20 Cottage Gardens that Inspire

All the wars of the world, all the Caesars, 
have not the staying power of a lily in a cottage garden. 
~ Reginald Farrer


Dear Cottage Friends,

It's been far too long since I've had a cottage garden.  I miss the reunion with my perennial friends each spring.  The tending and pruning and coaxing of each one into glorious blooms.



I long to get garden dirt under my fingernails again.  Hopefully, next year we'll be in our new cottage and I'll have a real garden.   For now I must be content with red verbena, purple petunias and white lobelia in a hanging planter outside our apartment.  

This month we've been partying outdoors at Every Room In The House.  Before the party ends, I thought it would be fun to join in with a Cottage Garden Tour.  So, put on your walking shoes and let's go.

Cottage Butchart Gardens photo by Ian Some Rights Reserved

This first cottage in British Columbia seems to be growing up out of the garden.


You'll notice I'm including the cottages in our tour.  Can we ever get enough of real cottages and the gardens that go with them?



Outside the South Cottage at Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent, England photo by JR P
Some Rights Reserved
The colors in this garden echo the cottage brick.    





Main Garden and Cottage, Hamilton House, South Berwick, Maine photo by not on your nelly  Some Rights Reserved
Purple and orange steal the show in this South Berwick, Maine garden.



Tigers and Phlox photo by not on your nelly  Some Rights Reserved



Cottage Garden, Cregneash, Isle Of Man photo by Jim Lindwood Some Rights Reserved
Overgrown is perfectly acceptable in a cottage garden.  Stone walls and rugged wooden gates too.




Suffolk Constable County, Bridge Cottage photo by Sunchild57 Photography Some Rights Reserved
Of course a thatched roof works equally well.




Hoveton Hall walled garden cottage photo by Angie & Chris Pye Some Rights Reserved

Does this qualify as a cottage garden?  Typically a cottage garden spills over the walkway, and this one has a bit of a formal feel. Still, there's no denying that's a cottage and it has a garden.




Sudborough, Cottage Garden. 78/365 photo by Sunchild57 Photography Some Rights Reserved
Here's what I mean by spilling over the walk.  Love the hodge podge look of this cottage garden in the spring.  You just know there are flowers coming for those containers.



Williamsburg VA 5 12 13 photo by Andrea Schwartz  Some Rights Reserved
Every cottage garden needs Foxglove, Delphinium and Bachelor Buttons, as this one in Williamsburg, Virginia has.  I've been to Williamsburg several times.  The gardens there are wonderful.





Clematis1 photo by Chris Armstrong Some Rights Reserved
Clematis Humongous.  I guess it's happy in Wale's climate.




Cottage Flowers  photo by Jett Brooks  Some Rights Reserved
Pretty posies line a white picket fence outside this Washington state cottage.  





Little House photo by Jonas Tegnerud Some Rights Reserved
Yellow and green is the theme of the cottage and its accompanying garden.



Picturesque Alpine style cottage photo by Sue Hasker Some Rights Reserved

Here's a cottage and its garden in Derbyshire.  Would you classify this as a cottage garden?  Though it looks a little too planned for a true cottage garden, the arbor and wagon wheel give it a whimsical look.  Anyway, it's quite charming and deserves to be included on our tour, don't you think? 


A Cottage In The Country photo by Andrew Stawarz Some Rights Reserved

No denying this is a cottage garden.  There has to be a bunny in there somewhere.  


Wild Cottage Garden P708002.sm photo by Dana Some Rights Reserved 
Wild flowers make up this Washington state cottage garden.




Prospect Cottage photo by Mark Dyer  Some Rights Reserved
A cozy cottage with vibrant blooms in Kent, England





Lock-keeper's Cottage photo by Phil Norton Some Rights Reserved
This French cottage is bathed in ivy and flowers.




Jo's Garden Bampton, Oxon photo by Nik Stanbridge  Some Rights Reserved
A cottage garden just outside the back door of this English cottage.




Jo's Garden, Bampton, Oxon by Nik Stanbridge  Some Rights Reserved
It wouldn't be right not to show you its front.




