Country gardening ideas
Country garden ideas: 31 ways with planting and landscaping
(Image credit: Garden Trading/Sadolin/East Hampton Gardens)
Classic country garden ideas have been replicated across the globe, with lovers of the look taking inspiration from both grand country houses and smaller plots that surround rustic homes with colorful blooms, heady scent and wayward wildflowers.
Country garden ideas can be replicated in urban plots, too, where the softer foliage and less formal planting takes the edge off the urban landscape.
Below, you can discover the secrets of country garden style, and we have more amazing garden ideas, whatever your style, in our dedicated feature.
Country garden ideas: a guide to rustic growing
Key to developing your country garden ideas is to create a strong connection between the well-tended garden and the wilder landscape around it.
'We tend to make a distinction between garden plants and "wildflowers" as though they were separate categories,' gardener Monty Don has said. 'Yet has any garden ever been as lovely as a bluebell-carpeted wood, a bank of cow parsley, honeysuckle, wild garlic and meadowsweet? I don't think so, and I try to incorporate the essence of the local countryside into my garden at Longmeadow.'
1. Create a focal point
(Image credit: East Hampton Gardens)
Using a feature flower bed ideas, adding a garden sculpture, water feature idea, or decorative element is a great country garden idea, as it creates a focal point that will draw you through the outdoor space – as seen here, in a beautiful circular border created by Michael Giannelli, owner of East Hamptons Gardens , a curated garden and home shop in East Hampton Village.
‘This is an example of an English-style garden that we gave a focal point by using a vintage English armillary to center your eye,’ Michael says. ‘The use of many perennials that are great for pollinators such as bees and butterflies gives the desired effect. A natural, colorful garden that performs all summer.
2. Add a greenhouse
(Image credit: Hartley Botanic)
Greenhouses can make an extremely effective focal point for a country garden and their presence as a solid, yet beautiful garden structure provides the perfect foil for soft, flowing plantings.
'Victorian greenhouses work particularly well, with an aesthetic that evokes the sentiments of a bygone era and gardens of classic stately homes in centuries past,' suggests Tom Barry, CEO of Hartley Botanic . 'Choosing a heritage design can also add to a country look – providing a more traditional style.'
Alternatively, opt for the clean lines and concealed engineering of a contemporary glass house, which can provide a stunning visual contrast against informal, elegant plantings.
'Finally, don't forget the impact of color,' says Tom. 'For a country garden, customers choose subtle shades such as Olive Leaf, Forest Green and Verona Stone. These traditional, natural tones help to integrate their Greenhouses into a country garden. '
3. Upcycle a wooden crate
(Image credit: Pelargonium for Europe)
Raised planter box ideas offer more space than classic balcony boxes or tubs and are ideal for colorful seas of geraniums on balconies and terraces.
For this rustic country garden idea from Pelargonium for Europe , a wooden crate was simply mounted onto an old chair base, painted to tone with the geraniums. Holes in the bottom of the wooden box will prevent waterlogging.
4. Include plants for foraging
(Image credit: Getty Images)
You don’t need to head to the fields and forests to forage for edible plants; grow them in your own backyard and you can turn your country garden into a natural feast.
‘Foraging in your own garden allows you to engage closely with nature. Plant species such as crab apple, rosehip, elderflower, wild garlic, mushroom, water mint and poppy seed,’ suggests Howard Miller, co-designer (with brother Hugh) of the H.Miller Bros Alder Hey Foraging Station garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022.
Think beyond kitchen garden ideas, too.
‘If you are thinking of including foraging plants, herbs and flowers into a cottage garden planting scheme, you might also want to consider species with non-edible foraging uses, such as natural dyes and herbal remedies,’ suggests Howard. ‘Once you know which of your garden species are edible or usable, your garden will become a journey of discovery throughout the seasons.’
5. Style a porch with a country garden view
(Image credit: Industville)
Raised front porch ideas give you wonderful perspectives onto your country garden, allowing you to see the shapes of beds and the beauty of upturned flower heads. Style it with furniture and carefully chosen lighting to create a space you can enjoy day and night.
‘Exterior lighting can accentuate the architecture, colors and textures of your property for an outdoor living space to be proud of,’ suggests Marketa Rypacek, Managing Director at Industville . ‘Make sure you experiment with different positions before you decide on a final placement. You can use a large torch in varying angles to see where it is likely to provide light. For glow without glare, opt for downward facing wall-mounted lights that create a relaxing atmosphere to be enjoyed by all.’
6. Bring the ‘cluttercore’ trend to your country garden
(Image credit: Pippa Blenkinsop / Kasia Fiszer)
The cluttercore trend – that is, an encouragement and embracing of organized chaos – is seeping its way into our gardens, too. ‘Outdoor cluttercore allows our gardens to grow naturally to create a country-like atmosphere, explains gardening expert, Harry Bodell, from Price Your Job .
‘As many of us are spending less time at home, especially with many of us returning to the office, we are not able to spend as much time on our gardens as we could have during the pandemic. Therefore, the cluttercore look is low maintenance, yet high impact,’ Harry explains.
