Evenwood ( http://www.evenwood.demon.co.uk/ ) is another surburban garden that is well worth a look. Located in Coton, England, it incorporates many features of the cottage garden style, and has a detailed plan and description of each of the different sections of the garden.
Carolyn Moore's home pages ( http://www.transy.edu/homepages/wells/in... ) are another source of inspiration for my cottage garden. If you're starting from scratch, you'll enjoy browsing through her construction notes, and even if you already have a garden, you'll find something new and different you might want to add in the list of projects on her home page. Don't forget to check out the garden pictures!
Closer to home, another of my favorites is Donna Dawson's garden at http://www.icangarden.com/pix/backyard.h... . One look and you'll know why Donna's garden in Edmonton has won so many awards!
Ready to plunge in and plan your own cottage garden? Start by deciding what you want your garden to be and thinking about how you want to use it. Originally, cottage gardens evolved out of people's needs. Many cottage gardens included herbs, for instance, because people wanted a supply of herbs near-to-hand for cooking and medicinal purposes. You can include vegetables and herbs in your design if using your garden as a food source is important to you. Or perhaps you want to attract butterflies and bees. Or focus on flowers for cutting or drying. Figure out what you want from your garden before you start selecting plants.
Choose the hardscape features of your garden before the plants. Good bones make good garden designs. Incorporate a backdrop of some kind, such as a wall, wooden fence, or even a hedge. Include a path, preferably with a curve to draw the eye and welcome the garden visitor. Add a trellis or some other structure for a climbing plant or two.
Rethink the way you plant. Plant in clumps, clusters, or swathes rather than in rows. Mass flowers, herbs and vegetables together rather than segregating them. Don't worry so much about height; you don't have to slavishly follow the "rules" of putting all the tall plants in the back when you're designing a cottage garden.
Focus on "tried and true" plants. Your cottage garden will have more of an old-fashioned feel and be easier to maintain if you select plants that generations of gardeners have successfully grown. Heritage perennials, vegetables, and annuals are great choices; they're reliable as well as beautiful.
