Backyard english garden

30 Elegant English Garden Designs and Ideas

Reviewed by

Debra LaGattuta

Reviewed by Debra LaGattuta

Debra LaGattuta is a gardening expert with three decades of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. She is a Master Gardener and lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Debra is a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

Peg Aloi

With its temperate climate and verdant landscapes, the "green and pleasant land" of England has long been associated with beautiful gardens. From the formal gardens on the grounds of castles and grand estates, to the humble cottage gardens in villages, to the allotments popular in many urban areas, England is a nation of gardeners. Specific styles and methods of gardening are associated with England, including the widespread popularity of the herbaceous border, which is full of flowers through three seasons and usually has plenty of winter interest. It's not hard to achieve the look of an English, though some knowledge of horticulture and design is helpful to help select plants suitable for your region and climate.

What defines the look of an English garden? A number of visual themes are seen again and again: large drifts of colorful perennials, color themes, and a fullness created by a wide variety of textures are all common sights. Authors such as William Robertson (The English Flower Garden) helped bring knowledge and techniques for creating herbaceous borders to the public in the 1800s, marking a modern trend away from the formal structure of classic European gardens. The legendary garden designer and author Gertrude Jekyll was celebrated for her bold approach to color, including single-color-themed gardens and the geometric diagonal shapes creating recognizable drifts of plants in borders.

Fortunately, with a bit of preparation and inspiration, the appeal of an English garden is not too difficult to achieve no matter where you live. Here are a variety of ideas here for you to create your own.

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Drifts of Color

Peg Aloi

Large patches (what Gertrude Jekyll called "drifts") of color in the garden create a dynamic design and are especially effective when covering a long narrow planting area. The vivid deep pink of these dahlias in the gardens at the Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire are an eye-catching foil to the deep green espalieried cherry trees behind them.
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Structure and Contrast

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The use of hedges to create high or low walls in the English garden creates a strong structural element that contrasts with the looser, more organic shapes of cottage style plantings. The large topiary hedge in this garden in Oxfordshire is a dramatic, somewhat formal backdrop to the airy, delicate flowers in the borders, and the shades of pink, rose and purple create a complementary color palette with the deep green hedges and trees.
03 of 30
English Roses

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Is anything more English than the quintessential climbing pink rose? Gertrude Jekyll found roses to be essential in an English garden. This garden in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has the mild spring and summer temperatures perfect for this climbing rose to flourish. We usually think of English roses as having luscious scents, and fortunately there are a number of scented pink climbers, including:
- 'Zephirine Drouhin' (medium warm pink)
- 'Pearly Gates' (light pink)
- 'New Dawn' (very pale pink)
- 'Pretty in Pink Eden' (medium to dark pink)
04 of 30
Evergreen Boxwoods

Peg Aloi

Boxwood shrubs can be a very versatile landscape element, and in English gardens they are often used in very formal, elegant designs. But this front of house display is very simple and casual, with large ferns in the background and some simple annual geraniums in the foreground. Keeping the shrubs trimmed to rounded shapes is easy with an electric or battery-powered hedge trimmer. In autumn, the rich shades of green remain attractive, and the boxwoods remain evergreen through the winter.
05 of 30
A Pop of Color

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This tranquil garden space is carefully planted to have jolts of color throughout the season. In this photo, the bright blue of flowering catmint (the cultivar is 'Six Hills Giant') and the pale blue iris create bold swatches of color that contrast beautifully with the more delicate pale pink and white blossoms and the neutral colors of the gravel walkway and earthy clay pots.
06 of 30
Geometric Vegetables

Peg Aloi

Formal design in English gardens isn't just limited to rose gardens and herbaceous borders; one often sees geometric shapes and tight plantings in vegetable gardens. This early autumn garden at The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in southwest London features an array of delectable greens and herbs. This space-saving technique makes for a stunning design and can be implemented in large or small spaces.
07 of 30
Filling the Space

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A narrow walkway need not mean skimping on plants. In true English fashion, this walkway has full, lush plantings on both sides with trellised vines, shrubs, trees and tall perennials filling up the space and creating an inviting path through the garden.
08 of 30
A Garden Meadow

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It's not uncommon to see a large English garden that keeps some lawn areas unmowed to create a wild meadow. Many wild grass varieties are known in England as "rough grass" that grow quite thick and suppress weeds while still allowing some wildflowers to seed and spread as well, attracting pollinators and wildlife. This tranquil seating area with its metal bench is right on the edge where manicured lawn meets wild meadow.
09 of 30
Vertical Cottage Blooms