‘Overgrown wildflowers not only look beautiful and picturesque, but they help to encourage wildlife which helps boost our ecosystem. Wildflowers attract pollinators, such as bees, as well as a wide diversity of birds and butterflies.’
7. Decorate an al fresco table with garden blooms
(Image credit: Pelargonium for Europe)
Associated with country and Mediterranean gardens, versatile geraniums are always a favorite.
Countless varieties and colors offer something to suit every taste. Once planted, they effortlessly transform sunny to semi-shady balconies and terraces into magnificent seas of flowers from spring to fall. Their scent is also said to repel flies, which makes them the perfect kitchen window plant.
For a fresh and pretty tablescape in a country garden, cut geranium blooms and display the sprigs in posy vases. Intersperse taller blooms and elegant candles to add height to your display.
8. Add interest with painted surfaces
(Image credit: Sadolin)
It’s not just flowers and plants that can add color and pattern to your garden. Painting plain surfaces with repeat motifs is a fun garden decorating idea – and a characterful way to add interest, especially where you have large areas of wall or porch.
Choose paint shades that complement your planting, but don’t be afraid to add an exotic touch to your country garden ideas. ‘A Mediterranean themed space with warm, earthy tones such as reds, browns, oranges, as well as blues, makes for a stunning environment,’ says Matthew Brown, Sadolin and Sandtex Technical Consultant.
‘Alternatively, a Caribbean-inspired garden using plenty of vibrant tones using blues, greens and yellows can be just as effective.’
9. Sit in a sunny spot
(Image credit: Garden Trading)
More than just a boundary, a stone wall can act as a ‘radiator’ in your garden, absorbing heat in the day and gently releasing it as the air cools around it. Just one of many garden wall ideas, this heat-giving bonus makes it the perfect backdrop for a garden bench.
‘Turn a simple seat into a destination by setting it under a pretty metal arch, with roses trained to grow over it,’ says Andréa Childs, Editor of Country Homes & Interiors magazine.
10. Put up a pergola
(Image credit: Lights4Fun)
If you don't have a porch or patio, or simply want to create another seating and entertaining space, then a pergola is the ideal addition to your country garden ideas. Choosing an area of your garden screened by hedges or planting will give this space the feel of an outdoor room – especially if you decorate it with garland lights and paper lanterns for color.
Pergola ideas like this are also a great way to add height and structure to your backyard.
11. Fill borders with colorful blooms
(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny/Future)
Take inspiration from the cut flower garden trend for your country garden ideas and make your borders work even harder by filling them with colorful blooms that you can enjoy outdoors or cut and bring into your home.
'Depending on the size of your outside space, flowers for cutting can be grown in tubs, large pots, raised beds, or empty spots in the border,' says Selina Lake, author of Garden Style .
'When it comes to planting, choose cut-and-come-again plant varieties with long stems, as the more you pick, the more you will get.'
12. Create country garden 'rooms'
(Image credit: Mark Bolton/Future)
Hedging, fences, trellises, trees and other structures can be used as dividers within your design to create 'rooms'. Within a country garden, you might use this idea to zone specific areas for sitting, dining or play; to create distinct planting themes, such as a tropical garden, or a room of white flowers; or to give your garden an element of surprise and mystery.
The classic English country garden at Sissinghurst Castle Garden in the county of Kent, created by famed garden designer Vita Sackville-West, popularized the concept of garden rooms. But you don't need the grounds of a huge country house to create your own version. In fact, dividing a small garden into separate spaces can actually make the plot seem larger, as you don't see the whole area at once.
13. Add a garden gate
(Image credit: Camilla Reynolds/Future)
Figure a gate into your plot planning and country garden ideas – there's nothing like pushing it open to create a sense of expectation about the garden beyond.
Gates aren't just for entrances. They are a useful framing and dividing device within a larger garden, helping to create defined zones – or keep your pooch from trampling your prized plants!
14. Cover garden structures with climbers
(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton)
'Nothing speaks of an English country garden like a beautiful wisteria or climbing rose, framing your windows and doorways, and adding character to your home,' says TV gardener David Domoney .
Natural climbers, such as ivy and Virginia creeper, will cling to walls but will leave marks on brickwork. Honeysuckle, roses and clematis will need to be supported with trellis or wire, but will clamber rampantly across these to decorate the exterior of your home.
Wide eaves may restrict the amount of water reaching the plants, while the aspect of the wall will dictate the best plants to position in the spot.
15. Plant a country kitchen garden
(Image credit: Future/Leigh Clapp)
A desire for more outdoor space is often a driver for a move to the countryside – and that means more ground in which to expand your horticultural horizons.
Traditionally, every country home – large and small – would have a dedicated area in the garden for growing crops to eat. In small spaces, that might mean a few herbs and salad leaves, while grander country piles would have beautiful kitchen gardens that would stock the kitchens with fresh produce.
The kitchen garden trend is seeing a resurgence, as we seek a greater connection with nature and want to be certain of the provenance of our food. If you're new to tending a veg plot, or planning your homegrown larder, take a look at our kitchen garden ideas for easy ways to get started.