English Limestone Cottage with Garden in full bloom photo by F. D. Richards Some Rights Reserved
The lush "Rose Cottage" garden.  Interesting side note:  Henry Ford purchased the Cotswold cottage in 1929, had it dismantled stone by stone and shipped to the U.S., where it now resides with its barns and fences in Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan.



Cottage Garden photo by Maia C
Here's another view of the garden and cottage.





Traditional Landscape by Boston Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers Maria Hickey & Associates Landscapes
Imagine walking through these gorgeous blooms to the door of this Boston cottage.





We end our cottage garden tour with this voluptuous garden in Philadelphia.


Thank you for joining me on this little cottage garden tour.  Which one is your favorite?




You'll find me partying here:
I would love to have you join me for my link party, Share Your Cup!

Feathered Nest Friday
FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE

20 comments

  1. So beautiful - the houses, the gardens, the colours... love!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it all, Anne. Sharing cottages and gardens is just about my favorite thing to do. xxx

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  2. I love cottage gardens, there is something so serene about a relaxed garden. Flowers that are allowed to grow in any direction, beds that refuse to be tamed, I adore the abundance of color, too! Thanks for gathering and sharing such a lovely collection, Nancy! :)

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    1. You're welcome, Kim. I can find pleasure in any kind of garden, but cottage gardens will always be my favorite. They make me happy. Have a beautiful day, my friend. xxx

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  3. I am in love . . . cottage gardens are my favorite and all of these had that touch. The weaving of color and texture tickles me right down to the tips of my toes. Loved this, now I am going back to look through my iPad where I can see the garden colors really pop!
    Thanks Nancy for a great post . . .

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    1. Lynne, your comment makes me smile: "The weaving of color and texture tickles me right down to the tips of my toes." That's a great description of how cottage gardens affect me, too. Very poetic. Hugs ~ Nancy

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  4. I am just now browsing on my iPad. I was correct, the colors pop! I like the Williamsburg gardens and the Greenwich Village house nod gardens . . . oh dear . . . I loved them all.
    Thank you Nancy!

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    1. You're welcome, Lynne. My husband just got an iPad so I must borrow it to look at this post. Thanks, Lynne.

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  5. Wonderful wonderful post! I wouldn't know where to begin in picking my favorite aspects but I really enjoyed every moment of this visit to your blog... :-)

    Lory
    Designthusiasm.com

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  6. Oh my Nancy, I was ohhing and ahhing over each and every picture. Cottage gardens are my favorite for sure! I visited Williamsburg once and I knew that garden. I loved it then and love it now. Had many of my favorite perennials. I don't love orange in the garden, but it works with purple. That's why I have my orange Oriental Poppies close to my purple Salvia. Thanks for sharing these delightful cottages and their gardens with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. I've never used orange much, Jann, but you're right about it working well with purple. That's the fun of cottage gardening, though. Trying different color combinations until something clicks. xxx

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  7. Nancy, those cottage gardens are amazing!! Don't we dream of places like that? I sure do.

    I just read your email and wanted to explain something about my patio furniture. The table and chairs are 26 years old and the wicker furniture is 1 year old. I think I might not have said that well...or it was confusing. :)

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the gardens, Stacey. Thanks for your comment on the patio furniture. You said it just right, it was my muddled brain that got it wrong. LOL Hugs, Nancy

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  8. soooo schöne gartenbilder!!! alles liebe von angie

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    1. Thank you, Angie. I'm glad you enjoyed the gardens.

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  9. Oh, I miss my garden also! We downsized into a new home which means starting with a clean slate for our garden. These gardens are beautiful!

    ≈♥♡≈ Helena
    ─ƤєтαƖ & LαcÑ” ƇσттαgÑ” ─

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    1. I love looking at gardens, Helena. No two are ever alike, even if many of the same flowers are present. Can't wait to get my hands in the dirt again. :) Thanks for stopping by. ~ Nancy

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Your comments bring me joy! Thanks for stopping by.