A traditional English cottage garden isn’t just popular in the UK. This garden trend has been growing in popularity in Canada as well – and you don’t have to live in a cottage to get the look! A full, layered and informal garden space gives the yard a quaint and livable feel, while still looking beautiful and colourful throughout the growing season. And while traditional cottage gardens were meant to be productive spaces, today’s gardens are a mix of edible and decorative plants. One of the tricks to this approach is that there should be little to no distinction between the sections. Meaning herbs, veggies and fruits should be interspersed with ornamental flowers and shrubbery.
And there should be no space left unplanted as a cottage garden’s main characteristic is its density. As for the garden’s shape, focus on creating curving and circular lines as opposed to straight ones. Greenery should also be allowed to spill out over the garden’s borders – almost as if there’s too much foliage to be contained. Of course, just because you’re aiming for the English garden look doesn’t mean you should use plants native to the UK. Instead, fill your cottage garden with native plants and flowers ensuring they’ll flourish in our Canadian climate.