16. Provide shaded areas to relax in
(Image credit: Clive Nichols/Room in the Garden)
For an ornate garden shade idea that doubles as a decorative garden focal point, consider a gazebo. These open-sided garden structures require little groundwork beyond laying a flat base.
'Our handcrafted rusted iron design can be left as an open structure for climbing plants or fitted with roof liners,' says Jan Howard, owner of Room in the Garden . She sited the gazebo in a walled garden, where it provides a destination at the center of the space.
17. Mow a meadow path
(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny/Future)
If you're looking for an alternative idea to the traditional sward of grass in your country garden, there is a greener solution than paving.
'A meadow is much more interesting than a regimented square of lawn – as well as being much more ecologically sustainable,' says gardener Monty Don. 'However, it's not enough to let the lawn grow. '
Don suggests adding plug plants to your lawn, such as fritillaries, narcissi, meadow sweet, cowslips and scabious. 'These should all cope with the competition from the grasses,' he explains.
You'll need to find the best time of year to plant grass seed. Meadows should be cut once or twice a year, with all the cuttings removed and composted. So that you can cross easily through the long grasses in the meantime, mow a wide path – it will create a romantic walkway that leads you on into the garden.
18. Attract butterflies and bees
(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny/Future)
Making our garden more attractive to bees, insects and other creatures is a superb way to connect with nature. Not only will it increase the health of our plot by increasing its biodiversity, this gentle, green-fingered approach is better for the planet, too.
'Making your garden more biodiverse means creating an environment that is not just about you and the plants you grow but encouraging all the world’s species into it,' says gardener and TV presenter Frances Tophill. 'That includes fungus, bacteria, insects, birds, even foxes.'
Ideas for your country garden include growing pollen-rich flowers, such as sunflowers or lavender, for insects to feed on. 'Once you have insects in your garden, then all the other wildlife will follow,' Tophill explains.
'Make sure you have flowers for as much of the year as possible and choose varieties that produce fruits and berries. Include white, scented flowers that are at their best at night as that’s when pollinators like bats and moths are most active,' Tophill suggests in her 'Get Green Fingers' campaign with Weleda.
19. Break up bowling-green lawns
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
However green and well kept your lawn is, it can tend to look a bit flat and lacking in interest. All that grass also creates a monoculture – a lack of plant diversity that will diminish the wildlife and natural wellbeing of your plot, both fundamentals of a country garden.
To keep the greenery but to give it some additional gardening 'oomph', break up your lawn by digging out beds, planting shrubs and trees, or simply adding a path or a trail of stepping stones across the sod.
20. Repair rustic walls
(Image credit: Andrea Jones/Future)
Just as the architecture of your home will inform your decor decisions, looking to existing structures within your plot can help when planning your country garden ideas.
Rustic stone and flint walls are likely to have been made from local materials, so will echo the surrounding landscape. Preserve these where you can, calling in specialist stonemasons if necessary, and use these as the backbone of your rustic plot.
Natural weathering, as well as moss, lichen and self-seeded wildflowers, will soften the look of these hardy borders, bringing a beautiful patina and depth to your country garden.
21. Plant up pots and containers
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
Whatever the size of your country garden, from tiny courtyard to expansive acres, groupings of pots filled with seasonal blooms will add extra depth and dimension.
'Pot gardening is quick and satisfying because the whole job of planting and replanting is done very quickly – a sharp look for a whole season can be prepared within an afternoon,' says gardener Arthur Parkinson, author of The Flower Yard .
'You can also treat a container garden like a profoundly changing stage, with the pots as props that can be moved around as you see fit.'
22. Make space for a pond
(Image credit: Alun Callender/Future)
'Water reflects all the changes and characteristics of the surrounding landscape and brings an enchanting quality to the garden,' says award-winning gardener, Chris Beardshaw .
Unless you are lucky enough to have a stream running through your garden, or an existing pond, you'll need to dig out a hole to be lined and filled with water.
'Introduce oxygenating plants that will create a vibrant, evolving pond ecosystem and stop the water stagnating,' recommends Beardshaw. He suggests a mix of free-floating, submerged and rooted marginal plants, including water starwort, flowering rush and water forget-me-not.
23. Put a mirror in a shady corner
(Image credit: Dunelm)
Increasing a sense of space and bouncing light in shady corners, a mirror can add a new dimension to a country garden.
'Pop it on a potting table or hang it on a wall,' suggests Homes & Garden content editor, Tara King. 'Just make sure it won't reflect direct sun, as this could cause a hot spot that might cause flowers to scorch and burn, or else shine into your eyes as you enjoy your garden.'
Don't worry if the glass becomes mottled over time; it adds a rustic feel.
24. Let chickens roam
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
Keeping chickens is a wonderful addition to a country garden.
'Hens love to have a lawn to peck on – grass is what makes for a rich egg yolk, along with calendula petals,' says gardener Arthur Parkinson .
'Given the liberty of the garden, they will bring it wonderfully alive. My hens are on bug patrol and weed in between the brick pavers in the yard. Bantams are lovely and better for a small garden as they are gentler with the plants.'
25. Set up a sheltered seating area
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
Stone walls will absorb the heat of the sun during the day and radiate it in the evening, making a sheltered corner the perfect place to set up an outdoor living room in your country garden. Add cushions and throws for extra comfort.
