The opulently romantic cottage garden is the perfect counter-concept to the noble, modern garden design. If you don't like a deliberately sparse look of stones and grass, you can transfer the lavish splendor of plants from historic monastery gardens to your front garden. You can find out here which components make the plan successful.

The colorful blossoms are reminiscent of historic cottage gardens

Basic elements in the historical floor plan - an overview

Since the Middle Ages, the concept of the cottage garden has undergone a variety of developments. These were primarily reflected in the contemporary planting. In contrast, the historic floor plan has survived to this day. These components form your front yard into an authentic cottage garden:

  • Framework: 4 rectangular or square beds with an evergreen or flowering border
  • Route as a cross to get to the entrance and the beds
  • Center: small tree, shrub, fountain, rose roundel or garden sculpture

A picket fence, a low dry stone wall or a green picket fence act as a boundary to the street. Path coverings made of gravel or bark mulch round off the stylish appearance. Integrate natural stone slabs in the entrance to the front door as stepping stones.

Characteristic plants for the cottage garden

Design the front yard as a cottage garden, dominating decorative aspects and fewer criteria of self-sufficiency. This change finds expression in the correspondingly modified planting plan. Vegetable plants are only included here if they boast a beautiful flower or shape. We have compiled typical plants for the modern cottage garden for you below:

  • Picturesque perennials: peonies (Päonia), carnations (Dianthus barbatus 'Nigrescens') or sun bride (Helenium)
  • Flowers: Levkoje (Matthiola), gladioli (Gladiolus), marigolds (Calendula officinalis), lupins (Lupinus)
  • Fence watchers: hollyhocks (Alcea), marshmallow (Althaea cannabina), dahlias (Dalia), clematis (Clematis)
  • Decorative vegetables: Chicory (Cichorium intybus), Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, red cabbage ((Brassica oleraceae ssp.)

Symbolic Marian flowers, which give your front garden authenticity as a cottage garden, are very popular. The milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is one of them, as is the Madonna lily (Lilium candidum). Above all, the columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) should not be missing in this round dance, because the perennial symbolizes the seven sorrows of the Blessed Mother.

tips

Boxwood is on the decline as a border plant due to the boxwood moth and leaf fall disease. The Japanese holly (Illex crenata), which looks confusingly similar to a Buxus sempervirens and therefore does not contradict the historical concept, has proven itself as an alternative for edging beds in cottage gardens.

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Care tips