And the soft grass, Stipa tenuissima, easily becomes a nuisance as it self seeds everywhere.ģ. For example, persicaria is useful as it will grow in dry shade but will take over. These will take over and dominate and not give the patchwork look of a cottage garden. If you want spikes go for foxgloves rather than delphiniums or choose shorter varieties which don't need to be staked.Ģ. Cottage gardens are fiddly by nature but avoiding plants that need staking is a good place to start reducing the workload. Do you know one of the best things about cottage gardens? There's always room to squeeze more plants in - use hanging baskets and window boxes, not just for summer but to bring colour for the rest of the year too.ġ.
Knick knacks, stone statues, wall hangings and any odd things you find are perfect to place among the plants to give the garden a real individual feel.ĥ. Weeds will eventually come through but in a cottage garden you don't need it to be pristine.Ĥ. The easiest way to do this is to scrape away the top soil, lay down semi-permeable membrane and tip gravel on top of it.
Make sure you use a beige/buff colour to fit with the country feel. Laying gravel to create a new sitting area or path can be done in an afternoon. For the easiest and most affordable, try the solar powered ones.ģ. Pretty, romantic water features work wonderfully with cottage gardens. Use them to increase the number of scented climbers you can grow.Ģ. They don't have to be expensive and can make a huge difference to the garden. The plants will be happier, and so, you'll be happier.ġ.Cottage gardens are just meant for arches, arbours and pergolas. Take care to suit the planting to the soil, the light levels and how much water there is. A winding path making its way through the planting is what you're after.ĥ.
Try to avoid straight lines either for paths or planted beds. The full onslaught on your senses wouldn't be complete without the smells of the cottage garden, try honeysuckles, roses and lavenders.Ĥ. Plant winter and spring bulbs to help give colour through that down time.ģ.
This sort of garden is going to look amazing in summer but will have a quiet season in winter. Expect there to be down times in the garden. In a cottage garden there's lots of competition for space so you need the plants you put in to hold their own.Ģ. Pick plants that are doers: robust and tough. Dripping with flowers and heady with scent, these gardens are based on an idyllic view of countryside life and with a cottage garden you can bring a breath of the country to any space.ġ. Nothing is more romantic than a traditional cottage garden.
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