26. Introduce woodland plants
(Image credit: Mark Bolton/Future)
'You can echo woodland planting in a relatively small space, with just a single tree underplanted with a vibrant mixture of small shrubs and bulbs,' says Chris Beardshaw, winner of numerous Gold Medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Foxgloves, primroses, bluebells, snowdrops and sweet violets are quintessential country garden plants that will bring colour to dappled borders. The first two are also bee-friendly and will attract bees to your garden.
27. Potter in a potting shed
(Image credit: Emma Lee/Future)
'Pottering about in the shed is one of life's greatest pleasures,' says stylist Selina Lake.
'If you're a keen gardener but have only enough space for one structure in your country garden, it has to be a potting shed. It will prove an invaluable garden headquarters – somewhere to store essentials, pot on seedlings and take shelter from the rain. '
If you don't have room for a shed, Lake suggests squeezing a potting bench into a corner of the garden.
'All you need is a sturdy and fairly weatherproof table to work on,' she says. 'For something more permanent, position the table against a wall and add a shelf or two above and large crates underneath for storage.'
28. Celebrate historic features
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
If your country garden has a feature such as an old well, keeping it will add to the narrative of your home and provide a focal point in your outdoor space.
Make sure the structure is secure, repairing any brick or metalwork, and make it safe – here, a grid seals the opening of an old well, while revealing its depths.
29. Grow vegetables and flowers together
(Image credit: Mark Bolton/Future)
Companion planting is a staple of country gardening – and a great idea if you want to maximise your crop and make your beds look prettier.
Planting flowers and vegetables side by side can help keep bugs and pests away from your prize produce. 'Nasturtiums helps to deter aphids, while the scent of marigolds confuses pests,' says Emma O'Neill, head gardener at the charity Garden Organic .
For more brilliant plant and produce pairings, take a look at our complete guide to companion planting.
30. Use characterful planters
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
Barn sales, rural reclamation yards and country antiques markets are great places to pick up interesting rustic pieces to use in the garden. Trolleys, trailers, grain bins and reclaimed timber can all be used as characterful planters that reflect your rustic setting.
Ensure there is drainage at the bottom of the container so that the flowers or vegetables you plant don't become waterlogged.
31. Accessorize a deck with pretty cushions
(Image credit: Max Attenborough/Future)
When layering soft furnishings, try taking the inside out,’ advises Sue Jones, Co-founder and Creative Director at OKA .
‘Incorporating cushions and throws from your sitting room into your garden makes the space more inviting, but it also continues the color scheme and enhances the feeling of having an extra room. If you’re planning on sitting out past sunset then throws are essential for cozying up but also for creating a welcoming aesthetic.’
What plants should I grow in a country garden?
'For a country garden, you want a mix of plants, roses, perennials, edibles such as herbs, annuals and a few shrubs such as hydrangeas,' says Sarah Raven , who runs a gardening and cookery school at Perch Hill in East Sussex.
Raven recommends five classic plants when you're planning your country garden ideas.
'The first is a lovely, scented pink rose such as the Getrude Jekyll, which will bring a delightful pop of color with its large, rosette flowers. It also produces the most quintessential rose scent, which is perfect for an English country garden,' Raven shares.
'I also recommend lupins. The amethyst purple is irresistible and with its architectural flower spikes, it will add an interesting texture.
'Scented climbers such as honeysuckles or akebia quinate are a must for a country garden. These are perfect for a garden arch or pergola or to clad external walls.
'Annual, self-seeding flowers such as nigella are a staple classic for country gardens too.
'I would also plant some architectural edible such as artichokes in a country garden.'
'You want to use sympathetic materials with a strong sense of place in a country garden, continuing the textures and tones from the house into the garden,' suggests Sarah Raven.
'So, if you’re in flint country, go for a lovely natural grey flint path and terrace or patio. If the house is built in brick, then stick with lots of bricks or stone.
'By doing this, you’ll build a connection between the home and the garden, which is very important when working with a country plot.'
Andrea has been immersed in the world of homes, interiors and lifestyle since her first job in journalism, on Ideal Home. She went from women's magazine Options to Frank. From there it was on to the launch of Red magazine, where she stayed for 10 years and became Assistant Editor. She then shifted into freelancing, and spent 14 years writing for everyone from The Telegraph to The Sunday Times, Livingetc, Stylist and Woman & Home. She was then offered the job as Editor on Country Homes & Interiors, and now combines that role with writing for sister title homesandgardens.com.
English country garden ideas | House & Garden
Gardens
From rural cottage to grand estate, country gardens should be tailored to the house and landscape they occupy. Clare Foster talks to three garden designers about the elements that give a garden that all-important sense of place
By Clare Foster
Vanessa Bowman
The cottage garden
Defined by a colourful mix of flowers, the humble cottage garden is enduringly popular and easy to achieve.
