Cottage Garden Design

• Learn about the history, plants and hard landscape components associated with cottage style gardens
• Learn to design a cottage garden
• Broaden your landscaping skills and increase your business and employment opportunities

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction: Garden components, preplanning information, design principles.
2. Designing a Cottage Garden: Landscape drawing (graphics), design procedure.
3. History of Cottage Gardens
4. Plants for Cottage Gardens
5. Planting Design in Cottage Gardens
6. Features and Components of Cottage Gardens today: Arches, furniture, lattice, sundials, barriers and walls.
7. Cottage Gardens Today
8. Designing a Complete Cottage Garden.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Explain the concept of a cottage garden.
• Prepare concept plans for cottage gardens.
• Prepare planting designs for cottage gardens.
• Plan the incorporation of appropriate non-living landscape features in a cottage garden.
• Prepare a detailed design for a cottage garden.

What You Will Do

• Explain the concept of a cottage garden, both in historical and modern contexts.
• Explain the influence of one famous landscaper on cottage gardens.
• Explain the relevance of garden design concepts to cottage gardens, including: *Unity *Balance *Proportion *Harmony *Contrast *Rhythm *Line *Form *Mass *Space *Texture *Colour *Tone.
• Analyse the designs of three cottage gardens inspected by you.
• Describe the steps involved, accompanied by a sequence of illustrations, in the planning process for a cottage garden.
• Develop a checklist of pre-planning information required for a proposed cottage garden on a specific site.
• Compile pre-planning information for a specific site, for a proposed cottage garden, through an interview with a potential client, and surveying the site.
• Prepare drawings to represent landscape features on a cottage garden plan, including trees, shrubs, herbs, walls, rocks, buildings and other landscape features.
• Analyse the designs of three different cottage gardens, inspected by you.
• Prepare different cottage garden concept plans for the same site, to satisfy given design specifications and pre-planning information.
• Prepare a plant collection of fifty-cottage garden plants, which includes: *A photo, drawing or pressed specimen of each plant *Plant names (scientific and common) *Cultural details *Uses/applications in garden design.
• Prepare a planting plan for a garden bed of 20 to 30 square metres in a cottage garden style, including: *A sketch plan *A plant list.
• Design a perennial border of 30 metres in length, in an appropriate cottage garden style.
• Design a 50 to 100 square metre garden bed, which incorporates companion planting principles.
• Evaluate the companion planting design in a cottage garden visited by you.
• Design a colour themed garden, such as a white garden, for an area of 200 square metres or less, to suit a proposed garden redevelopment, on a site visited by you.
• Describe briefly, different non-living features that may be included in a cottage garden, including: *Seating alternatives *Bird baths *Sun dials *Fountains *Statues *Pergolas *Gazebos *Fencing *Ponds *Weather vanes.
• Determine criteria for inclusion of different landscape features in a cottage garden, including: *Gazebos *Ornaments *Arbors *Tub plants *Water features *Paths.
• Compare the characteristics, including: *Suitability for a cottage garden *Cost *Availability *Longevity *Appearance *Maintenance, of different landscape materials.
• Explain the use of plant sculpting, including topiary and hedging, in cottage garden designs; including references to: *Ways of creating it *Ways of using it *Maintenance.
• Analyse, in a report including photographs, the use of different structures as features, in the designs of two different cottage gardens, visited by you.
• Prepare cottage garden concept plans, one each for different specified sites, which incorporate different types of features sympathetic to cottage or heritage gardens.
• Develop a brief for a cottage garden design, for the redevelopment of an established garden around an old building in your locality.
• Analyse the designs of two different well established cottage gardens visited by you.
• Compile pre-planning information for a specified cottage garden development.
• Prepare detailed plans for a cottage garden (following industry standards), including:
  • *Detailed plans *Materials lists *Costings.
• Explain the reasoning behind a cottage garden you designed.

Tips For Creating Cottage Gardens

What is a Cottage Garden?

Traditionally cottage gardens were a random mixture of useful and ornamental plants, with more emphasis being given to the useful plants which could be eaten, used for medicinal purposes, or as animal forage. The ornamental plants were an afterthought, using colourful and easily grown annuals, herbaceous perennials and small shrubs to brighten the garden, space permitting.

These days the best cottage gardens are carefully designed to give a pleasing arrangement of ornamental plants, herbs, vegetables, garden ornaments and accessories. Cottage plants are generally chosen with more forethought, although colour and abundance are still the most important features. Anyone can throw down a handful of seeds and within a few weeks have a wildly profuse and colourful bed of poppies, hollyhocks, nasturtiums and the like, but it takes rather more planning to create a cottage garden that looks charming throughout the year.