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It's hard to pick a must-have flower for an English cottage garden design, but certainly tall vertical blooms are necessary for that striking, dramatic look and to add depth and height. Foxgloves, salvias, lupines, delphiniums, monkshood, asters and daisies are but a few taller perennials that lend a classic cottage garden look.
10 of 30
Formal and Wild

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The grand manor house (on the site of a former abbey in Oxfordshire) and stately hedges stand sentinel beside this lovely field of wild flowers with cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) in many colors glimmering in the spring sunshine. The contrast is breathtaking, making for a sublime vista that showcases the light at morning and dusk.
11 of 30
Espaliered Fruit Trees

Peg Aloi

Many English gardens feature espaliered fruit trees, a French technique that trains the tree to grow flat against a wall or fence to save space and create a decorative backdrop. These espaliered apple trees on the brick garden wall at the Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire showcase the property's diverse mix of flowers and fruit trees (a small orchard lies beyond the wall).
12 of 30
Soft Autumn Color

Peg Aloi

This Grantchester garden near Cambridge has a somewhat wild look, with soft late season color and many seed heads that haven't been deadheaded yet. This is a practice one sees with many English gardens: not trimming things too often and letting plants go to seed through autumn to provide food for wildlife as well as create a natural, slightly unkempt look with overflowing textures and colors.
13 of 30
Drama, Formal and Informal

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The large boxwood topiary shapes in the background of this garden in Kent are a solid presence behind the gentle, organic shapes of perennials. Large plantings provide dramatic (yet low-maintenance) swaths of color and texture; the yellow tansy, red and yellow coreopsis and silvery artemisia add a warm-cool balance to the garden's palette of greens.
14 of 30
Layers of Color and Texture

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The English cottage garden is often overflowing with flowers in different shapes, textures and heights, beckoning the eye across an expanse of color. The echinacea in the foreground may seem like the stars of the summer show here, but note how their bold, hot hues of purple are balanced with the cool tones of sky blue veronica, silver artemisia and lavender alliums. The round shapes also contrast with the vertical shapes and lacy textures behind them.
15 of 30
Urban Jungle

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England's temperate climate allows for a mix of hardy and tender perennials and even some tropicals for most of the year. To get this lush urban look, this London gardener brings together a diverse mix of tropical and hardy plants, with plenty of huge-leafed glossy greenery, intriguing textures and bright blooms. Planting tropical plants in containers allows them to be overwintered more easily if necessary.
16 of 30
Overflowing Edges

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Some herbaceous borders are neatly edged and manicured, but one often sees English gardens with plants spilling over their edges and onto the walkway. This garden in Belgium embraces this approach, allowing these late spring perennials to escape their beds with lush abandon. Many perennials lend themselves to this approach, especially clumping flowers like salvias, phlox, perennial geranium, and coreopsis. The huge peonies get in on the act too, leaning wherever their heavy blooms take them.
17 of 30
A Riot of Purple and Pink

Peg Aloi

English gardens often feature color palettes that are closely related. Late season color needn't be limited to a warm autumn palette. This garden at King's College, Cambridge has a delicious array of pinks and purples including asters, anemones, cosmos, nicotiana, and foxgloves, all spilling together and creating an explosion of color.
18 of 30
Almost Symmetrical

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Formal symmetry is a common feature of English gardens, but notice how having the symmetry slightly off-kilter still lends an air of harmony and intentionality to this National Trust garden. Both sides of the path have herbaceous borders with purple alliums, but the full cottage style is delightfully informal. The mature wisteria trees also lend an element of symmetry but are definitely not symmetrical; not that the only twin elements here are the spiral-trimmed shrubs in the ceramic pots at the entrance to the stone building. In this case, the similar elements lead the eye on a journey connecting shapes and colors.
19 of 30
Green Steps

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"I saw some grass growing through the pavement today" say the lyrics to English band Jethro Tull's "Jack in the Green" (about the indomitable spirit of growing things). English gardens are often places of uninhibited growth where nature is allowed to run a bit wild. Creating stone steps with plantings (here with creeping sedum) is one way to achieve this slightly overgrown look. This garden also has more ground covers (more sedum and euphorbia) planted in the walkway, and plantings of daylilies, ivy and grasses to fill in various surface areas.
20 of 30
Bold Cottage Containers

