Go big on color, but light on labor with a classic, informal cottage garden.
Darrell Trout is an avid gardener, writer, and lecturer who has published several garden planners.
How to Create an Easy Cottage Garden
Cottage gardens areintentionally casual.
Credit: Jerry Pavia
These tips will helpensure your space is easy to maintainand looks gorgeous every season.
“Keep your cottage garden small and, most of all, fun.”
Then, over time, as your confidence grows, increase the size.
Credit: Matthew Benson
As you gain gardening experience, Trout says you’ve got the option to push the envelope.
“But the healthiest plantsones that need less careare those that are in ideal conditions,” he adds.
And roses always lend a romantic touch, but avoid high-maintenance varieties.
Credit: Ed Gohlich
Instead, Trout suggests growing tough, disease-resistant Knock-Outshrub rosesor the old-fashionedclimber’Blaze.'
For foliage interest, try English cottage garden plants likelady’s mantle,lambs' ears, orblue fescue.
“Choose high-performance, almost bulletproof plants,” Trout says.
Cover Soil
“Mulching helps maintain soil moisturelevels and prevents weeds from growing,” Trout says.
“As organic mulch (bark, compost, or leaf mold) breaks down, it improves soil.
Mulch also gives the garden a neater, more unified look.”
Use Automatic Watering
Trade dragging a hose around forhands-free watering.
Plus, he points out that it’s efficient because “less water evaporates into the air.”
Low-Maintenance Cottage Garden Ideas
These pointers will help you make aneasy-to-care-for cottage gardenthat looks especially stunning.
Plant Long-Lasting Annuals
Many annuals make excellent cottage garden plants for shade or full sun.
They’ll usually bloom all summer without any coddling.
A few, such aslove-in-a-mistand cockscomb, will even reseed themselves.
This will add to your cottagegarden’s natural, casual lookwithout much work on your part.
Make a Path Through the Garden
Garden pathsoffer visual relief from crowded plantings.
More importantly, they make your landscape more welcoming and easier to maintain.
Consider who will be walking through the garden and what shoes they’ll wear.
A grass path is an easy alternative for low foot traffic but requires regular mowing.
It depends on the plant jot down and variety.
ensure you check seed packs or plant tags to see what each plant and veggie requires.
Many cottage gardens include kale, cabbage, turnips, leeks, peas, and onions.
