Transform your garden into a vivifying, dreamy cottagecore sanctuary with these 9 enchanting cottagecore plant ideas for a captivating display.
Nestled amidst the picturesque English countryside, cottagecore gardens offer a delightful escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Characterised by their informal and relaxed appearance, these gardens are a harmonious blend of vibrant colours, romantic textures, and prolific blooms.
At the heart of a cottagecore garden lies an exquisite selection of plants, each chosen for its beauty, scent, and ability to attract pollinators. Let's delve into some of the most popular choices:
Flowers:
- Echinacea, or coneflowers, are a favourite among pollinators and drought-tolerant plant lovers. They produce large numbers of blooms that last from midsummer until the arrival of cooler weather in fall.
- Delphiniums, with their tall spikes of blue, pink, or white flowers, add a touch of elegance to any cottagecore garden.
- Lupines, known for their tall spires of vibrant blue, purple, or yellow blooms, provide a striking contrast against the softer tones often found in cottagecore gardens.
- Roses, with their heady fragrance, add colour, shape, and natural movement to cottagecore gardens. Old-fashioned breeds, shrub roses, and English types have seen a recent surge in popularity due to their dense flower forms and range of fragrance.
- Hollyhocks, the quintessential cottage garden flower, make excellent cottagecore plants with large hibiscus-like flowers.
- Sweet peas, not to be confused with edible garden types, offer a brightly colored yet old-fashioned fragrant addition to a cottagecore aesthetic. 'Sweet Dreams Mix' from Burpee is a popular choice.
Herbs:
- Lavender, rosemary, thyme, and mint are not only valued for their aroma but also for their usefulness. They add a touch of practicality to the garden while maintaining the romantic atmosphere.
Vegetables:
- Mixed in with ornamentals for practicality without formal separation, vegetables like peas, beans, and lettuce can be found interspersed among the flowers.
Fruit:
- Small fruit bushes or trees like gooseberries or raspberries can be incorporated to provide a practical yet beautiful addition to the garden.
Plants for Continuous Bloom:
A mixture of annuals, perennials, and biennials ensures continuous bloom and texture variety throughout the growing seasons. For example, Hellebore plants provide colour and joy from very early in the year and are resistant to disease and damage from browsing animals. Many hydrangea types flower profusely and change colour over the flowering season, making them a popular choice for cottagecore gardens.
Shopping for Cottagecore Plants:
- Fast Growing Trees offers a variety of hydrangeas, including 'Annebelle', 'Red Sensation', 'Little Lime Punch', and 'Endless Summer'.
- Nature Hills boasts an exquisite selection of peonies, including 'Sarah Bernhardt', 'Bartzella' Itoh peony, and 'Festiva Maxima' peony.
- For roses, consider the 'Blue Moon' hybrid tea rose bush from Heirloom Roses and the 'Candy Sunblaze' miniature rose bush from Hirt's Gardens, both available from Walmart.
- Ferns, low-growing species that can be used in a garden cottagecore design to create depth within beds and help control weeds, are also available from various nurseries.
In a cottagecore garden, spontaneity and structure are carefully balanced—a subtle framework like an arbor or birdhouse is softened by overflowing, lush plantings, evoking cozy, storybook charm and slow living ideals. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a novice, embracing the cottagecore aesthetic can bring a touch of romance and nostalgia to your outdoor space.
In a cottagecore garden, one might find a diverse array of plants selected for their aesthetics, scents, and pollinator appeal, such as the home-and-garden favorite, sweet peas, providing an old-fashioned, fragrant addition to the garden. Furthermore, the lifestyle embraced by cottagecore enthusiasts includes cultivating a garden that incorporates an exquisite selection of home-and-garden plants, such as the versatile and charming hollyhocks, a quintessential choice for these gardens.