@tradchap / Instagram

Using containers is an easy and versatile way to achieve a cottage garden look. The bold colors of the 'Thomas Edison' dahlias and red and pink variegated annual geraniums really brighten up the neutral house tones. This entryway also has a clean yet rustic look with the flagstone pavers and natural gravel, which is now a very popular feature in many urban landscapes.
21 of 30
Green Textures

@andrewduffgardendesign / Instagram

While color is an important element in the English garden style, one also sees special attention paid to shapes and textures. The mix of textures on display here accentuates the many subtle shades of green in this lush garden.
22 of 30
Hanging Garden

Peg Aloi

Hanging baskets of annuals are a surefire way to add some drama to a three-season garden. Many English pubs adorn their outdoor beer gardens and exteriors with bright baskets and window boxes. Here, the overflowing pots of begonias, impatiens, petunias and trailing ivy give a fairytale look to this old thatched roof pub in Cambridgeshire.
23 of 30
Let It Grow

@edenrowegardens / Instagram

Many English gardens contain tightly clipped topiaries and hedges but just as many have an overgrown, wild look to them. This English style garden in Connecticut is delightfully unbound. The boxwoods here are neatly trimmed, but the arbor has a sprawling vine full of blooms, the shrubs and trees left unpruned (for now) and the stone stairs are covered in colorful creeping groundcovers. The contrast in texture and shape is dynamic and unexpected. Trimming can still be done anytime, but isn't it nice for the garden to let its hair down sometimes?
24 of 30
Rustic Containers

@thepsychgarden / Instagram

A common sight in the English cottage garden is old stone planters. These may be harder to come by in the US, but luckily there are many resin and plaster containers available that provide a vintage, rustic look. This garden uses the containers year 'round (for the evergreen boxwoods), and even in spring for colorful tulips and other early season blooms like woodland phlox.
25 of 30
Pollinator Paradise

@ladylandscape / Instagram

Even if you don't have space for herbaceous borders, you can turn your patio into an English cottage-style haven for pollinators. The arbor has a lush trumpet vine that attracts hummingbirds, and the container plantings include colorful dahlias and delicate white gaura (also known as wandflower). So many pollinator friendly plants invoke the cottage garden look, and you can create endless combinations. Annual varieties to try in containers include flax, cosmos, zinnias and calendula, and perennials like flowering catmint, anise hyssop, salvia 'May Night' and flowering herbs like lavender, borage and oregano.
26 of 30
Airy Terrace

@andrewduffgardendesign / Instagram

English gardeners love to spend time in their gardens at all times of the day, all season long. What better place to enjoy coffee or tea in the morning or a light supper than this open terrace area? The tall hedge provides privacy and a wind barrier on chilly days. Container plantings can be moved around to create a fresh perspective and a flexible floor plan.
27 of 30
Wall of Color

@thejardiniere / Instagram

Making the most of a small space is a task well known to the English gardener. Planting perennials in layers so that taller plants are in back and shrubs and flowers overlap one another creates a full border of color and texture. Using one or two dominant colors gives an especially pleasing impact, as seen here with the pink roses and spirea both blooming simultaneously.
28 of 30
Late Season Color

Peg Aloi

The English architect William Kent (1685 - 1748) once said "All gardening is landscape painting. " The true English garden is a year-long work of art. Even in October, these herbaceous borders at the Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire are awash in color. As many of the perennials are going to seed or fading, bright spots of color are still on flowering mums and some still have buds just getting ready to open. The low boxwood hedge in front stays evergreen year 'round.
29 of 30
Graceful Gazebo

@thelaundrygarden / Instagram

This metal gazebo makes a beautiful yet understated place to relax and enjoy the garden. Its delicate shape and structure are perfectly complemented by the lacy blue-flowered sweet potato vine (Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin') and the pastel blooms of plants like flowering catmint and pale pink alliums. The potato vine is a tender annual, but other flowering vines could be planted for similar effect, such as clematis.
30 of 30
Winter Interest

@thelaundrygarden / Instagram

Because winters tend to be mild in England, many gardeners leave plants untrimmed and leave clean-up until spring letting the foliage and stems remain for wildlife shelter or winter interest. Cold morning temperatures turn the remaining plants into a crystalline fairyland, and the garden feels both dormant and magically alive beneath the frost.

The English garden style is one of the most recognizable and well-loved in the world. Using a few basic design and horticulture principles, you can create many different English garden looks that are appropriate for a variety of landscapes and climates.

15 Best English Garden Ideas

Aim for plenty of variety.

