When I think
of a Cottage Garden I think of romance, pastel colors, informal, a garden that
changes color throughout the spring and summer seasons. Places where I can have a glass of wine, read
a book, watch the butterflies and let the world go away.
Your Cottage
Garden does not have to take over your whole yard, just start out with a small
section, but I assure you after you see the beauty of what you make you will be
expanding it.
Informal
Cottage
gardens don't look designed. In fact, they're usually exuberant,
free-flowering, and sometimes even unrestrained. To get the informal look,
avoid planting in straight lines or defined patterns. Let plants cascade over
paths and weave through each other. It adds to their charm. And grow
self-seeding plants that pop up in unexpected places. I always tell people to just start planting and when you
Using Curving Pathways
Create soft
meandering pathways instead of those that follow a straight, structured line.
Many paving materials work in cottage gardens, including wood chips, stone, old
bricks, and flagstone.
Grow
Old-Fashioned Flowers
Cottage
gardens aren't about new varieties. They're usually filled with the same
traditional favorites your grandmother would have grown. Some popular examples
include peony, cosmos, foxglove, snapdragon, pansy, bachelor's button,
columbine, bleeding heart, and hollyhock.
Most cottage
gardens have a romantic feel. Part of that feel comes from the flowers. Look
for blooms in soft pastel shades. Also look for plants packed with petals, such
as peonies and old roses. As an added bonus, many of these varieties are also
wonderfully fragrant.
Look
for Materials with Character
Cottage
gardens often include structures made from natural or well-worn materials.
Weathered wood fences, arbors, and gates are right at home among a collection
of cottage plants.
Make your
cottage garden into an outdoor living space by adding comfy furniture. Avoid
anything contemporary. Instead look for Adirondack, wicker, or painted metal shell back chairs. The furniture doesn't have to match: Part of the charm is how
informal it is. An eclectic mix fits right in.
I find it very funny that people spend allot of money at specialty stores when all you have to do is hit a few garage sales to find the same things at a much lower price.
