Exploring the Enchanting World of Cottage Style Gardening
Welcome to my first blog post, where I invite you into the enchanting world of Cottage Style gardening. In my classic cottage garden, I embrace an informal, free-flowing style that combines annuals, perennials, shrubs, and vines in delightful arrangements. I fill my garden with various heights starting with edging plants such as nepta, cranesbill geraniums, and lavender, to tall plants of such as roses, foxgloves, peonies, and delphiniums. Color palette is important to me so you will see pink, white and purple throughout the landscape. Roses, my personal favorites, gracefully mingle with other cottage garden flowers, adding a unifying touch. Most of my roses are pink which is a unifying color in the garden and mingle well with my other cottage garden flowers.
To create visual interest and whimsy, I incorporate vintage elements such as a 1960s greenhouse adorned with salvage plant stands, birdhouses, and zinc watering cans. By placing these treasures in containers like vintage zinc tubs or planters, I bring elevation to the garden. Natural materials like teak benches, terra-cotta pots, and weathered bluestone lend a timeless charm and complement the informal character of my cottage garden.
I hope this glimpse into my passion for Cottage Style gardening has inspired you. Stay tuned for future posts where I’ll explore plant selections, maintenance tips, and more ways to infuse your garden with the magical allure of cottage style. Since this is my first post, I’d love any suggestions or feedback on what you’d like to see next on the blog!
Incredibly beautiful.
Thank you, Cindy!
Hi.
I live in the UK and have just found you. Your gardening designs are beautiful. I would love to do something like that in my garden, but my garden borders a field and we are swamped by nettles. Everything I put into my border is just overcome by the nettles and dies, so I am going to attempt to start again, before giving up and turfing it all. No matter how many times we dig the nettles out, they come back again and again. Do you have any ideas for plants that can cope? Or any other suggestions? Thank you x
Hi Jackie! Nettles mean that you have good moist soil. These are a few choices that can compete with them. To be honest, I don’t deal with them in the US. A few plants that could work are foxgloves, comfrey, nepata, hardy geraniums, mint, and rhubarb. You will need a combo approach that includes digging out roots, never letting them flower/seed mulch heavily (2-3 inches)after clearing, and then plant densely with your cottage layers. I hope this helps!
I’m so inspired by your enchanting cottage garden! Your description of combining annuals, perennials, and vintage elements is a dream come true. I love the soft color palette and the way you’ve layered plants to create a romantic and tranquil atmosphere. I’m looking forward to reading more about your gardening tips, plant selections, and maintenance advice. Thank you for sharing your passion for cottage style gardening with us!
Thank you so much for your very kind words! <3
Your IG account has always been so inspiring. Was so excited to know of your blog! Thank you for creating and sharing your garden with us Ann.
Thank you, Aileen! It means so much to be that you are enjoying it!
Just found your insta and blog. So lovely. I look forward to more posts!
Thank you, Sonya!
I’m so excited to receive your emails. I enjoyed your blog this evening and going through your INSTA! So much beauty & an inspiration to me because I have 3 empty borders that Ive started with perrenials in the same colors!
Any particular annuals that you like to use in these perennial borders ?
Thank You 😊
Hi Valerie! Thank you for reaching out! I love using Proven Winners Annuals like Truffula Pink Globe Amaranth and any of the Supertunia Vista series. This year I used Silver Berry I loved the white with a touch of pink, it really pops in my borders. For my shade
borders I use Surefire Begonias and Impatiens. Happy gardening!
I look forward to following your blog. So much inspiration.
Thank you, Shelley!
Oh I do love your garden so very much! Posts I would love to know about are your array of roses and how you arrange in the border! Thankyou and congratulations on the venture into the blog!
Thanks, Elizabeth! Stay tuned for future blog posts on roses and a breakdown of the plants found in the garden. Thank you for visiting the blog!
So beautiful and inspiring 💕
Erin, thank you so much!
So very happy you have started a blog!!! I love your Instagram posts- you truly capture the beauty of your garden.
Thank you so much, Liz!
Your garden is lovely and so is your new blog. I look forward to read more.
Thanks so much for sharing your garden! I’d love to know what products you used for your metal edge, stone and floral selection. Break down each space!! Thanks again.
Let’s talk about those Alliums!! Wow! I want to add them to my garden.
Your garden is lovely!! I too love the cottage style garden! My husband and I purchased a cranesbill geranium today that will put on lavender colored flowers, and we also bought a lamb’s ear to add to our cottage garden. I look forward to reading more about gardens, plants, flowers, and their care on your blog.
Love this inspiration! Keep them coming!! Thank you🌸
Thanks, Melissa!
Your garden is magical! The soft color palette and layering of plants creates such a tranquil and romantic feeling. Just gorgeous! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Linda!
What an absolutely lovely space! I have followed you on IG and am excited now that you have your blog/website up and running. I love the way you sprinkle your vintage pieces throughout the garden and am always interested in the types of plants, their names and combinations that have worked for you as well as some of your “real life” not-so-successful plantings/ideas. I am looking forward to your next post!
That’s a great idea, Janice! I have a lot of gardening failures so stay tuned 🙂
Ann…this is so beautiful….you should be extremely proud of your talent and green thumb….congratulations on a blog well done and I cannot wait to continue reading 🌸💐🌺😍
Thank you so much, Cindy!
Beautiful! You inspire me to keep trying to create the cottage style garden I have longed for over the last several years.
Thank you.
Thanks, Susan!
Your garden is so beautiful! I look forward to reading your blog posts and also seeing your garden pictures. I am a follower of you on Instagram and I enjoy your garden pics.
I love to hear that, Wilma. Thank you!
Can’t wait to find our home , your beautiful garden is a inspiration for my garden to be. Your garden is lovely, thank you for sharing 🌸
Thanks so much, Arlett!
Absolutely stunning. Thank you for sharing your garden with us all. Cannot wait to see/learn more. Would love to see you label your plants in a photo or share with us your garden plan so we can achieve a beautiful layout like yours.
Will you have an option to subscribe and have blog posts sent to email 🤞🤞🤞. Beautiful post.
YES! This is what I would love, also! Photos with plant identity on the pic would help immensely! Bed/landscaping plans that show how you planted by height would be great, also! I have empty beds because I am an overwhelmed and clueless beginner! Thanks to you and Erin Clark, I have fallen in love with cottage style gardens and can’t wait to get started!
That’s a great idea, Aimy! Stay tuned 🙂
This is so great! Wonderful introduction to your gardening. So looking forward to learning with you! Thanks for bringing us along.
Thanks, Beth!
You and your garden are stars! Keep the blog going 🌸
Thanks, Ashley!
Your gardens are beautiful! I follow you on instagram. Looking forward to reading your blog and getting helpful hints on gardening and flower selection.
Thanks so much, Nikki!
Looking forward to more posts of your beautiful gardens!
Thanks, Karen!
This is beautiful you have inspired me to continue gardening and start a blog too
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Rumbi!
Beautiful garden!
Thank you, Donna!
So much inspiration! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Connie!