by Anna Harrison

Created on: February 19, 2009   Last Updated: March 01, 2009

When asked to describe a cottage garden, many people would say it looks like a Thomas Kinkaide painting. The overrun gardens bursting with color that characterize much of his artwork are the epitome of cottage style. The English countryside always comes to mind, with tall, spiky foxgloves and delphiniums, hollyhock and David Austin roses, among so many others. The gardens seem like they must have been there for years.

Creating a cottage garden really does take planning, and a lot of hard work. It will also take time, as plants can take years to grow and fill out. Purchasing larger, more mature plants when creating such a garden can be costly, but may be worth it for those who are impatient to see the desired effects. Start by planting large perennials that need lots of room in the back of the borders, and surrounding them with spreading little gems like creeping thyme or ajuga. If they find their way into the paths and walkways between, all the better. The garden should be as full as possible, with few bare spots, or none at all. It should look full and lush, but not messy. Including a few herbs, like borage, hyssop and of course, lavender will add fragrance and charm . There should be few vegetables as well, even tomatoes and peppers. English cottage gardens of years ago usually had only a very small plot of land to work with. This meant herbs, flowers and vegetables all grew within the same area.

To complete the cottage garden look, adding a trellis or an arbor with climbing roses, clematis or wisteria trailing through them looks lovely. Surrounding it by a nice little picket fence helps to complete the look. Be sure to add some kind of seating as well, as guests are sure to wish to linger and enjoy the breathtaking view. Placing a few large planters throughout the garden with annuals like pansies and petunias looks lovely and helps to add constant color.

The gardener must be prepared to put plenty of work into a cottage garden. The look is carefree and slightly wild, but keeping it that way is labor intensive. They will need to spend an ample amount of time deadheading spent flower blossoms to encourage constant flowering, and there will always be something that is past its prime and needs to be cut down, or another that is simply too large and needs to be divided. This is no garden style for the weekend warrior. It takes daily care and constant maintenance to flourish.

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