Cottage Garden - What would you plant?

Hi All,

The front of our house is a south facing cottage that needs some brightening up. We inherited a large woody rosemary plant that was past its sell by date and two unidentified shrubs that had been mauled by frost. I've dug it all out and now have two bare patches roughly 6' x 4' and 8' x 5' either side of the old front door.

I am conscious of growing anything to big as we have small windows so light inside is at a premium.

The rest of the garden is well established and since moving in in January has been awash with colours emerging week by week. I want to produce a vibrant patch with a cottage feel that comes to life in spring with strong smells and colours.

Any suggestions please? I was thinking some bulbs and a few flowering shrubs to add a bit of height and I've taken seeds from various plants around the garden. Soil is nice and light and just thrown down a load of leaf mulch.

Sorry I can't add photos - still haven't worked out how I think the files are too big! Doh!!

Many thanks,

MrM

 

Welsh Poppies - self seeding and prolific flowerers.
Old Fashioned Geraniums are good value perennials that give 2 flushes of flowers if given a sevee haircut after the first flowering is finished.
Lupins - good long flowering perennial, easy to collect and propogate seeds.
Foxglove - self seeding perennial, best to keep away from the window as they can grow high.
Asters - perennial version flowers well in late summer

Theres a start. O'm sure there will be lots more info offered

 

I have lots of cottage style plants, but lots of mine are for height so I don't think I would be of much use. Anyway, if you want to take a look and if you see anything you like youre not sure of, ask

Gallardia's are a lovely vibrant flowering perennials which remain quite compact that would be my one suggestion.

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/...garden-project-progression-within-year-2.html

 

Perennials are wonderful but of course a garden which consists only of things which die back for the winter isn't going to be a thing of beauty through the colder months. I think you're right to want one or two flowering shrubs which will give your garden some permanent interest.

I think lavender is a great plant for a small front garden as it stays fairly compact, can be trimmed to keep it neat and has fragrant leaves all year round, making it a pleasure even when not in flower. When it is in bloom, it not only looks lovely but is irresistible to bees. To me, they are as essential to a cottage garden as the plants themselves!

The dwarf myrtle, Myrtus communis compactus is a slow-growing evergreen shrub with fragrant leaves and pretty white flowers, which are also scented. It will eventually grow to about four feet in height, but will take some time getting there. I grew one in a small space for many years and mine never seemed to mind being given a good haircut now and then when it outgrew its allotted space.

 

And don't forget phlox paniculata, penstemons, dianthus (pinks) and scabious!

 

ok .... here are a few of my suggestions for plants that enjoy full sun ....

I will list them month by month so as to have colour for every month of the year, and these are what I would plant in a border to create a 'cottage effect' border ... this is just an example extracted from my personal database .... I have only spent a few minutes so as to give an idea ... there will be better plants to choose and these need to be double checked on google

this just gives an idea on how I plan things .... the concept is based on 'space management' .... i.e. you have limited space and wish to have as much colour as possible for every month of the year (if that makes sense)

January:

Sarcococca humilis - Christmas Box ... flowers in dec/jan/feb (peaks in January) ... 600mm high and is fragrant ... white flowers

Daffodil Paper White Ziva / Narcissus Paper White Ziva ... 300mm high ... white flowers ... flowers in dec/jan/feb/march ....
-------------------------
February:

Pansy Frizzle Sizzle .... flowers in dec jan feb march april may ... peaks in feb

Primrose Fruelo ... flowers in jan feb march april may ... peaks in feb and march

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March:

Iris Dwarf Mixed ... flowers in feb march april may ... peaks in march/april

Primrose Sunny Scent-sation ... flowers in feb, march, april .... peaks in march

Crocus Mixed ... flowers in march/april

Daffodil Double Duo ... flowers in march/april

Daffodil Replete / Narcissus Replete ... flowers in march april

----------------------------
April:

Erysimum Apricot Twist ... flowers in feb march april may june

Hyacinth Breeder's Selection ... flowers in march april

Iris Dwarf Mixed ... flowers in march april

Phlox Clouds of Perfume ... flowers in april may

tulips ... flowers in april may

Crocus Mixed ... flowers in march april

Daisy / Bellis Pomponette Mixed ... flowers in march april may
-----------------------------
May:

Aubretia Royal Mixed ... flowers in april may

Foxtail Lilies ... flowers in may june

Iris ... flowers in May june

Paeonia Eden's Perfume ... flowers in may june

Aquilegia Black Barlow ... flowers in may june

Meconopsis cambrica / welsh poppy ... flowers in april may june

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june:

Foxtail Lilies ... flowers in may/june

Iris - Bearded Iris Wintry Sky ... flowers in may june and aug sept oct

Allium Silver Spring ... flowers in may june july

Primula Candelabra ... flowers in april may june july

--------------------
July:

Dianthus Dessert Series ... flowers june july aug sept

Achillea Summer Berries ... flowers june july aug

Alstroemeria Sweet Laura ... flowers june july aug sept

Salvia Blaze of Fire ... flowers in june july aug

Scabiosa Burgundy Bonnets ... flowers in june july aug sept

Kniphofia hirsuta Traffic Lights ... flowers in june july aug sept

Coneflower Tiki Torch / Echinacea Tiki Torch ... flowers june july aug sept

Daylily Blueberry Sundae flowers june july aug sept
------------------

August:

Prairie Mallow Brilliant / Sidalcea ... flowers june july aug sepr oct

Kniphofia hirsuta Traffic Lights ... june july aug sept

----------------------------
September:

Gaura RosyJane ... july aug sept oct

Japanese Anemone 'Anemone x hybrida Honorine Jobert' ... aug sept oct

Echinacea purpurea 'Coneflower' ... aug sept

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October:

Aster Mystery Lady ... flowers in sept oct nov

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Wow that is amazing! A genuine thank you for all of those, it has given us a stack of ideas and is genuinely appreciated. I bow down in awe at the knowledge of you all. I will get planting and hopefully by the time they all start to come through I will have learnt how to upload a photo or two but we do have a blank canvas at the moment so very exciting. Thanks again.

MrM

 

Try and keep us updated if you can... and take pictures Always love seeing the progress

 

Don't forget ivy no country cottage would look complete without some ivy :D

 

Ornamental grasses look nice too and come in all sizes!

 

Try to fit in a ladys mantle and a lovely old rose...They look beautiful together in a vase aswell

 

And who could forget..... Some nice cosmos in the summer :d easy to seed, abd some lovely varieties out there.... 'sweet kisses' is a must :D

Also make very good cut flowers