The classic English cottage garden is a much loved idiom, popularised by influential gardeners and writers such as Gertrude Jekyll and Vita Sackville-West, and epitomised by a delightful mix of colourful flowers from marigolds to hollyhocks. From medieval times, these gardens were productive as well as flower-filled, but in the Victorian era, the stylised cottage garden emerged, as depicted in the paintings of Helen Allingham. Today the cottage garden is having a major revival, reinvented for the 21st century to chime with our current penchant for naturalistic planting. The modern cottage garden comes in many forms: it might be a gravel garden where poppies and other colourful favourites are allowed to self seed, or a front-garden potager, with herbs, vegetables and fruit growing alongside flowers for cutting.
Garden designer Jo Thompson has seen a rise in demand for this style of garden in recent years. ‘People want a more relaxed feel and approach,’ she says. ‘A garden doesn’t have to be manicured or minimal à la Noughties, and the cottage garden style can be adapted to whatever space you have. An unkempt garden no longer signifies some kind of character defect – people judge less and look beyond the surface.’ She designs many country gardens with a mixture of joyous planting, especially roses. ‘The rose would have to be my key cottage garden plant, whether trained up and over into mounds to give a loose structure in a mass of surrounding perennials, or allowed to grow more loosely in a natural way.’
But perhaps the most important element of the cottage garden is its biodiversity and its ability to support a wide range of wildlife, from birds to pollinating insects – and the knock-on effect this has on humans. Jo concludes: ‘To stand and watch a bee work its way through all the flowers on one plant, to see how a plant changes as it moves through its life cycle, is the most amazing thing. You’d be hard pressed to find a more mindful and healing activity.’
Key plants to create the look:
Alcea rosea 'Chater's Double Mixed'
Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Nora Barlow'
Delphinium 'Pacific Hybrids'
Digitalis purpurea 'Excelsior Group'
Papaver orientale 'Beauty of Livermere'
Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise'
Rosa 'Königin von Dänemark'
Rudbeckia fulgida var. Sullivanti 'Goldsturm'
Vanessa Bowman
A formal arrangement
Clipped topiary, elegant parterres and a sense of tradition go hand in hand with a period country house
Large, historic country houses call for a garden with the same patina and sense of age as the building – even though the original garden may have to be remodelled if it has become rundown or neglected. Traditional topiary gardens or parterres bring a sense of symmetry and formality, and can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, from chess-board yew topiary to elaborate swirls of box hedging. Wide herbaceous borders and a good old-fashioned kitchen garden will also be the right fit. The surrounding landscape can be as important as the house itself, so consider opening up and framing views, perhaps with an avenue of trees, or creating focal points with statuary or a beautiful specimen tree.
The garden designer Xa Tollemache created at her former home, Helmingham Hall in Suffolk, is widely admired. Her advice for anyone making a traditional country garden is to get to grips with the topography, climate and possible limitations of a site before starting on a design. ‘On a first visit, I look at the features of the landscape, the house and surrounding buildings, and note things that jar. Often the removal of these elements clears the path for a good design.’
MAY WE SUGGEST: The magnificent terrace garden of a townhouse in Bruges
Hard landscaping should be sympathetic to the environment, using local or reclaimed stone or brick, and fencing unobtrusive and subtle, such as estate railings or traditional chestnut paling. Xa takes a tiered approach to planting: ‘I would start to plant trees as soon as possible, then look at structural plants such as clipped shrubs for architectural interest. Roses and climbing plants come next, followed by the fluff – beautiful perennials, lavender, grasses, bulbs and annuals to fill in the gaps.’ An old country house should have a garden that feels as though it has been there for years. The skill of a garden designer is to evoke this feeling, working with a light touch and creating subtle interventions, and then to tiptoe away and pretend they were never there.
Key plants to create the look:
Alchemilla mollis
Buxus sempervirens
Campanula lactiflora 'Pritchard's Variety'
Geranium 'Johnson's Blue'
Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote'
Paeonia lactiflora 'Duchesse de Nemours'
Rosa 'Peace'
Taxus baccata
Vanessa Bowman
Modern country
Carefully considered planting set against a geometric framework can add contemporary style to a tired space
A barn conversion or newbuild house is often left with a blank canvas of a garden, inviting the creation of a new contemporary-style plot. Modern planting schemes are ideally suited to this 21st-century approach, with bold drifts of perennials and grasses that link the garden to the landscape beyond. Often, designers juxtapose these modern meadows with a strong linear framework, comprising metal-edged beds, geometric infinity pools and square-cut yew or box. Surrounding topiary with ornamental grasses can instantly lift it into a more contemporary realm.
Debbie Roberts and Ian Smith of Acres Wild have designed hundreds of country gardens, using a clever mix of plants and hard landscaping to create gardens that look modern and smart, yet rooted in their surroundings. ‘Bringing a more contemporary feel to a garden is all about the materials you choose, the way you use them and the way you plant,’ says Debbie. ‘Bigger, bolder planting generally feels more modern, and in country gardens, where the landscape is often part of the scene, the foreground planting needs to scale up to the larger canvas. Deep borders allow for some self seeders to blur the outlines, providing a sense of naturalism that we think is important in a country setting.’
