How to Grow an English Garden!
The romance of the English Garden has been around for centuries. The English Cottage Garden is practical, beautiful and fragrant too. Planning and planting your Cottage Garden can be achieved in stages that will bring years of enjoyment. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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The English Garden began of necessity with most people in England possessing very little land to grow anything. The English people wanted to produce medicinal herbs, fruits, vegetables, flavorings, and scents for their homes. English Gardens use every inch of space packing in flowers between herbs in ingenious ways that are pleasing to the eye and nose, but also with thought given to natural pest prevention. The massed plantings and informal style lets plants grow close together doing away with the need for staking taller plants. The flowers are old fashioned and their color tones are muted and romantic like washed cotton. The English love nature and a traditional garden always have elements to attract birds and butterflies. The concept was to grow as much as possible in as little space as possible. There was the kitchen door herb garden for flavors, medicine and cleaning products. The kitchen door was always surrounded with sweet smelling flowers to offset any unpleasant odors from the city, trash, and excrement. There was a meandering pathway to outbuildings (outhouse!) that was bordered with pleasant smelling flowers that oozed over onto the path. A small space was always set aside for fruit production, and a lawn or arbor to sit and view their garden. Hedges and trellis separate each individual area with shrubs around the vegetables. There are six main elements to an English Cottage Garden:
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Plants:
An English Garden uses every available space. The basic layout starts with featured shrubs, hedges, and trees then adds perennials (3-4 year life span) and fills-in empty spaces with annuals (1 year life span). Annual flowers give the gardener a chance to let their garden mature, but not have those awkward empty spots. The English Garden is made up of border plants around the outskirts, intermediate plants that fill in the middle, and tall spirals and climbers for the back of the garden. Some people think of an English Garden as "rooms" such as herbs, vegetables, lawn and pond areas. Many famous English Gardens will use only one color for a "room". Most traditional English Gardens clump plants in sets of 2 or 3. For smaller flowering plants you would use sets of 5 or 6. Some of the most traditional plants in an English Garden are Grannies Bonnets, Sweet William, Delphinium, Fox gloves, Geraniums, Forget-Me Not, Lavender, Peonies, Cornflower, Pinks, Hollyhocks, Violas and Sweet Peas. Of course you are going to have to design your garden around your soil and climate. Order one of the better seed catalogs and look-up these plants. Compare them to what is already growing well in your neighborhood. Take a walk around the block! Ask your neighbors about their plants. Anyone interested in gardening loves to share their success and failure stories. If you're really lucky they will also share seeds and shots off their plants. Fill every space in your garden and remember to add an assortment of potted plants to fill in areas. -
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Lawn:
Every English Garden has a lawn. You must determine the size compared to the space you have available. The lawn does not have to be a big area. Your lawn should be in a place that will provide a view of your English Garden. The area should be shaped in a circle or curve. Avoid rectangles at all cost! An English Garden is soft like nature, and hard lines are blurred and curved when possible. Add a couple worn wood chairs and a small table for to hold your teapot and scones. -
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Path:
Your path must meander through your garden showing off your many "rooms"! Let it be on the same level as your lawn for ease of maintenance and clarity of line. The materials should be natural so they blend in well with your surroundings. Use old tiles, paving slabs, mulch or bricks to create your path. Place fragrant plants on the border to add scent as you pass through your English Garden. An arch over your path with climbing roses is a perfect addition to further your romantic cottage look. -
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Border:
There must be a distinct border framing your garden, but it should be overflowing into the lawn and pathway. Set plantings in small groups of colors and complementary fragrances throughout your path. The border plants do not have to be of the same height. Varying height adds dimension to your garden, especially if your area is small.
Walls and fences are man-made borders that can add additional space for growing. They also create stillness for fragranced plants. Why plant a flower with a wonderful scent in a windy area where no one can enjoy the aroma? -
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Climbers:
No English Cottage Garden is complete without climbers. Roses profusely climbing on a trellis are mandatory. If your soil isn't good for roses, place them in large pots or purchase a clematis or bougainvillea to climb in your garden. Honeysuckle and Jasmine are great climbers and are very hardy. -
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Tricks!
The fun of an English Garden is it is always changing and getting better. With each addition of plant you have changed your view. Most English Gardens have a water feature to attract wildlife. Whether this is a small birdbath or an ornate waterfall depends on your space, taste and budget. A small natural arbor is also a nice element to an English Garden. This can be made with two small trees and a chair to sit down, or an elaborate brick hideaway with an open roof! Remember the garden is a whole picture so one element of new, isn't going to join with the picture. Buy old chairs at yard sales that you don't mind replacing in a few years. Plastic would never do in an English Garden. Bird houses, are another must in your garden. So a bird feeder is a good idea if you don't have problems with squirrels.
Use onion and garlic peels in your compost to prevent pests.
Bury your banana peels under your roses, as they love the potassium in them.
Lavender and Chives planted at the bottom of roses keep aphids away. Their fragrance combined with roses is very pleasing too.
Spearmint helps to keep ants out of your garden, but be careful with this runaway herb. Keep it in pots or your neighbors will hate you!
Keep chemicals down to a minimum using natural remedies like marigolds to keep pests away, and entice nature.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep a notebook of plants and how they do in your soil.
Ask for plants for gifts; keep a wish list on the fridge!
Gardening is not an instant hobby it requires time and patience!
