Garden Design Collective | Space and Shape in Spatial Design

COTTAGE GARDENS

A deeply personal garden style.

The cottage garden style was originally created by the gardener themself and contained both practical and ornamental plants. These gardens were small, so every square inch was filled with edible plants, herbs, perennials, annuals and shrubs. These were typically contained by a simple, unadorned, wooden fence, plus natural and repurposed materials were used for paving. Plants were passed down, shared with neighbors, found in local fields or grown from saved seeds.

Cottage gardens were a beautiful outpouring of charm, quirkiness, personality and practicality. They were eventually elevated into a higher design style championed by professional designers.

This is a fabulous historic style that can easily be folded into contemporary gardens. I hope you'll be inspired by this deeply personal style as much as I have. Let's jump in!

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The drawing above is by Mandy Orgler and the private garden below is located in Buffalo, New York.

GOODNESS FOR YOU THIS MONTH

Below you will find several items to help you learn more about COTTAGE GARDENS. From written words to video to applied activities to our Design Library resources to group discussions. Explore our topic from different angles and gain a new perspective. Click on the images below to download PDFs of your Garden Design Guide and Activity. Further down you will find a video and links to our community, a bonus live session, plus a Q+A too!

VIDEO: COTTAGE GARDENS

The video below by Garden Gate Magazine shows a current cottage garden created by Erin Clark in Maine. I love that she discusses both the structural elements and specific plants in her garden. Erin also has a website that focuses on her love of cottage gardens at: www.clarkcottagegardens.com

BONUS VIDEO

One of our own awesome members, Amy Fedele, also have a lovely video on cottage gardens. Please check that out for another perspective and don't forget to visit Amy's site at www.prettypurpledoor.com

RESOURCES in our DESIGN LIBRARY

The COTTAGE GARDEN STYLE is all about a lively, overflowing garden that represents your (or your client's) personality. We've covered different aspects of this style in other Garden Design Guides. PLANTING MODELS provide ways to organize these overflowing beds, while LEGIBILITY provides tools to simplify a contemporary take on this style. I've also included some basic design principles to help you organize the plants and overall space too. Check these Guides out below or visit the entire DESIGN LIBRARY here.

LINES OF FORCE

This Garden Design Guide explains a technique to build strong geometry and lines in your landscape, while also unifying it with existing architecture. Lines of Force is a fabulous way to unify a design and simplify it.

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PLANTING MODELS

Planting Models are a great way to start conceptualizing patterns for the layout of a planting bed before jumping into the details of plant selection. This month learn a bit more about mixed borders.

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FORM + TEXTURE + COLOR

This Garden Design Guide provides an elements of planting design overview and how these are important to the plant composition as a whole.

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OVERVIEW of DESIGN PRINCIPLES

A great foundation for organizing the elements in any garden is understanding the basic principles of design. This Garden Design Guide will give you an overview of the seven principles.

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LEGIBILITY

Legible spaces are coherent, understandable, simple and organized. It involves organizing features in a way that allows someone to easily comprehend the spatial layout.

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COLOR HARMONY

Color harmony in garden design refers to the strategic use of color to create a balanced, pleasing, and aesthetically cohesive outdoor space...perfect for simplicity.

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OUR COMMUNITY

Don't forget to hang out with us this month.

Check in to share your activity. Try it yourself and/or learn from the submissions of your peers. No need to stress. Just enjoy!

COTTAGE GARDEN MOODBOARD

Learn more about designing COTTAGE GARDENS via creating your own mood board.

Share as a CHALLENGE

Share a win!

What have you accomplished in the last month that makes you super happy? Let us celebrate with you!

I have something cool to share!

Do you have a question?

Do you have a question on this month's topic or another design question? Let's all learn together!

Yes! I have a question!

LIVE SESSIONS

We have two this month: our normal Q+A, plus a one-point perspective drawing demonstration. These will be recorded in case you can't make it (then posted right back here). Visit the Q+A SCHEDULE for times and links or click below. I can't wait to see you!