Cottage gardening tips from an old landscape gardener
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Cottage landscaping
by
flowerpotman cottage garden landscapers
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Once upon a time along time ago, Cottage gardeners grew herbs in their kitchen garden. to treat common ailments, fresh organic fruit and veg for the kitchen and crops to feed the chickens providing the cottagers family with fresh eggs, Cottage garden and wild flowers seeded themselves everywhere, decoration and air fresheners for the cottage .
Pathways were laid between the planting areas, widening now and then for wooden or local stone seats and benches to be placed to rest and take in the colour, feel the textures and smell the scented flowers, natures anti depressants, in the air, relieving the day to day stresses of life. Terra-cotta pots, old metal pails and watering cans were sometimes left to rust away around the garden.we buy them ready aged nowadays!
Some Landscape gardening writers and designers will tell you cottage landscaping had no formality, no design or planting plan. The ones I played in, explored and eventually gardened did. Paved areas to sit, pathways through the kitchen garden, fruit and vegetable plots leading on to the chicken run, duck pond and the pig sty. Even the compost heap and the ash hill were carefully sited between two very productive plum trees. Some formality was essential because cottage folk depended on the garden for almost everything they ate, sold and shared. A Somerset landscape gardener even older than I am, once said to me ."They weren't second omes in they there days, were e'm me old butt"
Today's cottage landscaping need some structure too, pathways between the flowerbeds, herbs growing close to the kitchen door or in pots and tubs, close at hand for cooking and medicine. Some herbs will be planted in the vegetable patch for companion planting to combat pests, with paved seating areas to sit, relax and enjoy the garden from.
It will be be a full of colour, textures and scent. Herbaceous plants are planted wherever there is a space and left to self seed to shut out weeds. Hollyhocks and other tall plants look good growing near walls and fences - but also plant them anywhere in your borders not just at the back of the border .Fill gaps by sowing Snapdragons, Poppies and Cornflowers. Try not to include modern hybrids and double flowers they are not traditional cottage plants and offer wildlife nothing at all.
In late Autumn leave the seed spikes for the birds to eat the seeds and for the plants to self-seed . The taller spikes still add lovely autumn browns and orange colours to your borders, they also sparkle on a frosty morning and will eventually be taken down into the soil by worms, providing food for next seasons. Filling every little gap and leaving nature to do the rest will mean very little maintenance and weeding.
What I suppose I am saying is this. Don't be afraid to pre-plan your cottage landscaping. It will look better for it, Have a planting plan that will fill every gap with flowers, have a kitchen garden planting plan full of herbs, fruit and vegetables. Have path ways leading to paved sitting areas . Good planning and structure won't look formal. It will be a landscape you, your guests, your family and our wildlife will feel comfortable in. Just like the real cottagers did, Once upon a time along time ago.
I can design and build a Cottagers garden for you, or provide a Cottage and Kitchen garden Planting plan for growing your own fruit and vegetables.
I am an a traditional gardener working mainly in Somerset and Avon I design and build gardens and ponds that look good and provide habitat for wildlife using cottage garden flowers, wild flowers and herbs . Modern hybrid flowers [most bedding] do not produce nectar or scent to attract and support butterflies and honeybees in your garden. --- Remmember walking on a chamomile lawn, the scent of wild watermint on a summer evening, birds and butterflies in your garden frogs and newts in your pond.
Its good for you 
When you feel tired and low wander into your garden with a bottle or two of red wine. Close the gate and shut the world out for a while. Pick a bunch of the scented sweet pea trailing over the dry stone wall, rest your head on the patch of camomile lawn and take a sip or two or three of wine and liston to the music of water flowing over the waterfall.
It won't be long before you see how perfectly shaped and coloured the hollyhocks and wallflowers are, how cool the flagstones feel and how relaxing the scent from the crushed chamomile growing between the stone is.
Now unlock and open the gate and let the world back in. Its not the red red wine it's your design and maybe a little help from Mike and the flowerpotmen landscape gardeners.
Family, friends, the bobby on the beat, the postman and the neighbourhood watch person will all linger a little longer inspired by your skills in creating such a peaceful oasis of colour, scent and texture.
But If you're like me and don't want the world and its guest lingering longer ! Fix the gate and keep it locked !
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I have also listed the other landscape gardeners suppliers I use for tools, equipment, garden sheds and buildings in the
gardeners online shop
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