The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Few garden styles are as romantic and welcoming as the Englishcottage garden.
Here are some top plants to achieve anEnglish garden look.
Peachleaf Bellflower
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Several wonderfulbellflowerswill light up your garden.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The peachleaf bellflower (Campanula persicifolia) stays in bloom most of the summer.
Its long stems and abundance of buds make it a great cut flower and welcome garden plant.
They are a welcome sight.
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Pinks are short flowers, so keep them toward the front of your garden border.
You will enjoy their scent more if you plant them where you will brush up against them.
New varieties are introduced yearly, often in non-traditional colors other than pink.
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They are very drought-resistant and, because of their fragrance, not usually bothered by animals.
However,butterflies love them.
Delphiniums will bloom well into fall and can withstand light frosts.
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Hardy Geranium
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Hardy geraniums(Geraniumspp.
)are not the same plant as bright redPelargoniums, otherwise called zonal geraniums.
Traditional hardy geraniums bloom once, although the flowers can last several weeks.
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Newer varieties, such as the amazing ‘Rozanne’ will flower throughout the summer, with no deadheading needed.
you might choose from old-fashioned single flowers and fluffy double flowers.
Give your hollyhocks a spot with good airflow.
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If they remain damp for long periods, they can developrust fungus.
Japanese Anemone
For late-season splendor, nothing beats Japanese anemones (Anemonexhybrida).
Their bobbing, airy nature is perfectly at home in cottage gardens.
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Japanese anemones need moist but well-draining soil.
The plants can reach 4 ft. tall and may need some staking, especially the double-flowered varieties.
Ladys Mantle
Ladys mantle (Alchemilla mollis) is a fixture in most cottage gardens.
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Look for it sprawling along pathways and hiding the lower stems of roses.
The cup-shaped leaves have a layer of waxy fuzz that grabs hold of water droplets and rolls them about.
Delicate sprays of chartreuse flowers form the perfect complement to the rich green foliage.
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These are verylow-maintenance plants.
Lavender
English gardens are renowned for their lavenders (Lavandulaspp.
These varieties are well suited to Englands misty, temperate climate.
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If you live in less than temperate conditions, take heart.
There is stilla lavender for youto grow.
Remember that morelavender plantsdie from too much water than from too little.
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Give them well-draining soil.
Nothing else in the garden matters.
Peony plants canlive for decadesif they are happy in their surroundings.
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Their flower clusters can last well over a month.
The hummingbird moth is a phlox pollinator, so expect some visitors.
Primroses are woodland plants and will happilynaturalizeunder trees, but any lightly shaded spot will do.
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Roses
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Its hard to imagine an English garden without roses.
Climbing roses with an arbor or arch to climb over will definitely lend a cottage its garden charm.
Shrub roses can do double duty as support for sprawling plants and delicate vines likeclematis.
Be sure to check out some of the modern English roses, with their disease-resistance and heavenly scents.
Roses are a must-have flower in an English garden.