MAY WE SUGGEST: A modern garden inspired by the textural planting of New Zealand
Hard landscaping elements that convey a sense of modernity are key. ‘We use materials that complement the house and are often local and reclaimed,’ she adds. ‘They should weather well, enhancing their character over time. Locally sourced stone, brick and gravel are favourites, and we also use timber and mild steel that is allowed to rust.’ Whether a garden is traditional or contemporary, giving it a sense of place is vital to make it feel comfortable in its setting. ‘Every location is unique,’ says Debbie. ‘It’s important to reflect this in the garden design so that the house, the garden and the landscape all work together as a complete entity.’
Key plants to create the look:
Hakonechloa macra
Hebe rakaiensis
Hydrangea paniculata 'Little Lime'
Nepeta racemosa 'Walkers' Low'
Pennisetum 'Fairy Tails'
Perovskia 'Blue Spire'
Stipa gigantea
Verbena bonariensis
Andrew Montgomery
Native ShareThe borders in the sunken garden of St Giles House continue to provide interest right through the winter, with graceful movement from tall mauve Verbena bonariensis and white Japanese anemones, soft texture in mounds of purple sage and pale Stipa tenuissima, and structure and drama in the fiery foliage of Cotinus ‘Grace’.
Andrew Montgomery
Native ShareOriginally laid out in 1902, the sunken garden has perennial borders designed by Jane Hurst, backed by cubes of copper beech on the terrace.
Hugo Rittson Thomas
Native ShareGrasslands and meadows on chalk can be some of the richest and most remarkable botanical habitats in Britain, with up to forty different species found in a single square-metre patch. An early autumn dawn mist shrouds the valley at Highclere Castle and, as the wildflower meadows approach the end of their season, field scabious (Knautia arvensis) puts on a final flourish before the hay is cut.
Britt Willoughby Dyer
Native ShareAn enclosed gravel garden is overlooked by an ancient building shipped from France in this Cotswolds garden designed by James Alexander Sinclair, its wooden columns draped with fragrant ‘Madame Alfred Carrière’ roses. Purple Monarda ‘Scorpion’, soft pink Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Rosea’ and Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Album’ throng the network of paths.
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Britt Willoughby Dyer
Native ShareBetween the drive and the kitchen, a formal herb garden of box-edged beds encloses yew topiary and a profusion of herbs.
Eva Nemeth
Native ShareA wide border, like this 3-metre-wide one at Alisdair Cameron's Devon garden, can be a spectacular way to experiment with planting. This one is filled with towering late-summer perennials and grasses in dusky, muted colours with dashes of orange from rudbeckias and heleniums. ‘I like to think of the river as an influence,’ says Alasdair. ‘The key structural plants are like river boulders, with everything else flowing and bouncing around them. I like to run particular plants through a space, then drop out into something else. It’s about rhythm and crescendo, and then bringing it down again.’
Andrew Montgomery
Native ShareEva Nemeth
Native ShareSoftness can be a great tool in a country garden. Here at Libby Russell's Somerset garden, a curving, flowing border is filled with flowering shrubs and herbaceous perennials for year-round interest. Colours are muted here, with airy grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ and Hakonechloa macra mingling with Echinacea ‘White Swan’ and native devil’s-bit scabious, Succisa pratensis. Clipped yew underpins the softness, with a backbone of shrubs in pretty pinks and whites.
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Simon Upton
Native ShareIf you're lucky enough to have a brick wall, cover it in wisteria. If your wall is moderately tall the vines will quickly scale it and each year you will be rewarded with the most beautiful spring display.
Ngoc Minh Ngo
Native ShareTexture is key in any garden, and at this Dan-Pearson-designed garden in Devon, the vegetable garden is a thing of beauty. Contrasting textures provide visual appeal, with the ferny foliage of fennel dividing rows of broad beans and rhubarb.
Simon Upton
Native ShareDedicate a corner of your garden to a traditional vegetable garden. Rhubarb plants are not only delicious but rather beautiful - we recommend investing in terracotta forcers for the sweetest rhubarb and aesthetic satisfaction.
Simon Upton
Native ShareIf you invest in an iron obelisk for your border it will add year-round structure and can be used as support for everything from sweet peas to clematis or roses.
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Simon Upton
Native ShareA tangle of climbers is always a soft romantic look. Here at Bowood House in Wiltshire a combination the gardener has used a combination of of Clematis armandii and red roses.
Andrew Montgomery
Native ShareA metal arbour adds instant romance - swathe it in roses, wisteria or a grape vine - as here in Thomas Hoblyn's garden. Find similar arbours at Harrod Horticultural.
- Native Share
Create a hedge formed of rose plants - Rosa Rugosa works well for this as it forms glossy red hips in winter. Rosa 'Wild Edric' from David Austin Roses is a highly scented beauty.
Simon Brown
Native ShareTopiary is the perfect way to add structure to your country garden. In this Cotswolds garden box hedges, beech trees and walls of topiary yew lead to a gothic window.
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Andrew Montgomery
Native SharePlanting a herbaceous border filled with perennials is a wise move for those in favour of the country garden look. Each year you are pretty much guaranteed a bigger and better display as your plants grow and you divide them. Here at Arne Maynard's Allt-y-bela an area of herbaceous planting borders the kitchen garden.
