Cottage Garden Plants and Design

When you think of a cottage garden you immediately think of a garden filled with color, rambling roses and pretty arches. An old-fashioned setting, a place to relax. Cottage garden plants and design can be easier to achieve than you think. Due to the very nature of a cottage garden, which isn't formal or rigid, you can make your garden a gardener's Eden.

Your first step is to design your garden. This can be done by a professional garden designer, but can work out very expensive. You can design your own garden by drawing it out on graph paper or on the computer. There are several online web sites that offer free garden design software for you to design your own cottage garden.

Your plans need to include any structure that is already in your garden such as a garden storage shed, green house or even trees and shrubs you wish to keep. Even if you only have a small garden design, this process is worthwhile to plan your cottage garden carefully.

Once having designed your cottage garden you need to prepare the soil. Incorporating garden compost will ensure your cottage garden plants have the right nutrients to grow. It will also improve the structure of the soil to help with moisture retention.

Before you fill your garden with cottage garden plants and shrubs, it is worth thinking about other structures and garden accessories you may want to incorporate into your garden to give it that cottage garden look. Features such as  garden ponds and waterfalls add a relaxing feel to a cottage garden. They also attract lots of beneficial insects and creatures to your garden. Garden nurseries or garden supply companies offer a variety of types of garden ponds or pools and accessories such as garden pond pumps, as well as preformed garden ponds or liners.

Metal or wooden garden arches or garden arbours can be used to grow those compulsory cottage garden roses up against. A climbing clematis or honeysuckle will not only add color but fragrance as well.

Fencing is another consideration. Most of us think of a white picket garden fence when planning a cottage garden. However, this may not always be practical. Using garden design web sites or garden magazines for garden fencing ideas can help with this. Decorative garden fencing comes in many different styles as do garden wall ideas. Garden hedges or screens can be used instead of fencing. You may also need a garden gate. Your choice will be between  metal garden gates or  wooden garden gates. Trellises are another structural feature you may want to consider. These are not only decorative but are functional too for your climbing plants.

Other structures you may want in your cottage garden are garden storage sheds or garden tool storage. Garden shed kits are quick and simple to put together for a very useful and attractive storage place. A greenhouse will also add to the cottage garden feel as well as being a place to grow your own plants.

Pathways are another consideration when designing your cottage garden. It is best to keep your path in proportion to the size of your garden. Since most cottage gardens do not have a lot of grass, these need to be made a feature. Garden pavers or gravel made into narrow winding paths add charm. Garden decking on the other hand is more for a contemporary garden and would look out of place in a cottage garden.

And finally the cottage garden plants. Putting some 'old fashioned' plants in your garden will get the cottage garden look. These include peonies, bleeding hearts, foxgloves, roses and hydrangea. It is best to group similar plants together for a bigger impact. It is traditional when planting cottage garden plants to plant odd numbers in groups to create the relaxed appeal of the cottage garden. If planting single plants, these should be large to attract attention. Texture, color, foliage and smell are all important when planting a cottage garden.

Perennial garden plants will give your garden some structure to base the rest of your planting on. Plants such as delphiniums. holly hocks and lupins give height and color. These should be planted near the back of your borders. Planting annuals in your cottage garden will add a vast array of changing color throughout the season. By adding wildflowers or cosmos to an area in the garden, they will re-seed themselves.
Use your trellis and arches to grow climbers such as roses or morning glory, with it's beautiful blue flowers. Try to grow plants and shrubs which attract bees and butterflies such as buddleia and lavender.

Your cottage garden plant and design may never be finished as you will always see or think of something else to add to give it that wonderful traditional appeal. Making a cottage garden can be very addictive, fortunately it is the type of garden that lends itself to being packed full of plants and structures and will bring an enormous amount of joy, satisfaction and relaxation to it's designer.

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