What would you plant to create a 'Cottage Garden'?

[AlwaysOnAbloodyDiet]

I'll probably have to wait until the lockdown is over, so just dreaming of ideas

So the idea is... a mix of colours, informal, no structure, no order? Well, obviously taller perennials at the back?

Any ideas? Is it just a case of packing them all in?

I'm thinking delphiniums (although I read that they only last 2-3 years)?, foxgloves, Lavender, Roses.

Princess Anne, Graham Thomas, Lark Ascending and Woolerton
old Hall are my favourites.
For a beautifully scented rambler, Banksaei Lutea. It is thornless so very easy train and is the earliest to,flower. It most likely won’t close much I. It’s first season, but after that it takes off. Mine is planted towards the rear of the garden and had spread 20 feet to ward the house. It does not tangle and you, can prune it as much or as little as you like Pruning should be done in June after the flowers have faded.

Tree peonies. Here is mine just a couple of days ago. I luffs them.

I managed to kill my tree paeony. ☹️😢

If you rule out poisonous plants you rule out very large numbers of them ! Many common garden flowers are toxic. Better to teach children what they can and can’t eat

We should teach children of course, but they are still children at the end of the day.
They do stupid things.

There are different levels of “poisonous”

Many “poisonous” plants if ingested produce unpleasant, but not life threatening symptoms, things like nausea or stomach cramps.

Others, like foxgloves, will actually kill you.
Foxgloves are brightly coloured and an unusual shape, they are inviting to children and the leaves look very similar to the harmless dock leaf.
It doesn’t take much foxglove to kill a child either.

Never in a million years would I plant a foxglove anywhere near where children could access.

I knew a florist years ago as well who ended up in intensive care after handling Monkshood, another beautiful but horrifically poisonous plant.

There are different levels of toxicity and some just shouldn’t be planted.

Look at sarah ravens website for ideas.

I love Aquilegia - and they self-seed so you get a repeat show the following year.

Don't forget to plant for the season too! I'm working on a cottage garden and have plenty of tulips out now and alliums on the way. Delphiniums, foxgloves and hollyhocks for the summer and then Japanese anemones, dahlias and echinacea for later on in the summer/into autumn. Plus things like scabious which just flower and flower all summer.

Achillea is another lovely one perhaps not mentioned yet?

Also not just flowers - ladies' mantle is a good space filler and I'm experimenting with some grasses too - like briza media (quaking grass) for more year round shape. Such a lot to think about but it's really fun watching new plants come up and settle in! I also love sharing seeds and cuttings with neighbours - lots cheaper than buying stuff!

Monkshoods are the ones I do not plant. I was too worried about my dog biting one . I used to pick foxgloves as a child, and they have been in every garden I have lived with, so I am not worried about them.
We did have Hemlock Water Dropwort in the garden, I think it is our most toxic plant in the UK ? DH dug it out, very, very carefully, with thick gloves.

Anyone tried those turf roles which has flowers planted in it? Meadow turf?

@SirVixofVixHall eeep! What happened to your tree peony? How did you kill it? I moved mine from one house to another against advice and it lived, I couldn't bear to leave it behind, ten years later and it's still beautiful, if getting a bit old now.

I have loads of foxgloves, the bees love them. . The children just watch the bees and don’t go near them, mainly because of the bees.

Mock orange is beautiful and scented as well. Lots of herbs are good (keep mint in a pot so it doesn’t go wild though)

I left it in a pot, stupidly, and neglected it. I had it as a birthday present and it was too frosty to plant it out at the time. It was a yellow one, I must try and get another, they are so beautiful!

I think I may also have killed this aeonium by putting it outside too early this year. This is it this time last year, looking so lovely .

Ah, so easily done. You must get another one. Everyone needs a tree peony in their life. I've just bought two new ordinary peonies, not tree ones, and I can't wait for them to flower! They might not this year though.

I love mock orange. You can get different leaf colours too .

Cottage gardens aren't merely pretty, they are useful too. That's why you get things like cabbage or rhubarb or herbs in amongst the flowers. I've just been out for a lunchtime potter round the garden and looked across at a neighbour's - their apple tree is looking lovely atm.
What could be nicer than a gnarled old tree, with blossom in the spring and cooking apples in the autumn?

I have loads of foxgloves (youngest child is 2), obviously it’s a risk you decide for yourself.

Other cottage garden musts
Rosemary
Thyme
Lavender
Alliums
Poppies
Forget me nots
Rambling rector rose

Clematis
Roses
Geraniums
Lavender
Campanula
Heather

Annual or perennial herbs can make wonderful cottages foliage plants - lovage, fennel, Angelica, dill; sage, bay.
Crown imperial fritillaries are a very old plant which look spectacular at this time of year.
Keeping the colour coming through late summer into autumn can be challenging as so many late bloomers are recent introductions and can look too modern - dahlias and chrysanthemums are key here. Also cottage planting relies heavily on annuals and perennials so you will probably want some evergreen shrubs. A bit of gentle topiary wouldn’t go amiss (the odd box or yew cone or ball), though there may be howls from the purists.

I have lots of Geraniums, all types and colours, some seed around. Foxgloves (bees adore them), aliums, big poppies (not the annual ones), lavenders, rosemary, salvia, canterbury bells, sedums (again beloved by bees, and good for late summer), cornflowers, eryngiums, lungworts for early spring, forget me nots for now, pull them up every year, you will still have loads. Lots of herbs, oregano, marjoram, thyme, chive, mint, borage.

And..... roses, lots. Bush, old English, old fashioned, tea, climbing. Basically anything, anyone has ever given me, gets stuffed in the garden. Lots from David Austen. My personal favourite, although it only flowers once, is a big old bushy Dog Rose, single flower, pink, but just glorious. Really pretty, and subtle scent. Hedge trim it every year. No issues.

Cosmos and dahlias are both lovely and colourful and easy to grow from seed

Loads of suggestions already, but I don’t think anyone has mentioned Astrantia, a lovely perennial plant that completely looks after itself. A bonus is that it often self seeds.

I mentioned Astrantia. 🙂 . Lovely. Mine doesn’t seed though.

Thanks for the rose suggestions. I too love peonies - will defo look around for some more.

Nigella
Cornflowers
Ammi Majus
Sweetpeas
Nicotiana

bishops flower
Field scabious
Verbena
cowslips
herbs!