Sabina Ruber
Native ShareEdge your lawn in manicured box balls - here at Tania Compton's Wiltshire home they provide a formal border to looser border planting beyond.
Elsa Young
Native ShareEncourage wild flowers such as foxgloves and don't over-manicure your trees. If you don't have hours to spend on topiary go for a loose and effortless look, as at this charming fishing lodge in the Scottish Highlands.
Jason Ingram
Native ShareAt Bluebell Cottage and Nursery borders of soft grasses, geraniums and phlox are dotted with the purple globes of alliums.
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Andrew Montgomery
Native SharePlant a profusion of ruby red french marigolds to edge vegetable beds or sweet peas - their vibrancy tempts away bugs which would otherwise eat your prime plants.
Andrew Montgomery
Native ShareBearded irises add height and structure to any border - here in Jinny Blom's London garden she has planted 'Dusky Challenger', an inky purple variety.
Simon Brown
Native ShareCreate your own hazel obelisks using coppiced wood. If you don't have any trees to coppice you can buy these cheaply online - try Rivenwood - or from farm shops.
Simon Upton
Native ShareIf you have inherited an old orchard grow a tumble of rambling roses up your trees and create a soft meadow with grasses and daisies below.
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Simon Upton
Native ShareGravel paths are the perfect accompaniment to soft billoughing planting, such as this scheme devised by Tom Stuart-Smith. Plant herbaceous plants such as salvia which will spill onto the pathways and soften edges.
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Flank a door with a pair of glossy standard bay trees. At Taddington Manor, the door to the 1844 Cotswolds barn is framed with two bay trees planted inArchitectural Heritage's large square copper planters - a design based on an antique Victorian example. The clipped bays are about the same height as the door, adding to the satisfying orderliness of the scene.
- Native Share
This Cloisters Seat bench from Gaze Burvill is canopied with a living willow arch. Willow is pliable and will root in most places, making it perfect for creating verdant garden structures.
Andrew Montgomery
Native ShareIsabel & Julian Bannerman have created wide sloping borders in their Cornish garden. These display a lush jungle of herbaceous plants and are bisected by shallow steps and wooden obelisks.
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- Native Share
Create secluded and romantic seating by constructing a square pergola, draped with white wisteria, as at the architect Mario Connio's Andalucian farmhouse. Traditional bistro seating completes the look.
Sharyn Cairns
Native ShareCourtyard Garden, Barn Conversion | Small Garden Designs
The owners of this Grade II-listed Kent barn conversion consulted the architect Thomas Croft, who remodelled and extended the space to give them the indoor-outdoor lifestyle they craved. The seating area in the courtyard garden is designed by Kate Gould.
Andrew Montgomery
Native ShareThe Victorian walled garden in an English flower garden at Wardington Manor in Oxfordshire. The traditional herbaceous borders are now planted with delphiniums, adding colour to the establihsed perennial borders.
TopicsGarden ArchitectureCountry GardensGardens
Read More33 ideas for summer cottages and gardens
Good afternoon, dear lovers of cottages, gardens and home gardens! We are glad to welcome you to our website, which is entirely devoted to the garden, summer cottage construction and in general everything that is somehow connected with the organization of do-it-yourself housework.
Let's get to know each other better. Of course, we will not ask you where you are from and who you are. We will talk about our resource. So, we suggest you familiarize yourself with all the popular sections on our project. nine0003
Materials for gazebos
Most of those who visit our pages are interested in how to build a gazebo with their own hands. Look there too. Surely you will like this octagonal summer gazebo for summer cottages. It is so nice to spend an evening with your family over a cup of tea.
Arbor-canopy
We also have an unusual description of how to build a gazebo-canopy. In the back of the gazebo, you can organize a room for storing country equipment or, for example, a bicycle. Also, everything is detailed and diagrams of the gazebo are given. nine0003
Information on greenhouses
The article on how to build a greenhouse with your own hands is also of great interest to our visitors. The material is very useful and necessary, especially for those who only this season decided to acquire a summer cottage.
However, the information will also be useful for experienced gardeners. In addition to the description, the article also provides detailed drawings-diagrams of the greenhouse.
Unusual greenhouse made of plastic bottles
But that's certainly not all. We also have a very interesting material about a greenhouse made of plastic bottles. Agree, everyone has enough of this goodness. Yes, and along the perimeter of the street a lot of lying around. nine0003
But they can be put to good use. Make a beautiful greenhouse out of bottles in every way. By the way, such a design will stand for more than one season, unlike the same plastic film.
Various summer cottage ideas
Also people come to us and just look at some fresh ideas for summer cottages. For example, in an article about dacha decoration, we have collected a very beautiful selection of materials on how to decorate the space in our dacha. Take a look - you won't regret it! nine0003
Flowerbed decoration
One of the new original trends is growing vegetables in flower beds. See how beautiful it can look.
Undoubtedly, a wooden flower bed will add color and attractiveness to any suburban area. Such a flower bed can be moved - it is not stationary. It will look great on your patio.
Front garden design
You may also be interested in front garden design - the material is very informative and useful. Has a wonderful photo. Tips are given on how to create the highest quality front garden in terms of design. nine0003
Photo ideas
We offer you to look at these bright photos of the idea of decorating a summer cottage. Get inspired and make your territory to the delight of all your friends the most beautiful and wonderful!
