Formal Cottage Garden

Hedges rose arbors and arches are often used to split the garden into various spaces enjoying different planting schemes and atmosphere.

Formal cottage garden. Cottage gardens are personal. Celebrated for their profusion of color and abundant planting cottage gardens generally enjoy a simple layout with a central narrow path of brick stone or gravel separating rectangular beds on each side. Benches flower urns other garden accessories and structures heighten the sense of style underpinning the plantings.

I m calling this a formal cottage garden because it has both elements of a formal garden and a cottage garden. A formal english garden is able to use classic elements of style in a small outdoor space in toronto canada. Designed by arbordale landscaping hardscape is used to create structure and symmetry while elements like informal plantings containers and furnishings add interest to the garden.

They seem like they are complete opposites formal garden design is all about lines shapes that bleed symmetry while cottage garden design is all about a total relaxed chaotic style or what appears to be chaos yet somehow in the juxtaposition of these two opposite garden designs i ve found my happy place. A picket fence an iron gate a brick or stone pathway and a traditional arched arbor can instantly create the feeling of a quaint old time garden. Indeed no cottage garden will be the same two years in a row.

Dining areas and seating are often included in the cottage garden. A cottage garden is less expensive than its more formal counterparts. A cottage garden can incorporate quirky or funny ideas like painted signs that would not go with a more formal garden concept.

Classic boxwood hedging and lawns emphasize the geometric lines of the space while seasonal flowers in pots add color and can be changed out as needed. Even if you splurge on some anchor plants like rose bushes or flowering shrubs you can. The plants will keep moving around and the balance between them will ebb and flow.

Although you won t get an immediate impact you can start a cottage garden with a few packs of seeds and some patience.