The best plants for cottage gardens: 18 wonderful plants

Cottage-style gardens are becoming more and more wanted. They are highly desired because they are beautiful, romantic and attractive. Creating a cottage garden is easy as long as you know which plants to include in it. There are a lot of plants that you can choose from. However, if you want your cottage garden to be fascinating and outstanding, you should definitely opt for one of these amazing plants for cottage gardens.

1. Bellflower

This beautiful summer-blooming plant is one of the best plants for cottage gardens. It is very attractive and chilling. Besides, it is known to be a very tough plant. Bellflower requires daily exposure to sunlight as well as a well-drained soil. Once you provide these two growth requirements, it will grow up to 3 feet tall adorning your garden beautifully.

2. Columbine

This is one of the most beautiful plants for cottage gardens. Columbine is a very popular plant for most gardeners. It is very colorful and alluring. It blooms from spring to the beginning of summer. Columbine attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. This plant is easy to grow as long as you provide it with partial shades and well-drained soil.

3. Coralbells

This plant also blooms for the spring to the beginning of summer. It is also an exceptional plant known for spraying pink, red, or white flowers. These flowers are loved by hummingbirds. For growing coralbells, you will need a well-drained soil and a partially shady spot.

4. Daisy

Daisies are classic flowers. They are very simple. Their simplicity is beautiful and admirable. These low maintenance plants are perfect cottage gardens. Daisies require access to sunlight and well-drained soil to grow and thrive. However, they can tolerate a partial shade.

5. Dame’s Rocket

This is one of the most attractive and elegant old-fashioned annuals. It is also one of the best pleasant smelling flowers. It releases a strong fragrant smell. Just like the previous plants, this one requires a direct exposure to full sunlight and well-drained soil. It is an ideal choice to have not only beautiful but also smelling cottage garden.

6. Delphinium

Delphiniums are unique flowers. They have a remarkable shape that attracts attention. These blooming flowers come in a variety of colors including purple, blue, pink, and white. Delphiniums are delicate flowers and they are fragile against the wind. You may want to grow supportive plants to protect them.

Delphinium prefers a full sun, but, it can also grow in partial shades. its average height ranges between 1 and 6 feet. The taller the plant is, the more vulnerable to wind it becomes.

7. Dianthus

This is a lovely plant that blooms in different colors such as white, pink and red. This blooming flower is fragrant too. It releases a very sweet refreshing scent. Dianthus are low maintenance plants. They are not very demanding. All you need to do is grow them in a sunny spot where the soil is well-draining.

8. Foxglove

Foxglove is a woodland biennial. It usually comes in shades of purple, pink, and white. Foxglove is a self-seeder which means that new plants will appear in your garden every year. It is up to you to decide whether to grow them or to remove them. In order to grow and thrive, foxglove needs moist well-drained soil and partial sunlight exposure.

9. Hollyhock

This plant is among the tallest plants for cottage gardens. Its height ranges between 4 and 8 feet. Thus, it is perfect to shield your garden and give you a bit of privacy. Hollyhock blooms in different shades of colors including red, purple, yellow, and white. It requires a moist well-draining soil to grow and thrive. You should also provide it with full sun.

10. Hydrangea

It is seen as the most beautiful Shrub by many gardeners. It produces colorful clusters of pink, blue, or white flowers that make it distinguishing. Hydrangea is a tall plant. It grows up to 6 feet. For a full growth, it needs a moist well-drained soil and most of all a partial exposure to sunlight.

11. Iris

There are many varieties of Iris, all of them are beautiful and remarkable and most of them are fragrant. The most distinguishing feature of this beauty is that blooms in a rainbow of colors. When provided with an access to direct sunlight and well-drained soil, this lovely plant will grow up to reach 3 feet tall.

12. Lavender

Levander is known to most gardeners. It is a beautiful unique herb mainly grown for aesthetic reasons. It is very decorative and attractive. What makes Levander unique is that both its foliage and flowers are fragrant. They have a beautiful odor. Levander is a relatively short plant, it does not exceed 2 feet tall. It is also a low maintenance plant that requires only a well-drained soil and a full access to sunlight.

13. Lady’s Mantle

Although it is not well known, Lady’s Mantle is one of the great plants for cottage gardens. It has a beautiful foliage that catches early morning dewdrops. This short plant requires a well-drained soil and a partially shaded spot to grow.

14. Peony

Peony is a very romantic plant. It creates an atmosphere of warmth and passion. Peony is not only charming but also very fragrant. It will release a beautiful smell into your garden making it extremely refreshing and alluring. Besides, they are one of the toughest plants for cottage gardens. They are drought tolerant and pest-resistant.

There are a lot of varieties of Peony. The only difference is their height. All Peony varieties require a well-drained soil and accessibility to sunlight.

15. Perennial Geranium

There are a lot of varieties of Perennial Geranium. The most common variety used for cottage gardens is Johnson’s Blue. This variety is low maintenance. It does not require much care. It can grow both in full sun and in partial shade. You should only make sure that the soil is well-drained.

16. Phlox

Phlox is a brilliant plant for any cottage garden. When it blooms, it releases such a sweet fragrant smell. It blooms in shades of white, pink, lavender, and red. It is a highly ornamental plant that requires nothing but a well-drained soil and daily exposure to sunlight.

17. Sweet William

This self-seed plant is definitely one of the most excellent plants for cottage gardens. It is beautiful, sturdy and most of all it is fragrant. These features will allow you to have an outstanding cottage garden. It will also bring life to your cottage garden by attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Just like all the plants for cottage gardens, this beauty requires access to full sunlight and well-drained soil.

18. Violet

Violets are one of the most charming plants for cottage gardens. They are distinguished by their edible and fragrant bloom. Besides, they bloom in the fall when most plants are dormant. They are an ideal choice for any cottage garden.

These are the best plants for cottage gardens. These plants will ensure that your cottage garden will be absolutely stunning. You should opt for more than one plant to have a colorful and a cheerful garden. Enjoy gardening.