In the realm of gardening, creating large swaths of vibrant colors, known as “drifts,” can greatly enhance the visual appeal of a long, narrow planting area. The captivating display of deep pink dahlias found in the gardens of the Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire beautifully contrasts against the backdrop of lush, espaliered cherry trees. This clever use of structure and contrast adds a dynamic element to the overall design, capturing the attention of onlookers.
@edenrowegardens / Instagram
The English garden is famous for its use of hedges, which serve to create both high and low walls. This architectural element adds a strong contrast to the more relaxed and natural shapes found in cottage style plantings. In an Oxfordshire garden, there is a magnificent topiary hedge that serves as a stunning backdrop to the airy and delicate flowers in the borders. The stunning shades of pink, rose, and purple in the flowers complement the deep green hedges and trees. This creates a beautiful and harmonious color palette within the garden.
Is there anything more quintessentially English than a beautiful climbing pink rose? According to Gertrude Jekyll, roses are an essential element in any English garden. In Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this garden benefits from mild spring and summer temperatures, which provide the perfect conditions for this climbing rose to thrive. When we think of English roses, we often think of their luxurious scents, and luckily, there are several scented pink climbers available, such as ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ (a medium warm pink), ‘Pearly Gates’ (a light pink), ‘New Dawn’ (a very pale pink), and ‘Pretty in Pink Eden’ (ranging from medium to dark pink).
Peg Aloi highlights the versatility of boxwood shrubs in landscaping, particularly in elegant English gardens. However, in this specific front yard arrangement, the display is kept simple and casual. The background consists of large ferns while some basic annual geraniums are placed in the foreground. Maintaining the rounded shape of the shrubs is a hassle-free task with the use of an electric or battery-powered hedge trimmer. Even in autumn, the boxwoods retain their attractive shade of green, and they remain evergreen throughout the winter. Moving on to the next point out of the 30 mentioned below, we have a vibrant burst of color.
@andrewduffgardendesign on Instagram showcases a serene garden area that has been thoughtfully designed to incorporate bursts of vibrant color year-round. In this particular snapshot, the striking blue hue of the catmint flowers (specifically the ‘Six Hills Giant’ cultivar) alongside the delicate blue iris create captivating patches of color that beautifully stand out against the softer tones of pale pink and white blooms, as well as the natural hues of the gravel pathway and rustic clay pots. Keep scrolling to view more stunning garden imagery!
English gardens are known for their formal designs, with carefully arranged rose gardens and well-structured herbaceous borders. However, it’s not just these flower beds that display a sense of formality. Even vegetable gardens can incorporate geometric shapes and tightly-packed plantings to create a visually pleasing design. Take, for example, the early autumn garden at The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in southwest London. In this garden, a variety of delicious greens and herbs are arranged in a way that maximizes space and creates an eye-catching display. Whether you have a large or small garden, this space-saving technique can be implemented to create a stunning design.
@edenrowegardens / Instagram
Who says a narrow walkway can’t be filled with beautiful plants? This charming English-style garden proves that even limited space can be transformed into a lush and inviting path. With carefully curated trellised vines, shrubs, trees, and towering perennials, this walkway is bursting with greenery from both sides. It’s like walking through a garden meadow, creating a delightful experience for anyone who strolls along this path.
Continue exploring more captivating garden inspirations with the remaining 22 photos.
@andrewduffgardendesign
/ InstagramIn England, it is quite common to find expansive English gardens that deliberately leave certain areas of the lawn unmowed, giving rise to a beautiful wild meadow. These untamed grasses, known as “rough grass,” not only grow thickly to prevent the growth of weeds but also provide ample space for wildflowers to bloom and propagate. This unique combination attracts pollinators and wildlife, resulting in a vibrant and lively ecosystem. Positioned at the boundary where the meticulously groomed lawn meets the untamed meadow, this serene seating area features a metal bench, offering an ideal spot to take in the picturesque view.