Broad Guidelines for Using Plants in Cottage Gardens

Dense plantings - using fast-growing annuals and herbaceous perennials will help to create the effect quicker.
• Self-seeding plants – these are used to perpetuate the effect. Use plants such as Myosotis (Forget-me-nots), Escholtzia californica (Californian poppies), Alyssum, Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion), Tropaeolum majus (Nasturtium) and Viola betonicifolia.
• Scented plants – bring fragrance into a garden and stimulates the senses.
• Contrasting foliage plants – provides an avenue to produce focal points and places of interest.
• Lawns are kept to a minimum – this allows maximum use of flowering plants and garden ornaments.
• Climbers – these are used to screen sheds, fences, other bad views, etc.
• The front garden is designed to showcase the plants right to the street.

Within these broad guidelines, gardening styles vary greatly. Some cottage gardeners like neatly mulched beds with colour-coordinated plantings; others like their garden to be functional, growing herbs and vegetables amongst the ornamental plants; and yet others prefer the romantic, slightly unkempt look which is easily attained with cottage plants.

Paths
Paths are an important structural component of cottage gardens. Paths leading to the front door tend to be straight, sometimes with an island garden bed in the middle. Other paths wind around the garden, separating and defining the beds.

The construction materials used for paths shouldn’t be visually intrusive - crushed gravel, old bricks or stepping stones are popular. Terracotta edging tiles or bricks are often used for edging paths and beds.

Garden Accessories
These are essential components of the cottage garden. They evoke the spirit of the traditional cottage gardens, and more importantly, when everything else in the garden looks bare and drab in winter, they give the garden a sense of structure and visual interest.

Cottage Garden Features

Arches - either metal or wooden, placed over paths and covered with climbing plants.

Arbours – usually covered with climbers, to cover garden seats.

Lattice – for screening sheds and fences and for supporting climbers.

Picket fences – low painted or plain pickets are popularly used as front fences.

Rustic ornaments – usually old, although reproduction pieces are readily available. Ornaments include stone troughs, cast iron water pumps, wooden casks, farm implements.

Garden furniture – Simple wooden or metal furniture including garden benches.

Pots – terracotta is very popular and within every bodies price range. Other pots can be made of granite, sandstone, etc.

Statuary – garden statues are very popular in cottage gardens. The placement of small figures (such as a concrete girl holding a basket) is important to generate a feeling of peacefulness and past times. There are hundreds of figurines and statues for garden owners to select from nurseries and garden centres.

Ornaments – weathervanes and sundials are frequently used in cottage gardens. When it comes to sundials, select one that is appropriate for your district otherwise it may not tell the right time.

Plants Commonly Used In Cottage Gardens

The possibilities are just about endless, but the following plants are commonly found in cottage gardens.

Annuals/Biennials
Althaea rosea (Hollyhock)
Antirrhinum majus (Snapdragon)
Calendula officinalis (Marigold)
Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William)
Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove)
Helichrysum bracteatum (annual forms) (Everlasting Daisy)
Helianthus annuus (Sunflower)
Lobularia maritima (Alyssum)
Matthiola incana (Stock)
Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-mist)
Oenothera biennis (Evening Primrose)
Papaver species & cultivars (Poppies)
Petunia cultivars
Primula malacoides, P x polyantha cultivars (Primulas)
Tagetes cultivars (Mariogolds)
Tropaeolum majus (Nasturtium)
Viola x hybrida (Pansies)

Bulbs
Alstroemeria cultivars (Peruvian Lily)
Amarylllis belladonna (Belladonna Lily)
Convallaria majalis (Lily of the Valley)
Crocosmia species (Montbretia)
Crocus sativa (Saffron Crocus)
Cyrtanthus species (Ifafa Lily)
Eucharis grandiflora (Amazon Lily)
Freesia species & cultivars (Freesias)
Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrops)
Gladiolus species & cultivars
Hyacinthus (Hyacinths)
Iris species & cultivars
Lachenalia species (Soldiers)
Leucojum species (Snowflakes)
Lilium species and cultivars (Lilies)
Narcissus species & cultivars (Daffodils & Jonquils)
Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)
Proiphys cunninghamii (Brisbane Lily)
Ranunculus hybrids & species (Buttercups)
Scilla (Bluebells)
Sprekelia formosissima (Jacobean Lily)
Tritonia crocata (Blazing Star)
Tulbaghia violacea (Garlic Flower)
Watsonia cultivars (Watsonia)
Zantedeschia cultivars (Arum/Calla Lily)
Zephyranthes candida (Storm Lily)