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Tall plants, short plants, pink flowers, white flowers—all of these things can be placed next to one another in an English garden. Of course, you'll have to make some adjustments to ensure that all of your plants have access to sunlight and aren't too crowded, but in general, it's best not to overthink a garden like this one and instead to opt for a free-flowing plan.

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Meandering paths are a lovely touch.

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At first glance, a garden path might seem like too much work. But actually, it couldn't be simpler to source and lay the right one for your garden—and the payoff is big. Not only will you give yourself an easy route in and out of the space, but you'll also be afforded the luxury of watering your plants without having to step into tall grasses or get your shoes muddy. It's a win-win!

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Add a gate.

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There are few things more magical in an English garden than a simple gateway. They're easy enough to purchase and install, and the visual impact is huge. Don't have a wall into which to install your new structure? You can also buy stand-alone designs that can be surrounded by simple bushes and vines.

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Think vertically too.

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It's not just about what's on the ground! Be sure to think about the "y-axis" of your space as well. Consider adding a trellis or simply twisting ivy, draping wisteria, and high-flying vines around a shed or other already-existing structure.

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Incorporate seating.

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English gardens are meant to be enjoyed and savored, which is why they often include benches. What better way to sit and take in all the beauty around you? Wooden, stone, and metal structures all work beautifully in these spaces.

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Create lush and full garden beds for a cottage look.

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Plant of variety of flowers—roses, lavender, delphinium, and other colorful options—close together to replicate garden you'd find in the countryside. A dense and rich garden with plenty of character is what you're after.

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Keep hedges well trimmed.

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Large, well-trimmed bushes work well for dividing spaces, creating paths, acting as walls, and even for separating various parts of the garden. This will give you even more areas to fill with plants to enjoy. If you like, you can even create separate areas for entertaining friends and family.

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Use unique shapes and clean lines.

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English gardens aren't just floral masterpieces, they're incredibly architectural, as well. Map out your garden with plenty of squares and circles to create a sense of busy space.

OUR FAVORITE EDGING

Add roses everywhere.

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When it comes to gardening, nothing's more English than a fragrant rose bush.

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Make a bold statement by planting in profusion.

Lisa Hubbard

Avoid the temptation to snap up every variety that catches your eye. You can achieve a lavish look like this with just two types of climbing rose: 'William Baffin' and 'New Dawn. ' The bottom line: You only need to plant a few kinds of things, but do it in big sweeps.

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Embrace high-contrast combos.

Lisa Hubbard

While citrus-hued daylilies are already pretty splashy on their own, buck conventional wisdom by pairing them with alliums in equally assertive but seemingly contradictory shades of purple—to brilliant result. Color is particularly important where you don't have structure.

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Define a garden with horticulture and structure.

Lisa Hubbard

The couple who own the garden pictured initially installed one of these quaint shelters to attract bluebirds, only to see it occupied by swallows. So they tried another...and another...and wound up with an unintended benefit: The line of roosts provides the suggestion of a garden wall.

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Furniture doesn't have to blend into the background.

Lisa Hubbard

Instead of the usual grays, greens, and blacks, choose hot, bold hues for outdoor chairs. The result: a stunning focal point that draws attention to the view beyond.

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Don't forget the view from inside.

Lisa Hubbard

Does your bedroom overlook an arbor? Try planting a trumpet vine at each of an arbor structure's six posts. It will look like the vines are floating in the air from a second-story window, plus they bloom from July to the first frost.

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Sun and shade can get along just fine.

Lissa Hubbard

Embrace an area with a collision of light and shadows to create a cozy dining area. Hydrangea petiolaris thrives in the shade provided by a north-facing potting shed wall, while desert agaves soak up the bright daytime light.

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English style garden how to arrange it || russad.

Winter is the best time to plan your dream garden. Such winter conditions will allow you to freely determine what you really expect from a garden. Do you feel like an idyllic backyard temple? Choose a garden in English style!

A classic English garden is a place where asymmetry and freedom prevail. It is also characterized by a clear sentimental charm characterized by architectural elements such as antique columns, vases or "medieval ruins".

In small urban gardens, however, you must use English architecture very carefully, because it is easy see the effect of kitsch or overload.

Basic principles for creating an English garden

An undeniable feature of the English garden is a carefully manicured lawn and lush vegetation. To get it right you need to take care of them regularly:

- watering
- fertilize
- mow

According to the English view, a beautiful lawn is the result of non-sporadic activity and long-term efforts and care. If we have pets, let's consider their garden madness.

