A cottage garden is made up of many different elements, to create an informal and relaxed atmosphere. A variety of colours, heights and scents can be seen and many of the plants are likely to be self-seeded, creating a spontaneous and wilder feel than a more traditional or formal planting schemes.
When we moved into our property nearly 11 years ago, our garden already had many of the hallmarks of a “cottage garden”. There was colour, there was abundance and there was beauty everywhere you looked. In 2025, I am just trying to maintain and build on this atmosphere as I learn and grow as a gardener.
So which are my favourite “cottage garden” plants? I struggle with favourites, as there are just so many wonderful, cottage garden plants to choose from. I think what makes the best cottage garden is a real mixture of informal design, traditional materials, dense plantings, and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. I love lavender for its scent, foxgloves for their height and roses for their variety and beautiful blooms, but if I had to pick a favourite, it would have to be the cornflower, as it connects me back to my gardening inspiration, my grandfather. Every year, I collect the seeds from my cornflowers to sow again and, as a family, we have done this ever since my Grandad first sowed them over 20 years ago. So really, they are still Grandad’s cornflowers after all these years and my cottage garden wouldn’t be home without them.
