Originally, cottage gardens emerged in England in the late 19th century as a reaction to large, formal, country gardens. Cottage gardens offered the opportunity to grow fruit, vegetables and herbs in the countryside. Over time, flowers took an increasingly prominent place in these gardens.
The cottage garden has a simple rectangular layout with low hedges as partitions. This structure is softened by an abundance of dense planting overflowing into narrow paths. Plants commonly found in cottage gardens are foxglove, lavender, primrose, daisy, violet, delphinium, ornamental grasses and jasmine. Traditional roses remain a mainstay in the cottage garden, along with informal climbers and self-seeding annuals.
Traditional materials such as wood and local stone are used. Pots, decorations and furniture are also made of natural materials.
The plants, layout and materials are chosen to give the impression of casualness and rusticity.
