Cottage style front garden

[WheresMyClint]

We're about to have some repairs etc done in our front garden which will rejuvenate the space we've got already and add some extra good side flower beds. I'd like to plant the whole thing in a cottage style. There is a large semicircle bed under the bay window, a bed that runs down the boundary between us and our neighbour around a corner and along the front boundary and then there will be two triangle shaped borders, one at the side of the house, and one separating the driveway from the rest of the front garden. Can anyone recommend any good books, blogs, instagrams etc that I can get some inspiration from, or any suggestions of must haves. Most of it is east facing, but the side bed will be north facing. Thanks in advance!

I really like the middle sized garden blog. On Insta you can find some lovely inspiration by following accounts like Scampston Hall or some of the RHS gardens.

Also I meant to say all your new beds sound lovely and very exciting. I'd plant some tall and airy stuff in the bed separating the driveway - e.g. verbena and tall grasses like stipa kalmagrostis (I can never spell that so I'm sure that's not right but if you Google, the right thing will come up!).

I’m doing this in our front garden which is north facing. I’ve used the Sarah Raven website a lot for inspiration and rhs and gardeners world.

I’d say think about evergreen structure and structure in the winter. Cottage garden type ( though mine is more blowsy and floral and informal than true cottage garden) needs structure in winter.

Mine looked really flat this first winter...

I’ve planted some small trees, deciduous, to give upright interest. Acres, a blossom, a Cornus.

I’m planting box for structure too, crossed fingers for no box blight, and am thinking about perennials that have seedheads that persist in the winter.

I thought I’d planted a billion bulbs for spring...but it appears I need to plant a billion more.

I’ve got stuff coming on from seed, cerinthe sowed direct, poppies and calendula. I’ve planted roses and I’ve never had room for them before. Lots of hardy geraniums. I’ll put In cosmos, and foxgloves, I’ve got alliums in too.

Thank you both! Some great ideas there. I really like the idea of some gentle height and screening for the bed between the driveway and the rest of the front garden @ApplestheHare!

I'm definitely an underplanter of bulbs too @MaryIsA however many I buy there's never enough. Your garden sounds lovely.

I will add some pics of how it is now/how it in when the landscaping is done (which if the quote is reasonable hopefully won't be too long away).

Any thoughts on a good north facing climber? Doesn't matter if it doesn't grow really fast.

A climbing hydrangea. I've just planted one on a north facing wall as they do well in shade.