Creating a Cottage Garden
Step-by-Step Info on Growing Cottage Gardens
A cottage garden is an informal
arrangement of flowers, bulbs, shrubs, and grasses, grouped together in a
fairly small space.
One reason why cottage gardens are so compact is because when flowers
are grouped together closely, there's less room for weeds to grow. Cottage
gardens can also be great for anyone with limited space. Cottage Gardens are
the most characteristic gardens in the Informal style of Gardens.
So if you want a cottage garden of your very own, here's
a step by step guide.
1. Choose your
location. You'll want an area that's large
enough to accommodate all the flowers and shrubs that you want to grow, but
not too large. Most cottage gardens are grown close to the main house, and
often make use of the house itself when it comes to landscaping. It's not
uncommon for climbing vines to grow on the exterior of the cottage or home.
2. Figure out your color scheme.
Often with a cottage garden, many different colors are
grouped together for a casual and vibrant look. However if you've got
favorite colors you want to feature, take that into consideration when
choosing your flowers. Great colors that look fantastic together in any
garden are reds, purples, whites, yellows, and various shades of green found
in vines, herbs and shrubs.
3. Draw up a
landscaping plan. You'll want to place high
grasses and climbing vines in the back, then fill in to the front of the
garden with florals and shrubs of varying heights. Part of the allure of a
cottage garden is the eclectic mix of colors and sizes.
4. Start planting.
Some great flowers and herbs to plant in a cottage garden include daisies,
hollyhock, English lavender, catmint, roses, ivy and feverfew. However most
any flower, herb or shrub that you love can be easily worked into your
cottage garden. Perennials are great because they automatically come back
year after year, more beautiful and bountiful than the year before.
5. Offer a haven for
local wildlife. By placing a few birdfeeders in
strategic places around your cottage garden, you can have colorful feathered
friends visiting your garden daily. To attract butterflies and hummingbirds,
plant red columbine, butterfly bush, and trumpet flowers. Any flower with a
bright color and a fluted shape is great for these nectar-loving creatures!
6. Perform basic
upkeep. Although cottage gardens are designed
to be easy to care for, you still may need to pull some weeds now and then
and make sure your plants are getting the right amount of water. You may
also want to fertilize now and then with a good organic fertilizer or plant
food to help your blooms flourish and thrive
7. Enjoy!
One of the best things about a cottage garden is how easy they are to plant
and maintain. Even a novice gardener can have a thriving cottage garden that
they'll be proud of year after year!
