Cottage garden border planting plan
Roses, catmint, geraniums and foxgloves, packed in and spilling over the edge. We'll plan a relaxed cottage border that still has a backbone, so it looks good in winter too.
What you'll get in this style
Classic cottage flowers, chosen for your conditions
Evergreen structure so it isn't bare in winter
Scented plants if you'd like them
Plants that suit a cottage garden border
A cottage border is all about flowers packed closely together. Your plan might include shrub roses and climbing roses, catmint, hardy geraniums, peach-leaved bellflowers, granny's bonnet, foxgloves, lady's mantle, coneflowers and garden pinks, with clematis or honeysuckle on a fence behind. Evergreen shrubs such as hebe, laurustinus or Mexican orange blossom give the border a backbone, so it still has shape in winter. Lavender and rosemary add scent near a path or seat.
Tips for a cottage garden border
- Plant closer than the label suggests. Cottage borders look best when plants knit together with little bare soil showing.
- Repeat a few plants along the border. It makes a relaxed planting look planned rather than random.
- Deadhead through summer. Snipping off faded flowers on roses, geraniums and catmint keeps them flowering for longer.
- Keep some structure. A few evergreens stop the border looking bare from November to March.
A real example
SAMPLE
A 4 metre sunny cottage border on clay soil, facing south-west.
- 1Wall bellflower
- 2Drumstick primula
- 3Peach-leaved bellflower
- 4Peony
- 5Masterwort
- 6Tall verbena
- 7Hebe
- 8Purple-leaved weigela
- 9Grape hyacinth
- 10Early crocus
- 11Summer snowflake
- 12Mountain clematis
| Plant | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Wall bellflower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 2. Drumstick primula | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 3. Peach-leaved bellflower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 4. Peony | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 5. Masterwort | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 6. Tall verbena | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 7. Hebe | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 8. Purple-leaved weigela | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 9. Grape hyacinth | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 10. Early crocus | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 11. Summer snowflake | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
| 12. Mountain clematis | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | In flower | In flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower | Not in flower |
They can be, but tell us you want very little upkeep and we'll leave out the fussier plants.
Yes. We'll pick cottage-style plants that like part shade, such as foxgloves and hardy geraniums.
Shrub roses need a prune in late winter, a feed in spring and deadheading in summer. Your care calendar tells you when.
Ready to plan your border?
About 5 minutes of questions. A free preview. A plan you'll use for years.
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