Traditionally, the English Cottage garden was all about packing as much as possible into the available space. The garden was used for growing a mixture of flowers, herbs fruit and vegetables. Nowadays the Cottage Garden ideal can be adapted to fit any plot, however small.

Whether you have a small rectangular plot in the back yard of your terrace, a square plot at the front or rear, or a larger garden, Cottage Garden planting can form the basis of a wonderful informal and personal mix of plants, giving you the chance of a useful and pleasurable garden, with minimum care needs throughout the seasons.

Many people will focus their planting on massed beds of perennials using traditional border plants.

Planning

The Cottage Garden usually has no set formal plan, but a synthesis of the two basic ideas behind them (the riotous profusion of colour and plants versus neat rows for vegetables) mean you would probably like to start with some initial formal planning elements. Firstly, if larger than one plot, the overall garden probably will possibly need organising into smaller plots with functional paths.

Planting

Plant your chosen perennials where you wish – we often put the tallest at the back and the smaller ones at the front – but you don’t need to (though you may need to stake tall plants at the front of the border). Stick to the original traditional plants and avoid the modern hybrids – they are sterile and produce no pollen or nectar for insects. As your garden matures your plants will grow in clumps and will require little weeding or maintenance. Grow herbs by your door in pots and tubs so they are close at hand, or make a herb bed in the garden if you have the space.