Continue to the ninth image in the series of thirty below.
9 of 30: Vertical Cottage Blooms
Choosing the perfect flower for an English cottage garden design can be quite challenging. However, one essential element for achieving a stunning and dramatic look, as well as adding depth and height, is tall vertical blooms. Foxgloves, salvias, lupines, delphiniums, monkshood, asters, and daisies are just a few examples of taller perennials that can beautifully contribute to the classic cottage garden aesthetic. Moving on to number 10 out of 30, we’ll explore a combination of formal and wild elements in garden design.
@edenrowegardens
On the picturesque grounds of an old abbey in Oxfordshire, a magnificent manor house stands tall. Surrounding it, a charming field filled with an abundance of wild flowers captures the beauty of the spring season. Amongst these flowers, the striking cornflowers, with their vibrant colors, glisten under the gentle rays of the sun. The juxtaposition of the grand manor and the delicate wildflowers creates a scene of sheer awe, especially during the glorious moments of sunrise and sunset. Let’s move on to the next captivating sight on our journey through Eden Rowe Gardens – the graceful espaliered fruit trees. Stay tuned!
Peg Aloi shares that numerous English gardens boast espaliered fruit trees, which is a clever French method of training trees to grow horizontally against walls or fences. This technique not only maximizes space but also adds an aesthetically pleasing element to the garden. A prime example can be found at the Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire, where beautiful apple trees are espaliered on a brick garden wall. These trees, along with an assortment of flowers and other fruit trees in a small orchard just beyond the wall, contribute to the estate’s vibrant and diverse landscape. Moving on to the next photo, number 12 out of 30, we are greeted with a lovely display of soft autumn colors.
Peg Aloi’s description of the Grantchester garden near Cambridge portrays a charmingly untamed appearance, characterized by delicate hues of late-season flowers and the presence of numerous untrimmed seed heads. This style of gardening, commonly observed in English gardens, involves allowing plants to go to seed in the autumn, serving both as a source of sustenance for wildlife and as a means to create a naturally disheveled aesthetic, brimming with an assortment of textures and vibrant colors. Moving forward to the 13th point out of a total of 30, Aloi delves into the diverse facets of drama, formality, and informality in garden settings.
@edenrowegardens showcased the beauty of their garden in Kent with the exquisite combination of large boxwood topiary shapes and delicate perennials. The solid presence of the topiaries provides a striking backdrop for the organic forms of the surrounding plants. Through the use of extensive plantings, this garden effortlessly achieves both a visually captivating display and low-maintenance care. The vibrant hues of yellow tansy, red and yellow coreopsis, and silvery artemisia create a harmonious balance of warm and cool tones, enhancing the overall palette of lush greens. Explore more of this captivating garden as we move on to the next image.
@thepsychgarden on Instagram showcases the charm of an English cottage garden that is bursting with a diverse array of flowers. This garden not only captivates with a vibrant display of colors but also mesmerizes with its various shapes, textures, and heights. While the echinacea steals the spotlight with its stunning purple hue, it is worth noting how it harmoniously coexists with the soothing sky blue veronica, the elegant silver artemisia, and the delicate lavender alliums. The round forms of the flowers offer a delightful contrast to the vertical shapes and intricate textures in the background. The beauty of this garden is truly a sight to behold. Explore more of this enchanting garden by scrolling through the remaining pictures.
On Instagram, @tradchap showcases how England’s mild weather creates the perfect environment for a variety of plants to thrive throughout most of the year. This London gardener effortlessly combines both tropical and resilient perennials, resulting in an abundant and vibrant urban oasis. By utilizing containers, tropical plants can also be protected during the colder months, ensuring they survive until the next season. Let’s explore more of these delightful garden ideas in the following section.
