Cottage-style gardens have long been a favorite for gardeners who appreciate a relaxed, natural, and colorful aesthetic. These gardens evoke a sense of nostalgia and timeless beauty with their abundance of flowers, flowing paths, and seemingly spontaneous planting. But behind this charm lies thoughtful plant selection and arrangement, allowing for a harmonious blend of colors, textures, and heights. In this guide, we’ll explore the top 10 plants that are perfect for creating a dreamy cottage-style border.
What Makes a Cottage-Style Garden?
The essence of a cottage garden lies in its informality and abundant planting. Unlike the meticulously manicured lawns of more formal garden designs, cottage gardens are often lush, overflowing, and seemingly wild—yet they have a structure that gives them a sense of order amidst the chaos.
Key features include:
- Mixed Planting: A variety of plants growing close together, often in layers.
- Soft Paths: Curving pathways that wind through the garden, often bordered by flowers.
- Blending Colors: A harmonious color palette that is soft and inviting, often combining pastels with bold pops of color.
- Height Variation: Plants of varying heights, from ground cover to tall, towering flowers, create depth and dimension.
The Importance of Plant Selection
When designing a cottage garden, plant selection is crucial. Cottage-style borders typically include a mix of flowering perennials, annuals, and shrubs, interspersed with herbs and climbers. The plants chosen should not only bloom beautifully but also work together to create a layered effect that feels both full and relaxed.
Here are the top 10 plants that will bring your cottage garden dreams to life.
1. Roses (Rosa)
Why They Work: Roses are the quintessential cottage garden plant. Their timeless beauty, fragrance, and variety make them a must-have in any traditional border.
Best Varieties: For a classic cottage look, opt for old-fashioned varieties like English roses (David Austin roses are a popular choice). They offer large, full blooms and are often more fragrant than modern hybrids.
Where to Plant: Roses are versatile and can be planted as climbers over trellises or in shrub form for a more bushy, structured addition to the border.
Care Tip: Regular pruning and deadheading will keep roses blooming longer and ensure a neat appearance.
2. Lavender (Lavandula)
Why They Work: Known for its aromatic properties, lavender brings both fragrance and soft, purple-blue hues to the garden. It’s also a great plant for attracting bees and other pollinators.
Best Varieties: English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is ideal for cottage gardens due to its hardiness and compact growth habit.
Where to Plant: Lavender works well along the edges of borders, adding structure with its low, bushy growth. It also pairs beautifully with taller plants.
Care Tip: Lavender prefers well-drained soil and full sun. Prune back after flowering to maintain its shape and encourage new growth.
3. Foxgloves (Digitalis)
Why They Work: Foxgloves are a classic cottage plant known for their tall, striking spires of bell-shaped flowers. They bring a touch of elegance and vertical interest to borders.
Best Varieties: Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is the most widely grown variety, offering flowers in shades of pink, white, and purple.
Where to Plant: Place foxgloves at the back of the border, where their height can be appreciated without overshadowing shorter plants.
Care Tip: Foxgloves are biennial, meaning they bloom in their second year. To ensure blooms every year, plant new seeds annually.
4. Delphiniums (Delphinium elatum)
Why They Work: These tall, stately flowers bring bold colors—ranging from deep blues to soft purples—to cottage gardens. They add height and drama, making them a focal point in any border.
Best Varieties: ‘Pacific Giants’ and ‘Magic Fountains’ are popular choices for their height and vivid colors.
Where to Plant: Like foxgloves, delphiniums should be placed at the back of borders to provide structure and vertical interest.
Care Tip: Delphiniums prefer rich, well-drained soil and full sun. Stake them to prevent their tall flower spikes from toppling in the wind.
5. Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea)
Why They Work: Hollyhocks are another tall, striking flower perfect for cottage borders. Their towering spikes of single or double flowers create a rustic, charming vibe.
Best Varieties: The classic variety is ‘Nigra’, which produces dark, almost black flowers. There are also many pastel varieties that work well in a cottage palette.
Where to Plant: Plant hollyhocks along fences or walls where their tall growth can be supported and appreciated.
Care Tip: Hollyhocks are biennial but will often self-seed, ensuring new plants pop up year after year.
6. Daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Why They Work: Daisies are simple, cheerful flowers that bring a casual, laid-back feel to the garden. Their bright white petals with yellow centers brighten any space.
Best Varieties: The oxeye daisy is a classic choice for cottage gardens, but Shasta daisies offer larger flowers and a more refined look.
Where to Plant: Daisies look best when planted en masse, either in drifts or clusters throughout the border.
Care Tip: Daisies are low-maintenance and thrive in full sun with well-drained soil. Deadhead regularly to encourage more blooms.
7. Peonies (Paeonia)
Why They Work: With their large, showy blooms, peonies add a touch of luxury to cottage gardens. Their soft petals and pastel shades fit beautifully into a romantic, vintage aesthetic.
Best Varieties: ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is a popular double-flowered pink peony, while ‘Coral Charm’ brings a vibrant coral hue to the garden.
Where to Plant: Plant peonies in the middle of borders, where their full growth can be supported by surrounding plants.
Care Tip: Peonies prefer rich, well-drained soil and full sun. They benefit from staking to support their heavy blooms.
8. Catmint (Nepeta)
Why They Work: With its soft blue-purple flowers and aromatic foliage, catmint is a staple in cottage gardens. It creates a lovely, informal look when allowed to sprawl along the edges of borders.
Best Varieties: ‘Walker’s Low’ is a compact, drought-tolerant variety perfect for smaller spaces.
Where to Plant: Catmint works well along the front of borders, where its low, spreading habit can soften the edges.
Care Tip: Cut back catmint after its first bloom to encourage a second flush of flowers.
9. Clematis (Clematis)
Why They Work: Clematis is a climbing plant that adds vertical interest to cottage gardens. Its delicate flowers range from soft pastels to vibrant purples, making it a versatile addition.
Best Varieties: ‘Nelly Moser’ offers pale pink blooms, while ‘Jackmanii’ produces rich purple flowers.
Where to Plant: Clematis is ideal for growing over arbors, trellises, or fences to add height and texture to the garden.
Care Tip: Clematis prefers well-drained soil and full sun, with its roots kept cool. Mulch around the base to protect the roots from heat.
10. Poppies (Papaver)
Why They Work: Poppies bring a burst of color and lightness to cottage gardens. Their delicate, papery petals contrast beautifully with the more structured flowers.
Best Varieties: Oriental poppies come in vibrant reds, oranges, and pinks, while the more delicate Iceland poppies offer soft pastels.
Where to Plant: Poppies work well in the middle of borders, where their tall, airy growth can create movement and light.
Care Tip: Poppies prefer well-drained soil and full sun. They are short-lived perennials, but their self-seeding nature ensures they return year after year.
Conclusion
A cottage-style garden is all about creating a space that feels relaxed, natural, and full of life. By incorporating a mix of these top 10 plants, you’ll achieve the perfect balance of color, height, texture, and fragrance that defines this timeless gardening style.
Get started today! Use these plants to build your dream cottage garden, and let nature’s beauty take over. 🌸