhouse surrounded by a clematis filled arbor

When I was looking for the definition of a cottage garden, I stumbled across this post from Aggie Horticulture: To begin to understand the concept of the cottage garden it is best to start with a definition of what the term literally means. A “cottage” is defined as a “small, humble dwelling.” A “garden” is defined as “a place for the cultivation of flowers, vegetables, or small plants.” Therefore, by strict definition, a “cottage garden” is “a place for the cultivation of flowers, vegetables, or small plants at or around a small, humble dwelling.”

Cottage garden with brick pavers and snapdragons

ADVANTAGES TO CREATING A COTTAGE GARDEN

YOU DON’T HAVE TO PLAY BY THE RULES

I already mentioned the fact that I don’t have to follow the rules! There are no worries about the spacing between plants. There’s no need to plan a certain gradual height the flowers should be planted at. And best of all, I can forget about the “planting odd numbers” rule. I really like that one!

I LOVE THE WAY A COTTAGE GARDEN LOOKS

Organized chaos is how I would best describe my cottage garden. The beds don’t have to be perfectly maintained, like a formal garden does. You don’t have to have well-defined spaces. I wanted to have a more fun and colorful garden, where anything goes!

A COTTAGE GARDEN IS MORE PERSONAL

No two cottage gardens are alike. You will never find another cottage garden like yours, and you will never have the same garden you had the year before.

COTTAGE GARDENS CAN BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE

A cottage garden can be less expensive than a more formal garden. By starting your garden with seeds, and getting some perennial plants that have been divided from a friend’s yard, you can start your garden without a lot of expense. You will most likely spend most of your money on big ticket items, such as rose bushes, flowering shrubs and trees and evergreen shrubs. These will make great anchors for your garden.

As your perennials get bigger and more established, you will be able to divide them into clumps and plant them in other areas of your garden. I don’t have to buy many plants at the nursery anymore, unless it’s a fun spur of the moment purchase. I basically shop my own yard. Any self-sowing plants will also quickly fill-in.

Black-eyed Susan's behind a rustic picket fence.

HOW TO GET STARTED

START SMALL, START SLOW

Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to go big, right from the beginning. Start small, adding more plants each year. This will not only save you from a lot of work at the beginning, but will give you an opportunity to really get to know your garden, and add more plants as you learn what is working for you.

QUALITY OF SOIL

Do a soil test, and bring in rich, organic soil. I add a fish mulch to my garden beds every year, but you can make your own compost as well. There are so many reasons to add mulch to your garden beds…

As organic mulch (bark, compost or leaf mold) breaks down, it improves the quality of the soil.
It helps maintain the soil moisture levels and prevents weeds from growing.
Minimum watering is required.
It gives the garden a clean and well kept look.

Colorful hydrangeas in front of a cozy bench

WATERING

Use an automatic watering system if possible. Drip hoses put water exactly where you want it, and not on the flowers and foliage.

WHAT SHOULD YOU PLANT IN YOUR COTTAGE GARDEN?

Plant a good mix of flowers, with a variety of color, fragrance and height. Repeating the varieties of plants and colors will create a sense of flow and harmony to your garden. Add tall plants for visual interest, but don’t feel like you have to limit tall plants to the back of the garden bed.

Raised beds full of bright and colorful annuals.

Here are some of my favorite cottage garden flowers:

Foxgloves
Phlox
Dahlias
Columbine
Irises
Roses
Hydrangea
Cone flowers
Black-eyed Susan’s
Clematis
Daylilies
Zinnias
Cosmos

The list is endless. For an even greater impact, group border plants in masses rather than ones and twos. Choose color themes for each garden bed.

My cottage garden has a greenhouse and bunches of daisies

I grow a variety of annuals, perennials, small shrubs (deciduous and evergreen), vines and small tree, throughout the garden. I also include herbs and vegetables.

COTTAGE GARDEN TIPS

I took this picture of an arbor full of climbing roses at The Butchart Gardens

MAINTAINING A COTTAGE GARDEN

Never assume that a cottage garden will take care of itself. The fact is, a cottage garden can be quite a bit of work. Self-sowing plants can get out of control. If you don’t divide your more established perennials every few years, they will become unruly, crowding out other neighboring plants, and could eventually die. Click here for more tips on how to divide your perennials.

Deadheading, which is the process of removing dead or spent flowers of a plant, must be done throughout the growing season. This practice not only cleans up the plant and makes it look neater, but encourages an increase in flowering buds. It will also help to increase the length of the blooming season. By removing dead blooms, it allows the plant to direct it’s energy towards the overall health of the plant.

My white picket fence with a clematis filled arbor and my yellow lab, Charlie

ADD VISUAL INTEREST AND CHARM TO YOUR COTTAGE GARDEN

COTTAGE GARDEN BACKDROPS

There are so many creative ways to create the perfect backdrop for your cottage garden. Rustic and picket fences, gates and hedges are some great options.

Structures such as vine-covered arbors and trellises can be used to accent doorways, gates, seating areas, and other elements. Using these structures in combination with fencing, will give a vertical aspect to the garden.

I use boxwoods and other evergreen shrubs for year-round interest. Ground-cover adds detail and texture, while suppressing weeds and reducing maintenance.

Here's a peaceful spot in my cottage garden to have a seat and relax

Create an intimate and special spot within the garden. A seating area tucked away under a tree, or under a wisteria arbor, creates a gorgeous setting. Pergolas make a beautiful statement, with a dining table or hammock placed underneath.

Finishing touches, such as birdbaths, vintage bikes, wagons and wheelbarrows make a strong impact in a cottage garden.

My stone pathway leading to the greenhouse and picket fence garden

CREATING COTTAGE GARDEN PATHWAYS

Informal paths are typical of a cottage garden. They can be made out of brick, gravel, flagstone, wood chips or even grass. Create curves pathways, and allow your plants to spill onto these paths.

CREATIVE PLACES FOR YOUR FLOWERS TO GROW

Overflowing window boxes add instant charm to your garden. I place containers full of flowers mixed in with the garden beds for more variety and interest.

Creating a cottage garden will give you an inviting space full of vibrant colors and an eclectic variety of flowers and decorative elements. It’s a style where anything goes! In a blog post from The Spruce.com it say that “a cottage garden’s greatest appeal is that it seems to lack any conscious design”. Let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you!