A cottage garden should be well planned: from the arrangement of the beds and paths to the choice of plants and boundaries. Below you will find ideas and tips for suitable types of vegetables and fruit as well as instructions for planning your cottage garden step by step.

Flowers and vegetables grow side by side in the cottage garden

Planning a cottage garden

The most important thing when creating a cottage garden is the planning. It is best to do this on a sheet of paper, the bigger the better.

  • Measure the area that is intended for the cottage garden and transfer the dimensions and shape to the paper.
  • Draw in trees, shrubs, walls and other existing non-movable elements.
  • Mark shady areas and heavily sunny areas.
  • Now lay out the individual beds on your sketch. In the classic construction of a cottage garden there is a fountain or a tree in the middle and beds and paths are arranged symmetrically around it.
  • Think carefully about how many and which beds you want to use for growing vegetables and fruit. Consider the shade and sun places. Most vegetables and fruits do better in the sun.
  • Do you want to create a raised bed? Raised beds make gardening easier and are easier to protect against pests.

Fruits and vegetables in the cottage garden

Fruit and vegetables are just as much a part of the cottage garden as colorful flower beds. If you plan your cottage garden well, you can harvest all year round. Here is a brief overview of the most popular fruits and vegetables and when they are sown and harvested.

vegetables

vegetables sowing harvest time
cauliflower and broccoli May to June June to October
beans May to July July to October
Chinese cabbage June to July September to October
peas March to June June to August
Lamb's lettuce October to March April to June and September/October
Kale July October to March
cucumber mid-May to June June to October
carrots March to June July to November
potatoes April to June July to September
Kohlrabi March to June June to October
pumpkin mid-May to June June to October
chard April to August July to October
spinach March April March, May to June
tomatoes May June July to October
zucchini mid-May to June June to October

fruit

fruit sowing harvest time
blueberry March to April July to September
strawberries April to May June to October
wild strawberries April to May May to September

herbs

herbs Outdoor sowing harvest time
basil May to July July to October
leaf coriander May to July July to October
savory March to June June to September
dill May to July July to September
garden cress March to October all year round
lavender May to July Mid May to September
lovage May to July and September to November March to November
marjoram May July to September
Parsely April to May May to December
pepper June August to October
rosemary April to June May to September
arugula mid-May to mid-July April to October
chives mid-March to mid-May July to November
thyme May to mid-June mid-April to mid-November

The complete harvest and sowing calendar can be found here.
When planting your vegetable beds, be sure to observe the crop rotation. Heavy feeders may only be planted in one place every four years and certain types of vegetables should not be planted in the same place, e.g. cabbage. Tomatoes, on the other hand, always thrive best in the same place.

Colorful flowers in the cottage garden

It should be colorful in the cottage garden. But you should also plan the sowing of the cottage garden flowers. Plant shorter plants at the edge of the bed and taller plants further back. Here you will find information on the growth height of the most beautiful cottage garden flowers. You save a lot of work when you plant perennials. We have put together a selection of the loveliest cottage garden perennials for you here.

tips

Delimit your cottage garden with a self-made fence. Instructions for building your own can be found here.

Category:

Garden design