Herbaceous Perennials
Acanthus mollis (Oyster Plant)
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow)
Agapanthus cultivars (Agapanthus)
Anemone coronaria (Windflower)
Aquilegia vulgaris (Columbine or Granny’s Bonnet)
Begonia semperflorens (Bedding Begonia)
Brachyscome multifida (Brachyscome Daisy)
Canna indica (Canna Lillies)
Clivia miniata (Kaffir Lily)
Dianthus species & cultivars (Carnations & Pinks)
Hedychium gardnerianum (Ginger Lily)
Helleborus species (such as H. niger, H. orientalis)
Hydrangea species & cultivars
Hymenocallis species (Spider Lily)
Iberis species & cultivars (Candytufts)
Impatiens (Balsam)
Phlox (perennial types)
Salvia sclarea (Clary Sage)

Herbs
Allium sativum (Garlic)
Allium schoenoprasum (Chives)
Anethum graveolens (Dill)
Angelica archangelica (Angelica)
Borago officinalis (Borage)
Carum carvi (Caraway)
Cichorium intybus (Chicory)
Coriandrum sativum (Coriander)
Echinacea purpurea (Echanacea)
Hyssopus officinalis (Hyssop)
Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm)
Mentha x piperita (Peppermint)
Monarda didyma (Bergamot)
Nepeta cataria (Catnip) & Nepeta mussinii (Catmint)
Ocimum basilicum (Basil)
Origanum majorana (Marjoram)
Origanum vulgare (Oregano)
Petroselinum crispum (Parsley)
Ruta graveolens (Rue)
Salvia officinalis (Common Sage)
Satureja hortensis & S. Montana (Savories)
Thymus (Thyme)

Shrubs
Artemisia absinthium, A. abrotanum
Azalea & Rhododendrons (all cultivars)
Buddleia davidii (Butterfly Bush)
Camellia (all cultivars)
Cistis species & cultivars (Rock Roses)
Convolvulus cneorum (Silver bush)
Dendrathema frutescens (Marguerite Daisy)
Echium fastuosum (Pride of Madeira)
Erica cultivars (Heathers & Heaths)
Erysimum chieri (Wallflower)
Euryops pectinatus
Fuchsia species & cultivars
Hebe species & cultivars (Veronicas)
Heliotropium arborescens (Cherry Pie)
Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender)
Leptospermum ‘Aussie Blossom’
Loreopetalum cultivars (Fringe Flower)
Myrtus communis (Sweet Myrtle)
Phlomis fruticosa (Jerusalem Sage)
Raphiolepis species and cultivars (Indian Hawthorn)
Rosa species & cultivars (Roses)
Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)
Salvia leucantha (Mexican Sage) and other species and cutlivars
Syringa vulgaris cultivars (Lilac)
Viburnum tinus (Laurustinus)

Food Plants
Actinidia deliciosa (Kiwifruit)
Citrus limon (Lemon)
Cydonia oblonga (Quince)
Diospyros kaki (Persimmon)
Eriobotrya japonica (Loquat)
Eugenia brasiliensis (Grumichama)
Feijoa sellowiana (Feijoa)
Ficus carica (Fig)
Fragaria x ananassa (Strawberries)
Litchi chinensis (Litchi)
Malus domestica (Apples)
Mangifera indica (Mango)
Mesipilus germanica (Medlar)
Morus alba & M. nigra (White & Black Mulberries)
Olea europae (Olive)
Passiflora edulis (Passionfruit)
Prunus amygdalus (Almonds)
Prunus armeniaca (Apricots)
Prunus avium (Cherries)
Prunus domestica (European Plum)
Prunus persica (Peach & Nectarine)
Prunus salicina (Japanese plum)
Punica granatum (Pomegranate)
Psidium littorale (Guava)
Pyrus communis (Pear)
Pyrus pyrifolia (Nashi)
Ribes species & cultivars (Black currant, White Currant , Red Currant, Gooseberry)
Rubus species & cultivars (Raspberries, Blackberries, Brambleberries, Dewberries)
Vitis vinifera (Grapes)

Climbers
Clematis vitalba & C. montana cultivars
Jasminum species such as J. officinale, J. nudiflorum, J. polyanthum
Lathyrus odoratus (Flowering Pea)
Pandorea jasminoides & P. pandorana (Wonga Wongo Vine)
Phaseolus vigna (Snail Vine)
Pyrostegia venusta (Orange Creeper Vine)
Pelargonium peltatum cultivars (Ivy-leaved Geraniums)
Quisqualis indica (Rangoon Creeper)
Rosa – climbing types (Climbing Roses)
Tecomanthe hillii
Thunbergia species

Warm Tropical Plants
It is sometimes difficult to image the creation of a ’cottage garden’ in the warm humid conditions of the topics and subtopics but with careful planning it is possible to produce a ‘tropical version of the cottage theme’.
Some of the plants listed above are suitable however many of the plants are not.

