Poppies are plants that are always associated with cottage gardens, especially the giant oriental poppy, Papaver orientale. This is a tough resilient character that will flourish in almost any soil providing that it is in full sun. Attaining a height of a metre (yard) or more, the typical oriental poppy has dark red silky blossoms [...]

The true musk, Mimulus moschatus, was grown extensively in cottage gardens by our grandparents for its delicious heady fra­grance. Indeed, apart from being grown in the open garden it was raised in pots for the window ledge. Without its scent it would never have made any impact, for it is a rather uninspiring character which [...]

The levels of the site must now be con­sidered and the drainage scheme laid. The manner in which surface levels can be dis­covered was described earlier, and any un­desirable lumps and hollows should be levelled out with a spade. Drainage can then be undertaken, the method and materials employed being more directly related to the [...]

These essential preliminaries having been completed, the basis of a successful garden will lie before one. Irrespective of the time of year that the garden is started, it is a good policy to turn up uncultivated soil in hefty lumps to allow it to weather. Most advan­tage will be gained by autumn digging, for then [...]

Selection of the correct hedging subject for your particular soil, location and visual need is only part of the story. Good hedges do not just happen, they originate from careful soil preparation and aftercare. Mark out the site of your hedge and then prepare an area one metre (one yard) wide for the entire length. [...]

Trees and shrubs should be planted as early as possible in the development of the garden so that they can be growing while the rest of the operations are going on. They can be planted at any time during their dormancy period, which extends from autumn through to early spring. Garden centres offer trees and [...]

What about some of the annual dianthus or pinks and carnations? Nowadays there are some superb strains about, many of which are made for cottage garden display. The modern Fleuroselect winning ‘Telstar’, a much refined and long-flowering sweet william-like pink with a colour range that embraces all the old fashioned shades. True carnation-type flowers can [...]

Herbaceous plants can be planted at any period during the dormant season. This lasts from mid-autumn until early spring, although it is possible now to plant con­tainer grown perennials all the year round. Unfortunately this restricts the diversity of plant material at your disposal as only plants that do well in containers are sold that [...]

There is no such thing as a standard cottage garden. Every person’s idea of what one should be has been tempered or enhanced by the experiences of life. Some may have been fortunate enough to have grown up in a cottage with a traditional garden, or maybe in a village where cottage gardens were a [...]

Decorative grasses are very much under­rated in the ornamental garden, yet they provide such a diversity of shape size and colour. Almost all fit in well with a cottage garden atmosphere even if they are not strictly of the correct historical period. The only grasses that I have doubts about using in situations that we [...]