How to Create a Farmhouse Cottage Garden

I’ve been gardening all my adult life, and there’s something magical about walking out into the backyard and seeing beauty and bounty growing all around you. Whether it’s fresh herbs for dinner or a big bouquet of fragrant blooms for the kitchen table, a cottage garden makes every day feel a little more charming.

You don’t need a big backyard, either. Our yard is only a quarter-acre, and we’ve packed a lot into that small space. Even if you just have a balcony, porch, or sunny window, you can bring the feel of a farmhouse cottage garden to your home.

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What Is a Farmhouse Cottage Garden?

A farmhouse cottage garden is a relaxed and abundant garden style that blends ornamental beauty with practical use. Cottage gardens are all about abundance, whimsy, and natural beauty. They’re informal, often overflowing with flowers, herbs, and even vegetables, with a style that feels relaxed and romantic rather than manicured or rigid.

Think self-seeding flowers that pop up each year, winding paths, trellises heavy with vines, and borders bursting with mixed blooms. It’s beauty without too much fuss—perfectly imperfect.

Popular searches for this style include “cottage garden design ideas,” “backyard flower garden layout,” and “easy cottage garden plants.”

Planning Your Garden Space

Before planting anything, here are a few garden basics to help you get started:

• Know Your Zone: Use the USDA Plant Hardiness Map to find your gardening zone. This helps you choose plants that will survive your winters.
• Understand Your Soil: Clay, silt, sand, and loam are the main types. A soil test can tell you your pH, nutrients, and if you need amendments like compost or lime.
• Sunlight: Track how much sun your garden areas get throughout the day. Full-sun plants need at least six hours of direct sunlight.
• Start Small: If you’re just starting out, it’s okay to begin with a few containers or a small bed and build from there.

This step-by-step approach is a great starting point for anyone wondering how to begin a cottage garden from scratch.

Design Tips for That Cottage Garden Look

While cottage gardens are known for being informal, a little structure helps them thrive and feel balanced. Here are a few things I keep in mind when planting:

• Plant in Layers: Tall plants in the back, medium in the middle, and short in the front.
• Stick to a Color Palette: I mostly use pinks, whites, and yellows with pops of blue. Limiting colors helps the space feel cohesive.
• Plant in Threes: I like to repeat the same plant in three different spots. It makes the garden feel connected and full.
• Mix Bloom Times: Choose plants that flower in spring, summer, and fall for all-season color.
• Use Curves, Not Lines: Cottage gardens don’t follow strict lines. Gentle curves and overflowing borders add charm.

If you’re searching for “easy cottage garden ideas” or “how to design a flower bed,” these principles are a great place to begin.

One of my favorite garden design books is The Layered Garden by David L. Culp. It’s full of beautiful ideas for creating year-round interest.

One of my #goals gardens is the space created by Ann Scanlon of Old Castle Cottage. Her zone 6b gardens in Connecticut is one of the prettiest cottage gardens I’ve ever seen. She has a blog and a beautiful Instagram account @old_castle_cottage – She’s one to follow!

My Favorite Cottage Garden Plants

Here are some classic cottage garden flowers I grow in my yard (and yes, the deer love many of them):

Most of these are perennials or self-seeding annuals that return each year. In my fenced cut flower garden, I have better luck keeping the deer out and get to enjoy bringing flowers inside all season long.

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• Sweet Peas
• Sweet William (Dianthus)
• Hollyhocks
• Foxglove
• Oriental Poppies
• Clematis Vine
• Sweet Rocket
• Tiger Lilies
• Shrub Roses * David Austin Roses * Climbing Roses
• Garden Phlox
• Peonies
• Delphinium (Larkspur)
• Hydrangeas
• Dahlias
• Daylilies
• Hostas
• Cleome
• Shasta Daisies
• Bee Balm (Monarda)
• Blue False Indigo (Baptista)
• Irises

These selections are great if you’re looking for “low-maintenance perennial flowers.” that create a cottage farmhouse garden effect.

More Than Just Flowers

My cottage garden isn’t just about the flowers. We also have an herb garden and a kitchen garden with vegetables. I wish I had the property to add an orchard, but a few fruit bushes and containers of strawberries will have to do.

Herbs like lavender, thyme, oregano, and basil not only smell great, they also attract pollinators and look lovely among the flowers. And there’s nothing quite like harvesting dinner ingredients from just outside your back door.

Want to combine beauty and practicality? Search for ideas like “edible cottage garden design” or “herbs in flower beds.”

Add Character with Garden Structures

To really bring in that farmhouse cottage vibe, consider adding:

• A white picket fence or rustic wooden gate
• Gravel or brick garden paths
• Trellises, obelisks, or arches for climbing vines
• Window boxes overflowing with flowers
• Stone ledges or stacked rock borders
• A bench or vintage chair tucked under a tree

These elements add charm and also help define spaces within the garden.

My Best Gardening Tips

I’m a hobby gardener, not a master gardener, so these tips come from experience, trial, and plenty of error:

• Annuals are great for filling gaps and giving quick color.
• Keep up with deadheading to encourage more blooms.
• Divide perennials every few years to manage growth and get free plants.
• Mulch helps with weeds but won’t eliminate them entirely.
• Expect some plants to take over—stay on top of thinning and weeding.
• Keep it fun. If it starts to feel like a chore, scale back.

Gardening is my therapy. When I’m frustrated, I weed. When I need to think creatively, I move plants around or plan a new bed. And when I need beauty, I grab the scissors and gather a bouquet.

Final Thoughts

If you’re dreaming about a garden that’s beautiful, bountiful, and a little wild, a farmhouse cottage garden might be the perfect fit. Start small, plant what you love, and don’t stress if it’s not perfect.

Whether you’re searching for “simple garden ideas for beginners” or “how to grow a farmhouse style garden,” just remember: gardens evolve over time, just like we do. And sometimes, the magic comes in the messy middle.

Happy planting!

Peace & Love,

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