This is my new front garden

[Elasticatedwaist]

grass to the left , a path ,grass to the right and then steps up to a bit for the car.
How do I get it looking more like an English cottage style garden ?
new to gardening but loving it ( becoming slightly obsessed) and would love to know what you would suggest ! 😊

try again

Borders with cottage garden type plants like hollyhocks , foxgloves , roses and lupins . Or cut a big bed in the middle .

If that's the front garden, how big is the back garden?

lucky you, hope you enjoy your new home & gardens!!

I'm not sure what I'd do, but I'd enjoy planning it a million times first!

This is the back. The previous owners halved it by putting up a fence and gate , it’s actually very long, ending at the big tree.
first garden , totally in love !

gosh it’s huge. I wouldn’t be getting rid off all the lawns at once

first thing is to assess where it gets sun at different points in the day, any parts in dry shade or shade all day etc. then plan some borders with cottagy plants

go for a mix of standards like shrubs that give form to the garden year round and define spaces, then a mix of perennials (come back every spring summer) and annuals to fill in gaps. I go for things that self seed. I love cottage garden style.
have fun!

oh also I would just concentrate on one garden front or back first, if you have just moved in, it’s worth waiting to see what is there already that will emerge, that gives you an idea what is happy in which spot

I'd do an island flower bed on the side with the parking - it looks like nothing will grow well by the hedge. An irregular border bed would look good on the other side - filled with traditional English cottage garden plants - Sarah Raven has some lovely border plants

www.sarahraven.com/products/summer-border-antirrhinum-collection?msclkid=7b1426def642150fcd1844b823d43e00&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1%20Shopping%3A%20Plants%20%7C%20Brand&utm_term=4575342772284809&utm_content=Plants%20Branded&gclid=7b1426def642150fcd1844b823d43e00&gclsrc=3p.ds

David Austen roses: the super scented ones. They'll be amazing to walk past and are quite low maintainence. But yes, avoid going too close to hedge. Plant with a suitable companion plant. :)

You could try cutting the lawn edges into curves, that always softens the look of a garden. Lay a hosepipe down, and move it about until it looks right (look out of downstairs and upstairs house windows at it as well as from outside). The you can use a half-moon edging tool to cut round the shapes. Don't make them to small or twiddly though, otherwise it's a pain to get the lawnmower round.

You lucky thing!

@Yamadori nice idea thankyou