by Elizabeth Carreker

Created on: October 21, 2009

In years past, cottage gardens developed the reputation of being the easiest to design because typically it has little or no design! There is a definite lack of formality and straight lines in these lovely gardens. There are no plants regimented in neat rows or arrow-straight paths between symmetrical beds. A cottage garden has a slightly wild and even unkempt look compared to a formal garden, but they have a beauty and charm all their own.

To create your own cottage garden, place more emphasis on the flowers you love, not how flowers will look when placed together. Remember, you are planning a personal garden to please yourself, not impress others. If you love daisies, let there be a multitude. If you also love cactus, let them grow alongside your beloved daisies. Don't concern yourself that a daisy may not match with a cactus plant. In a cottage garden everything matches and there are no design mistakes.

Plant your flowers in masses or drifts and not perfect rows. Don't prune too much. If a climbing rose or wisteria tries to overpower an arbor, don't trim too severely. Let the foliage and flowers cascade freely and gracefully. You don't even have to follow rigidly the tallest in the back method, unless you wish. Several tall hollyhocks growing in the middle of clumps of daylilies would be acceptable in a cottage garden. However, for vision's sake, some care should be taken not to block the view of too many smaller flowers with larger ones.

In the old English style of gardening, circa Gertrude Jekyll, perennials are the backbone of the cottage garden. These are the practical plants of the gardening world. Plant them once and they return faithfully to bloom every year. Divide them and you have many new plants. However, in the first few years before the perennials become established and bloom freely, the garden may look somewhat bare. Therefore, annuals can be grown as filler flowers between the perennials for the first couple of years.

Use lots of mulch to cut down on weeding and watering. Also, spend time researching perennials and annuals that will grow well in your area. Cottage gardens aren't meant to be high maintenance. That's one of their greatest attractions. You want to be able to relax in your cottage garden and not worry about the vinca minor creeping over the gravel path or the wild violets springing up between your iris and tulips. Being overly tidy is not a great virtue in a cottage garden.

For decoration in a cottage garden, choose anything that strikes your fancy. A birdbath you made yourself, whimsical statues, a bench with comfy cushions, and a flea market table for lemonade and a plate of cookies. Add whatever makes your garden a comfortable place for you to spend quality time. This is your space!

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