How to design your own cottage garden
How to plan your cottage garden design – simple steps to get started - Week 2
Welcome back to all members, old and new. I hope you’ve had a good week - perhaps even with a little time to think about your cottage garden? Whether you’ve had sunshine, drizzle, or something in between, today we’re going to be getting on with imagining what’s possible in your own space.
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Last week, we talked about the spirit of the cottage garden - that sense of abundance, imperfection, and warmth that makes the style much loved around the world. There was A LOT of discussion about what the term ’cottage garden’ even meant, and judging by the comments, it feels as if basically it means whatever each of us wants it to mean, and that the principle is as relaxed as the style itself. I love that.
This week, we’re beginning to transform that feeling into something real. Have Worksheet 1 from last week beside you as you look at your own garden. The words summing up the colours, textures, and atmosphere you imagined will help shape the route you go down this week as we start to plan.
We’ll also visit a couple of gardens, one in Cumbria and one in Kent, which beautifully illustrate the cottage garden approach, and the second worksheet will take you outside.
Why planning matters
It might sound counter-intuitive, but the most relaxed, informal gardens are often the result of some careful thinking early on. A little planning is going to give you some freedom later on, and is the absolute secret to your garden feeling effortless and natural.
I’d love you to think of this planning process (which could sound really boring) instead as setting the scene for a gorgeous drama. Somewhere to garden, somewhere to relax, somewhere to sit, somewhere to play, somewhere to eat, somewhere to rest, somewhere to have fun, somewhere to entertain - all the stuff that goes on in a garden.
As you plan, think back to the description of your dream garden. If one of them was cosy, perhaps you’ll want curving paths and enclosed corners. If it was abundant, maybe generous planting beds or climbing roses over an arch. Your earlier ideas will help guide the shape and feel of what you’re planning now.
Whether your plot is a few square metres, a balcony, or a whole field, I promise you that it’s going to be so worth properly getting to know it: where the sun falls, which corners stay damp, where the wind howls through, and which spots feel sheltered and welcoming. The more you understand the character of your space, the easier it becomes to create something that feels as though it’s always belonged there.
1. Understanding your space
With the help of Worksheet 2 (which you can download below), today’s task is about observing, and getting under the skin of what your space is. It’s what I do before I ever put pen to paper with every new garden I visit.
Take a notebook and a cup of tea outside,