Some like it minimalistic and modern, others value naturalness. Either way, the natural garden has been very popular again in recent years and is preferred by many hobby gardeners. You feel closer to nature and even do something good for all the insects and animals. A garden that is becoming increasingly popular and is truly nature-friendly and useful is the so-called cottage garden. Today we would like to introduce you to its advantages and also explain how you can create a cottage garden.
In principle, this type of garden is a mix ofOrnamental and kitchen garden. This involves combining the plants together to create a wide variety of colors. At the same time, the garden exudes pleasant scents and provides the gardener with delicious fruits thanks to the crops. It actually sounds like a classic mixed culture, so what's so special about it? Well, the whole thing is grown on a very small area and in earlier times this small area was used by farmers for self-sufficiency.
How does he look today?
Little space, but it had to be used very well - how do you create and plant the farm garden for this purpose? The garden is characterized by two intersecting paths so that every area can be easily reached. Gardeners usually planted vegetable plants in the center of the cottage garden. Stand aroundHerbs and medicinal plants, while the outer areas were used for flowers. When it comes to crops, great emphasis was also placed on benefiting from yield all year round. The plants were planted so that there was always something to harvest and eat.
Of course, the rich and lasting harvest is no longer the focus these days. Now the mixed garden has a different purpose - namely to look aesthetically good and also be good for nature. The fact that people today place more and more value on growing their own crops is very convenient, because this fact can be combined wonderfully with cottage gardens.
Creating a cottage garden – planting plan
With the help of the paths, you divide the small garden into four squares, which you can now plant. There are a variety of options for this purpose and you don't necessarily have to stick to the classic farmers' design style, but you can create a farmer's gardenwith a planthat completely suits your ideas and preferences. One way to design the four squares/beds would be, for example, the fertilizer requirements of the plants:
- Heavy feeders (both useful and ornamental plants mixed)
- Medium feeders (both useful and ornamental plants mixed)
- Weak feeders (both useful and ornamental plants mixed)
- Herbal plants
You can just as easily create a cottage garden with a raised bed. Decorative items such as fountains or a basin that collects rainwater can also be an element in cottage gardens. For example, the fountain is preferably located at the intersection of paths and thus forms an interesting focal point.
Popular ornamental plants include perennials and dahlias, and summer plants are also a common choice. By and large, you can choose any flowers thatreminiscent of a wild meadowand bring lots of splashes of color into the garden – the bees will thank you. Of course, you also have free choice when it comes to vegetables and fruit and can plant whatever you want. However, we recommend that you make a plan so that, according to tradition, you can harvest fruits regularly throughout the season. Those that you cannot consume fresh right away can be frozen or preserved and then used in the winter. The same goes for herbs and medicinal plants that you can use fresh or dry.
Creating a cottage garden – floor plan for dividing the beds
It is important that they visually separate the beds from each other and unite themcreate a geometric floor plan. The entire cottage garden is fenced in, for which weave fences or a simple picket fence are well suited. Back then, plants were protected from livestock running around, but today it remains a typical feature. It is also best to surround the beds themselves with simple wooden boards that you stick vertically into the ground. The raised beds already mentioned are also very suitable for this purpose.
The paths in the cottage gardens
A cross divides the garden into four squares. Since the goal of the cottage garden is a natural look, you should also maintain this with the paths. Instead of choosing paving stone or even concrete, be sure to go for something natural that stays clean even after it rains -Gravel is very popularand allows water to seep through beautifully to avoid puddles. It becomes even more natural with lawn.
Creating a cottage garden – ideas
Of course, you don't just have free choice when it comes to choosing the plants. You can also at theDivision and designImplement your own ideas. So instead of two intersecting paths and four squares, you can also design several paths and thus get several beds. The garden doesn't necessarily have to be square, but can vary in length. Below you can look at a few pictures for alternative versions of the classic and collect inspiration.
Border beds with stones
Plant mixed crops
Minimalist variant for cottage gardens
Combine ornamental and useful plants with each other
Plant herbs and medicinal plants such as vegetables and flowers in the beds
