Cottage charms

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Cottage gardens have great charm with their meandering pathways, densely planted with old-fashioned favourites. Wandering through their muted tapestry of colours and apparently unstructured design, reveals assorted scents and hidden treasures.
Although they look abundant and casual, to achieve the effect needs careful choices and a knowledge of each individual plant’s growth requirements and habits for a successful display.
Also consider creating structure and focal points among the informal profusion by placing centrepieces such as ornaments and seats, including some permanent framework to form archways or secluded sections, and breaking up the intensity of planting with areas of paving.

Peaceful haven
Over the course of 20 years, Pam Tuppen has transformed a bare hillside bank behind her Penshurst cottage into a peaceful haven, alive with flowers and fragrance in all seasons. When Pam and her late husband moved to Yew Tree Cottage they didn’t have far to go -just next door in fact.
Moving from their pretty cottage garden they had developed to the slightly larger plot next door was met with great anticipation. As they knew the locality and soil conditions so well, they could get straight into the evolution of the garden. Based on their previous experience, they added compost, manure and grit to the heavy clay, neutral soil, and continued with a broad palette of plants.
Gradually, the sloping site was terraced with rockeries on three levels. They dug out the bank by the back of the house to form a courtyard, paved with attractive cobblestones that Pam salvaged from Covent Garden. Old Tunbridge Wells’ bricks feature in winding steps and paths connecting the levels that then lead down to a lawned area at the bottom of the garden.

I can enjoy everything that happens naturally with the seasonal changes

The planting evolved as the garden took form, keeping it more formal by the house and wilder away from the cottage. “I wanted to create a cottage garden that was as interesting as possible and not see everything at once to make it feel bigger, “ comments Pam.
The sense of secluded areas is achieved by the intimate paths, dense planting, partially hidden benches and ponds, along with metal arches smothered in vines. “By packing in layered planting with a mix of old-fashioned and unusual varieties of plants that I love I can enjoy everything that happens naturally with the seasonal changes,” Pam adds. Self-seeding is encouraged and only plants that are absolutely in the wrong place are removed.
Leaf mould and compost is constantly added to feed the soil and keep the display going. Structured shrubs, such as magnolias, tree peonies and cotoneaster, add to the year-round interest and are kept trimmed to maintain the balance between formality and wildness that is the essence of a cottage style.
As the site is small and there is limited parking on the road, Pam opens her garden with the National Gardens Scheme throughout the season on selected days, spreading out her many visitors.
You could also combine Yew Tree Cottage with a visit to Penshurst Place and walk up from the village. As Pam says: “It is so satisfying when people like the garden, saying lovely things like ‘this is a proper cottage garden’, ‘so peaceful,’ ‘lovely to sit and listen to the birds’.”

Get the look

• Informality is the hallmark of a cottage garden
• Careful planning is needed
• Every piece of ground is used
• Plants are packed closely together, a riot of colours, heights, textures and fragrances
• Dense planting helps keep the weeds down
• Self-seeding is encouraged
• Use lots of old-fashioned varieties in muted tones, including roses, perennials, annuals, bulbs, shrubs and vines
• Plan nothing that will jar the eye
• Usually enclosed or partially enclosed within walls or hedging
• Camouflage the boundaries with evergreen climbers
• Create a sense of mystery and secrecy with enclosed areas; don’t let everything be seen at once
• Ideal for small spaces
• Choose flowers that bloom at different times for a continuous display
• Let vines such as honeysuckle or clematis climber over arches, benches, fences or supports
• Pathways to explore are important – allow plants to spill out and soften the edges
• Unify the scene with a permanent focal point
• Include centrepiece such as a sundial or birdbath amongst the planting
• Tuck in some edible surprises such as parsley, rhubarb or rainbow chard
• Drape a rambling rose or flowering vine around a door
• The wildlife will benefit by using fertile, traditional plants
• Encourage biodiversity
• Using recycled or salvaged materials achieves an instant rustic look

Words and pictures by Leigh Clapp