Ideally select plants that grow well in your area then arrange them in the fashion typical of a cottage garden. This may involve using ‘non-traditional’ cottage plants such as gardenias, gingers, ixora, hibiscus, poinsettias, climbers like Ipomea horsfalliae, etc.

Some of our Horticulture Tutors

Maggi Brown Cert.Ed.(Environment)
Maggi is regarded as an expert in Organic Growing throughout the UK, having worked for two decades as Education Officer at the world renowned Henry Doubleday Research Association (now Garden Organic). She has been active in education, environmental management and horticulture across the UK for more them three decades.

Yvonne Sharpe RHS Cert.Hort, Dip.Hort, M.Hort, Cert.Ed., Dip.Mgt.
Over 30 years of experience in horticulture, education and management, Yvonne hastravelled widely within and beyond Europe, and has worked in many areas of horticulture from garden centres to horticultural therapy. She has served on industry committees and been actively involved with amateur garden clubs for decades. Yvonne is also a member of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG).

John L. Mason Dip.Hort.Sc., Sup'n Cert., FIOH, FPLA, FAIH, MACHPER, MASA
Mr Mason has had over 40 years experience in the fields of Horticulture, Business, Education and Journalism. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. He has held positions ranging from Nurseryman and Landscape Designer to Director of Parks and Recreation (City of Essendon) and magazine editor.
John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over forty books and of over two thousand magazine articles. Even today, John has written a number of best selling reference texts used by horticultural courses at universities and colleges internationally. His publishers include Simon and Shuster, and Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing

Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA
Gavin has over 20 years of industry experience in  Landscaping, Publishing, Business and Psychology. He was operations manager for a highly reputable British Landscape firm (The Chelsea Gardener) before starting up his own firm. He has exhibited at Chelsea Flower Show, and designed gardens across England and Australia.  He spent the best part of three years working in our Gold Coast office, partly as a writer for Your Backyard (gardening magazine), and partly as a tutor in both psychology and horticulture.

Martin Powdrill, Bsc (Hons) Applied Science (Resources Option), MSc Computer Studies, Permaculture Design Certificate. Martin’s goal as a catalyst for sustainable change brings together his strengths and experience in his environmental, project management, and business backgrounds. For 25 years, Martin has been involved in Telecommunications, IT, Organisational Development, and Energy Conservation & Efficiency, prior to setting up his own Permaculture consulting business. He wishes to make a real difference to people and the planet, by actively bringing new perspectives to current challenges and exciting opportunities. To realise this, he enables diverse groups of people to flourish and release their untapped potential, by re-igniting their passion and creativity. Additionally, Martin volunteers with many local environmental and community groups, and facilitates discussions on climate change, peak oil, and transition towns. Martin has an allotment, and is currently enrolled in the Scottish Mountain Bike Leader Award programme.

Rosemary Davies Dip Hort Sc.    Rosemary trained in Horticultural Applied Science at Burnley, a campus of Melbourne University. Initially she worked with Department of Agriculture Victoria as an extension officer (Garden Advisory Service), taught horticulture students, worked on radio with ABC radio (clocking up over 24 years as a presenter of garden talkback programs, initially the only woman presenter on gardening in Victoria) and she simultaneously developed a career as a writer. She is author of several booka and hundreds of articles.

Diana Cole B.A. (Hons), Higher Dip. (Garden Design), RHS Advanced Cert. Horticulture, Cert Admin.Mgt., Dip. Inst. Personnel Management In addition to her RHS horticulture, garden design, City & Guild construction, NPTC pesticide/legislation and business/management qualifications, Diana has a variety of skills drawn from setting up Arbella Gardens, a landscape gardening business. She also has administrative, management and training delivery experience drawn from her employment in other organisations such as the NHS and other educational institutions such as schools & universities. She has augmented her training expertise having gained the Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Learning Sector qualification. She also has experience gained through working as a volunteer in a number of different roles including amenity style gardening in parks and practical conservation work. Diana is also a member of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Limited (NSALG).

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