@edenrowegardens on Instagram showcases a unique approach to herbaceous borders in this charming garden located in Belgium. Unlike the neatly edged and manicured borders commonly seen in English gardens, this garden allows the late spring perennials to spill over their edges and cascade onto the walkway with a beautiful and abundant display. Various perennials, such as salvias, phlox, perennial geranium, and coreopsis, lend themselves well to this style, forming clumps of vibrant colors throughout the garden. Even the large peonies join the riot of colors, leaning gracefully wherever their heavy blooms take them. This garden truly celebrates the beauty of nature in all its lushness and freedom.
English gardens often showcase a harmonious blend of colors, particularly during the late season. However, there is no rule that late season color must be limited to the typical warm autumn hues. Take for example the stunning garden at King’s College, Cambridge. Here, a delightful assortment of pinks and purples take center stage, featuring beautiful flowers such as asters, anemones, cosmos, nicotiana, and foxgloves. Their combination creates a captivating burst of vibrant colors that is simply breathtaking. Moving on to the next photo, we encounter a garden that exhibits an almost symmetrical design.
The National Trust garden showcases a unique take on formal symmetry, deviating slightly from the norm to create a harmonious and intentional atmosphere. Instead of perfectly mirrored paths, the garden features herbaceous borders with vibrant purple alliums on both sides, giving off a charmingly informal cottage feel. The mature wisteria trees also add a touch of symmetry, although not in a traditional sense. The only elements that are truly identical are the spiral-trimmed shrubs in ceramic pots at the entrance of a stone building. These similarities guide the viewer’s gaze, creating a visual journey that connects various shapes and colors. Moving on to the next image, we come across the enchanting “Green Steps” scene.
20 out of 30 features bold cottage containers in the English garden. In the lyrics of Jethro Tull’s “Jack in the Green,” it mentions the grass growing through the pavement, symbolizing the resilient nature of plants. English gardens often embrace this untamed growth, allowing nature to flourish. To achieve a slightly overgrown aesthetic, stone steps adorned with creeping sedum are incorporated. Additionally, the garden is adorned with various ground covers such as sedum and euphorbia along the walkway, as well as plantings of daylilies, ivy, and grasses to fill in different surface areas.
@tradchap
/ InstagramEmbracing the use of containers can effortlessly bring about a cottage garden aesthetic. The vibrant hues of the ‘Thomas Edison’ dahlias and the red and pink variegated annual geraniums serve to enliven the neutral tones of the house. Moreover, the entryway exudes a clean yet rustic charm with the presence of flagstone pavers and natural gravel, a trendy addition in numerous urban landscapes nowadays.Keep scrolling to discover more stunning garden designs!
In the realm of English garden design, the significance of color is undeniable, but it is equally vital to appreciate the interplay of shapes and textures. The captivating fusion of textures showcased in this particular garden enhances the myriad of serene and captivating green hues. Let’s move on to the next image in our visual journey.
Hanging baskets filled with vibrant annual flowers can bring a touch of excitement to any garden that thrives during three seasons. It’s a common sight for English pubs to decorate their outdoor spaces and exteriors with these eye-catching baskets and window boxes. In the charming county of Cambridgeshire, a picturesque old pub with a thatched roof has embraced this tradition, adorning its surroundings with abundant pots overflowing with begonias, impatiens, petunias, and trailing ivy. The result is a fairy tale-like ambiance that adds to the pub’s enchanting appeal. Let’s move on to the next point.
@edenrowegardens/ Instagram
Many English gardens may feature meticulously pruned topiaries and hedges, but there is an equal number that embrace a more untamed and wild appearance. This particular English-style garden located in Connecticut embodies a delightful sense of freedom. While the boxwoods remain neatly trimmed, an arbor adorned with a sprawling vine bursts with vibrant blooms. The shrubs and trees retain their natural, unpruned state for the time being, and the stone stairs are adorned with a variety of colorful creeping groundcovers. The combination of textures and shapes creates a dynamic and unexpected contrast. While trimming can always be done, it is sometimes refreshing to see a garden let loose and embrace its natural beauty.
