How to Start a Cottage Flower Garden

Cottage flower gardens were first popular in England. People planted vegetables, fruits and herbs, as well as flowers. Over time more and more flowers were introduced, planted close together, intertwined and tightly spaced. The cottage flower garden quickly took on an overflowing beautiful appearance all its own. With so many flowers planted in your cottage garden, make sure the soil is full of nutrients to meet the growing demands.

Things You'll Need

• Organic compost
• Garden shovel
• Garden gloves
• Flower varieties
• Shrubs
• Fruit trees
• Picket fence
• Bench

Instructions

1. Prepare the soil by working in an organic compost made from grass clippings, rotted manure, dried fruits and vegetables.

2. Place a white picket fence around your cottage garden to separate it from the rest of the world. A hedge or a stone wall will also separate the garden nicely and give you a certain sense of privacy.

3. Plant a large variety of perennials, biennials and annuals, so your cottage garden is in constant bloom. To ensure your garden is never without blooming color, layer your plants according to bloom time, height and color. Phlox, delphiniums, bee balm, foxglove, poppies and hollyhocks are ideal garden choices.

4. Include in your cottage garden fragrant flowers and herbs, such as, dill, thyme and fennel. Shrubs and fruit trees look great in a garden. Blueberries, peaches, apples and elderberries complement the floral arrangement and provide tasty treats.

5. Create a cottage garden masterpiece by planting all your flowers, shrubs, trees and herbs close together, then set a comfortable bench right in the center for sitting and relaxing while enjoying the beauty of your garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Every cottage garden is different. No two gardens are alike. Use your own creative mind and plant a cottage garden exactly the way you prefer. Growing the flowers tightly together prevents weeds from sprouting up in the open spaces.

• Check with your local nursery when choosing the flowers for your cottage garden to ensure you buy the plants that grow best in your climate. Working with nature, not against it, will produce a beautiful cottage garden.