My Cottage Garden:
My cottage garden is â a patchwork of petals, produce and peaceful chaos.
What started as a teaching garden for my kids has grown into a heartfelt way of life. At canadian-gardening.ca I grow fruits and vegetables among flowers and herbs, sharing the harvest with birds, pollinators and the odd squirrel who thinks he owns the place.
Cottage gardening to me isn't about perfection â it's about abundance, curiosity and letting nature participate. If you've ever felt joy watching bees nap on sunflowers or harvesting strawberries next to a blooming rose, you might already be a cottage gardener too.
The interesting part to my garden style is that I didn't know I had one.
First I planted what the kids like to eat and planting flowers and then I looked around many years later and I go "what style of garden do I have?" Answer: "One that makes me happy! The rest doesn't matter".
Sometimes the wildlife shares with me and that's still enough to feed my family and some of my neighbours. I feel so blessed to have a garden and be able to share my experience with you!
ðŋ What's Your Garden Personality?
Are you a Romantic Cottage Gardener, a Practical Grower, or a Wildflower Dreamer? Discover your unique gardening style â and get ideas that feel *just right* for your space.
ðŊ Take the QuizCottage Garden Starter Checklist
Cottage Garden Maintenance Checklist
Season | Tasks |
---|---|
Spring | Clear debris, divide perennials, sow hardy annuals, mulch. |
Summer | Deadhead blooms, water in dry spells, harvest edibles. |
ð Fall | Let some plants go to seed, plant spring bulbs, light tidy-up. |
Winter | Leave seed heads, enjoy the birds, plan next year. |
Garden Style Comparison
Feature | Formal Garden | Cottage Garden | Rock Garden | Xeriscape Garden |
---|---|---|---|---|
Design Style | Symmetrical, geometric, planned | Romantic, informal, abundant | Naturalistic, rugged, low-profile | Minimalist, drought-tolerant |
Planting Style | Structured rows, often clipped hedges | Layered, self-seeding, colorful mix | Low-growing alpines and succulents | Water-wise natives and perennials |
Maintenance | High | Moderate to high | Low to moderate | Very low |
Common Plants | Boxwood, roses, topiary | Foxgloves, cosmos, herbs | Sedum, thyme, conifers | Lavender, sage, yucca |
Hardscaping | Gravel paths, fountains | Winding paths, arbors, trellises | Stones, gravel, dry-stacked walls | Gravel mulch, stone paths |
Water Needs | Medium to high | Medium to high | Low | Very low |
Wildlife Friendly | Rarely | Very | Somewhat | Yes, if using native plants |
Best For | Front entrances, estate settings | Backyards, artistic or relaxed homes | Slopes, dry corners, rocky areas | Hot, dry climates or water restrictions |
Visual Aesthetic | Tidy, elegant, controlled | Whimsical, lush, layered | Textured, minimalist, earthy | Simple, open, adapted |
Personality Match | Type-A with clippers (secateurs) | Romantic chaos in bloom | Realist who respects rocks | Low-key conservationist |
What Is Your Garden Personality?
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Back to: Garden Lifestyle || Some Pictures of my Backyard Critters
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