Continue to the 24th image out of 30 for a glimpse of rustic containers.
@thepsychgarden on Instagram showcases the classic charm of English cottage gardens with a unique twist. One common feature that stands out is the use of old stone planters. While these may be more difficult to find in the United States, there are plenty of resin and plaster alternatives that offer the same vintage, rustic appeal. The garden cleverly utilizes these containers throughout the year, showcasing evergreen boxwoods as well as vibrant tulips and early-blooming woodland phlox in spring. As you scroll through the feed, you’ll also stumble upon the enchanting sight of a pollinator paradise, attracting a diverse array of beneficial insects to the garden. This delightful Instagram account truly captures the essence of a relaxed and harmonious garden setting.
@ladylandscape / Instagram
If you don’t have enough space for herbaceous borders, there’s still a way to transform your patio into a charming English cottage-style retreat for pollinators. By incorporating certain plants, you can attract hummingbirds and other pollinators to your outdoor space. An arbor adorned with a lush trumpet vine is particularly inviting to hummingbirds. In addition, container plantings featuring colorful dahlias and delicate white gaura, also known as wandflower, can add a touch of beauty to your patio.
The great thing about creating a pollinator-friendly cottage garden is that there are countless combinations to choose from. For annual varieties that can be planted in containers, consider flax, cosmos, zinnias, and calendula. As for perennials, flowering catmint, anise hyssop, salvia ‘May Night’, and flowering herbs like lavender, borage, and oregano are excellent choices.
So, even if you have a small patio, you can still create an airy terrace that attracts and supports pollinators.
English gardeners take great pleasure in spending time in their gardens throughout the day and across all seasons. This particular open terrace area serves as an ideal spot for enjoying a refreshing cup of coffee or tea in the morning, or even a delightful light supper. With the presence of a tall hedge, not only is privacy ensured, but it also acts as a protective shield against chilly winds. Additionally, the use of container plantings allows for easy rearrangement, enabling a dynamic and versatile layout for the entire space. Discover more intriguing garden features as we move towards the 27th out of 30 captivating images.
English gardeners are experts at maximizing small spaces. They have a clever technique of planting perennials in layers, ensuring that taller plants are positioned at the back and that shrubs and flowers overlap each other. This creates a beautiful border full of vibrant colors and interesting textures. One tip for creating an even more striking effect is to stick to just one or two dominant colors. Take, for example, this lovely border featuring pink roses and spirea, both in full bloom at the same time. It’s a stunning display of late season color.
According to the English architect, William Kent, all gardening is like creating a landscape painting. The authentic English garden is a masterpiece that requires constant care and attention throughout the year. In October, the stunning herbaceous borders at the Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire mesmerize with their vibrant colors. Although some of the perennial plants are withering away or producing seeds, there are still bursts of brightness from the blooming chrysanthemums, while others are on the verge of blossoming. The evergreen boxwood hedge in front of the borders adds a touch of elegance that remains unchanged regardless of the season. Moving to the next point, number 29 of 30, we encounter a charming gazebo.
This lovely metal gazebo provides a peaceful spot to unwind and admire the garden. Its intricate design pairs beautifully with the delicate blue flowers of the sweet potato vine ‘Glasnevin’ and the soft hues of flowering catmint and pale pink alliums. Although the potato vine is a sensitive annual, other climbing plants such as clematis can be planted to achieve a similar effect. Read on for more ideas on how to keep your garden interesting during the winter season.
@thelaundrygarden/ Instagram
In England, where winters are generally not too harsh, gardeners often opt to leave their plants untrimmed and postpone the clean-up until spring. This allows the foliage and stems to provide shelter for wildlife or create a unique winter vignette. As the cold mornings set in, these remaining plants are adorned with a delicate layer of frost, transforming the garden into a breathtaking fairyland. Despite its apparent dormancy, the garden still exudes a magical sense of life beneath the frozen surface.
Total engagements: 3
