Country Cottage Garden Plants

Traditionally cottage gardens had an emphasis on practicality mixing livestock vegetables and fruit as well as flowers which were mostly grown for their medicinal or edible properties.

Country cottage garden plants. Campanula also known as bellflowers are a classic cottage garden plant. Full sun or part shade and well drained soil. Climbing roses and wisteria give both height and romance to these gardens especially when they provide a backdrop to other summer cottage flowers such as poppies cornflowers delphiniums lavender and erigeron daisies.

Besides the herbs listed below herbs with fragrant leaves in general would probably have been popular as cottage garden plants. The classic english country garden has an appeal that never goes out of style. Cottage gardens are also likely to make use of self seeding plants such as foxgloves and aquilegias which pop up spontaneously around the garden or in cracks in paving adding to the informal look.

Foxgloves zones 3 to 9 foxgloves are perfect for the back of a cottage garden where their tall spires of bell shaped blooms tower over other plants. Most species produce flowers in shades of purple violet white or pink. Val bourne reflects on how it s evolved over the years and suggests eight plants to try in your garden.

Where cottage gardens appear haphazard and abundant success requires careful placement and knowledge of height and spread of your cottage garden plants. Do note however that the ornamental sage victoria blue salvia is also well regarded as a cottage garden plant. It may come as some surprise to discover that even as we head towards the second decade of the 21st century the good old cottage garden is alive and well.