8 Easy Ways to Cultivate a Playful Cottage Garden in Your Backyard

Cottage gardens are places where more really is more, and there’s always room to plant one more flower. “Make use of all your space,” says Loades. “Plant in small gaps between established plants, in pots, in between paving slabs.” Incorporate annuals for instant color and perennials, which come back year after year. A few quintessential cottage garden plants include pansies, foxglove, hollyhocks, delphinium, lady’s mantle, dianthus, calendula, and lavender.

Every cottage garden needs edibles tucked here and there among the ornamental plants. “In its historical context, flowers were planted to attract beneficial pollinators for edibles,” says Cervoni. Many edibles are lovely in their own right too, such as rainbow Swiss chard, lettuce, sorrel, and perennial herbs such as salvia and thyme, especially when left to flower.

An arbor, arch, trellis, pergola, or even an obelisk not only anchors a garden but also offers flowering vines, a cottage mainstay, a place to climb, says Cervoni. Consider the fleeting beauty of sweet peas, which prefer the cool temperatures of spring, or flowering vines like jasmine, morning glories, clematis, and climbing or rambling roses, which will color and beauty for the rest of the growing season.

A meandering path allows you to explore your garden from many perspectives. Formal hardscaping typically isn’t used, but rather more relaxed materials such as pebbles, stepping-stones, or reclaimed brick are ideal. Woven borders made from wicker or willow and lush edging plants such as thyme and lady’s mantle further soften the edges, says Loades.

Gardens should appeal to every sense, and scent is one of the most important features of a cottage garden. Many plants also have scented foliage, which adds another layer of enjoyment to your garden experience. Opt for roses such as ‘Maid Marion,’ ‘Princess Anne,’ and ‘Gertrude Jekyll.’ Other fragrant plants to incorporate include peonies, catmint, salvia, lavender, and hardy geraniums.

A garden is meant to be enjoyed, so be sure to place seating throughout, says Loades. Classic benches and outdoor furniture made from simple materials such as wood and iron are best suited to the feel of a cottage garden.

Incorporate garden ornaments that speak to you, says Cervoni, who suggests pieces that will age beautifully. Such items include interesting pieces of driftwood or shells, an antique iron chair or a copper pot left to patina, a weathered stone trough covered in moss, or a classic birdbath. Use a restrained hand so the pieces accent rather than overwhelm the space.

Traditional cottage gardens had hedges for privacy, as well as to keep livestock out of the edibles. If space allows, add hedging plants such as small flowering shrubs or evergreens to provide a border, structure, and privacy, says Cervoni. Cottage garden edging favorites include lavender, inkberry holly, hydrangeas, and boxwoods, which can be left natural or sheared, per your preference.