Look around on our website. On the right you can see all the headings in which there is a lot of useful material on country gardening. Scroll and read!
And a few more ideas
And finally, we suggest you look at a small selection of ideas for summer cottages and gardens right here. So to speak, to relax the eyes. Enjoy! And stay with us! Better yet, bookmark our site and visit us. We are always glad to see you! Good luck in country design and decorating your site! nine0003
Very unusual and interesting do-it-yourself ideas for summer cottages and gardens. Pay attention to how the dacha decoration of the plant is enlivened. They are transforming the area. Make it lively and friendly. Watch and get inspired!
Pay attention to the walls of the house - the colors should be vibrant and juicy. Finally paint your gray country house in bright colors!
Flowers in pots and planters will greatly complement the appearance of the building. nine0003
There should be many windows on the veranda so that fresh air can flow and at the same time you can hide behind the glass from the weather.
An example of decorating a country veranda.
And this is how you can decorate an old chair that was going to be thrown into the trash.
You can also make such a beautiful flower stand from an old chair.
On the veranda you can set up a real flower garden, plant it in such a way that it becomes like a greenhouse. nine0003
Very beautiful design of the flower bed. Figurines and mini fences.
In a mini flower garden, you can sow a lawn, then it will be even more beautiful.
Indoor flowers can be taken outside during the warm season.
An old door can also be beautifully decorated.
Flowers in pots hanging from the ceiling beam on the veranda of the house.
Indoor flowers in pots on a metal shelf will look very original. nine0003
An old kerosene lantern can be used to decorate flower beds.
Climbing plants like ivy can be planted in front of the house entrance.
Natural stones can be placed under the bench so that the ground is not trampled underfoot.
Bright landscaping on the site.
Toys can be distributed in flowerbeds - this makes the planting very lively.
Climbing roses and picturesque pergola. nine0003
Table and chairs in the seating area.
Models of insects - butterflies and dragonflies will look beautiful on the walls.
One summer a dragonfly flew into our garden, but I was not at a loss and photographed it on the grass. See what kind of beauty was visiting our garden.
The unusually shaped bottles can be used as fresh flower vases.
This entry was posted in Ideas for giving, Landscape ideas. Bookmark the permalink. nine0003
Landscaping of a suburban area | Country ideas and experience of gardeners
If you already have a country house, or besides a small house, everything is arranged in it, communications are perfect, then it is just right to think about the territory adjacent to it. This will please the eye, and if there are children, then it is more pleasant for them to play on a well-equipped site than on a dug up or overgrown with weeds.
Agree that the house itself is visually perceived much better if the territory is ennobled. Perhaps a beautiful and rich cottage, but if there is a thicket of burdock near it, then the effect of the overall picture will hardly be good. And on the contrary - a modest house, but clean and tidy, albeit without any frills, will be very nice against the backdrop of a lawn, flower beds, alpine slides, etc. nine0003
The landscaping of a personal plot in its own sequence is similar to the design of a house - first you draw up a project, then turn it into a destiny. How is a landscape design project drawn up and what should you pay attention to? First of all, it is necessary to take into account the landscape - whether there are hillocks, small ponds, reservoirs, ditches on the site, where is a high place, and where is a lowland, are there trees and more.
On the ground, at least approximately find out where you will have a recreation area, where you are going to make a place for outdoor games, where is a vegetable garden, and where it is necessary to build outbuildings, and where will be easily decorative plantings and flower beds. nine0003
When you roughly divide the site into such territories, it will be easier for you to explain to the designer what you want from him, and if you start designing the landscape design yourself, then it will be much easier for you - you will not forget anything. It is much better to depict your wishes on paper or through a special computer program, then you can see what you have planned and change if you are thirsty. If you are going to make a design on the site with your own hands, we recommend that you look at the website of the online publication about landscape design Around the House. nine0003
If you resort to the help of an expert designer, then try to stay with him as much as possible, he will be able to give you advice on something else, more suitable in one place or another, or quite often there are such cases, at that time, when the designer has not quite realized what they want from him, and will do everything in his own way.
A competent expert will be able to advise you which particular plants are best used in a particular area and in your climate, which particular plantings are best planted at the back of the house, and which ones specifically on the front side, which should be largely abandoned. nine0003
It is an erroneous opinion that landscape design is only planting new plants, flowers, arrangement of various reservoirs, streams, alpine slides, paths, etc. First of all, it emphasizes the house and the air in this house, the image of the fate of the family, based on this, a well-designed site design will allow you and your children to enjoy a country holiday.
http://www.linkstroy.ru/
Landscape design of the site. Beautiful photos
Beautiful summer cottage.0009
Interesting notes:
- Garden plot design
- Swimming pool in the countryside
- What specific features of the land allotment can be
Selected by important queries, relevant articles:
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We will make the design of the garden plot ourselves soon and without investment
Often, people who have purchased a dacha remember what kind of design of a garden plot to make and who to contact with this question, how right ...
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Landscaping of a site on a slope
Many summer residents prefer to buy a plot with a flat area.
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