A good landscaping project idea would be to properly analyze the paths and lawn so that the dog or cat dealt as little damage as possible. The correct arrangement of plants, which are the basis of the English garden, will allow us to avoid being devastated by bouncing pets.

English garden rules

The English garden has its own rules - the main idea is asymmetry, naturalness and a climate worthy of a temple ... The most important questions:

- It is very important to create the wrong groups of trees and shrubs.
- The plan of the entire garden should give the impression of unevenness, asymmetry and free
- Let's use the natural forms of plants.
- Gardens should be mysterious, a little dark.
- We focus on scenic and wavy paths.
- Sculptures and interesting elements of small garden architecture are recommended, such as gazebos, fountains, which should be arranged so as to give the impression of randomness.

Also typical of English gardens are thick curved trees and picturesque paths. It is very important to use a variety of climbing plants, which are successful in such gardens and are an excellent, atmospheric decoration.

Also, let's not forget about planting some wild plants. This garden is a carefully planned "chaos", which gives the impression of tame savagery. What complements the climate is just a well-groomed lawn. An English garden should be a symbol of unpredictability, romance, mystery and even fear.

The most "English" garden plants in this style

You will achieve the best results by planting typical plants typical of an English garden in a garden. This:

- Annual plants: petunia, alyssum, fragrant tobacco, mattiola, calendula, lobelia.
- Biennial plants: carnations, bluebells, pansies, poppies, mallow, forget-me-nots, foxglove.
- Perennials: hostas, irises, daylilies, ferns, cereals.
- Choose from deciduous shrubs: mock orange, boxwood, derain, hydrangea and, of course, roses.

None of the gardens in the English style was created without decoration with conifers. Special charm and mystery garden gives vertical gardening.

The most beautiful inspiration of English gardens

We have selected for you the most beautiful ideas for an English garden - look!

The garden is painted with mystery

The arrangement of the English garden is characterized by the appearance of hedges, separated from each other, or plants. The arrangement of the garden is mainly based on unevenness, the further the system becomes freer.

The contour of the garden is emphasized by smoothly running brick or gravel paths leading along the most interesting corners of the garden containing: sculptures, gazebos, walls or elements of the ruins. Ideally, if they are made by hand.

To create this unique atmosphere of an English garden, remember that a garden cannot be full of straight lines, sharp corners and too clean shapes.

It should be filled with fragrance, color and many singing birds and buzzing bees. Remember to encourage nature in full class. Our garden will become a real ecosystem - home to many small animals, birds, insects and microorganisms. All these inhabitants are needed for our gardens.

Home inspiration garden

If we decide to build a garden in the English style, we must have a medium or large plot of land, if it is possibly with an existing stand. The design assumption should blend with the landscape and be characterized open plan composition.

This is quite an expensive garden at the time of construction because it requires space, lots of plants and jewelry. This, however, compensates for the small labor intensity of its maintenance and the satisfaction of having English garden.

English gardens are built in two ways in the form of an amphitheater and naturalistic. The first way is characterized the arrangement of plants from low to medium, from medium to higher, ending with large-sized ones, and the second method - plants smoothly intertwine creating the appearance of a natural environment.

English garden sculptures

Amazing and flawless garden accessories add amazing charm. The aforementioned sculptures imitating figures of majestic, muscular men or refined, elegant women and water nymphs. Do not forget about rather characteristic fountains and tables, stylized as "old", which perfectly combine delicate, metallic with a rustic character and wooden with a worn texture. Let them be unique original decoration of the garden.

An English garden does not require careful pruning of plants, as, for example, in the case of French gardens. Besides, the combination of many plants makes the garden interesting and retains color throughout the year. English garden is a place that gives hosts and guests comfort and allows you to maintain a sense of privacy, such as a beautiful decorated and comfortable rooms in the house.

Project of the week: "Old" English garden in the Moscow suburbs

It appeared on the site of the old site, but both the house and the garden have changed beyond recognition. “This new “old” English garden, aristocratic and sophisticated, captivates with its picturesqueness and the spirit of a shady estate,” says project manager, landscape designer Diana Dubovitskaya. “The clearing behind the house has become a large stage with scenery around the perimeter, and the view “behind the scenes” opens up more and more angles.” 9Ol000 workshop - Anna Kashentseva; house interiors — Gulya Galeeva, Gulia Galeeva Design studio; landscape — Diana Dubovitskaya (Project Manager) and Irina Sveshnikova, Arcadia Garden Landscape Studio
Photo: Diana Dubovitskaya