The town dweller's guide to Cottage gardens

A cottage garden without the cottage? Why not, says Martyn Cox, especially as many of the plants and techniques will work just as well in an urban setting

- Martyn Cox

OF the countless garden styles found in Britain, the one that is most admired is the traditional cottage garden. The mere mention of the words conjures up chocolate-box images of thatched properties surrounded by a space brimming with flowering shrubs, perennials, edibles and climbers.

Yet you don’t need to live in a cottage – or even in the country – to enjoy this kind of display, as the informal mixed planting schemes that typify it are easy to replicate on a smaller scale in more built-up areas. It doesn’t matter what style or age of property you have, or whether your plot is a courtyard, urban terrace or a patch in the suburbs, cottage-garden planting is can be applied to any garden.

Small garden, big impact

Don’t want to take my word for it? Then maybe the first editor of Amateur Gardening will help to convince you. Back in Victorian times, few thought it worth gardening in towns and cities, but London-based Shirley Hibberd extolled the virtues of growing flowers in small gardens, both in the pages of this magazine and in his books.

Originating as a practical way for tenant farmers to grow their own food in the 14th century, cottage gardens became more decorative as people started to garden for pleasure. Some plants are now synonymous with the look, including roses, hibiscus and philadelpus, along with perennials like delphiniums and foxgloves.

Traditional cottage-garden plants are great, but many take up a lot of space. Instead, try compact or narrow forms of these favourites, combining them with plants that attract wildlife or have scented blooms. Container-grown specimens will establish readily in late spring, provided you water regularly.