The Best Perennial Plants for Cottage Gardens

Choosing the best plants for your style of gtardening takes some time and thought process. If you have an informal garden then perhaps the cottage mix would work well for you,  I like perennials not only because you only have to plant once, but because they put on a magnificient showy display year after year with very little pruning or maintenance.  You get more bang for the buck.  The best perennials plants for your particular garden should include a mix of short, medium and tall plants that bloom early, mid season and late season.  I encourage gardeners to plant lots of white perennials to contrast the bold riotous colors from the rest of the perennials.

I have listed a few of my favorites, which does not include the entire range and selection of perennials.  

drop me a cmment and let me know your favorites.

 Hollyhocks are by far my favorite cottage garden plant.  The height brings your eyes up to view the blossoms and gently guides you to view the trees, the sky, the birds flying in mid air,.  The seeds are also among the easiest to start and the plant is winter hardy. I t blooms mid season.

The old fashioned medicianl foxglove plant makes a stately appearance in June to July. It's lovely pastel colors adds a softness to the garden and the medium height adds deminsion and structure and I love the whimsey look of the foxglove in the back of the garden. Bees and hummingbirds love this flower.

 Bellflower is a  tough perennial that produces spikes of white or blue blooms in early and midsummer. Like most cottage garden plants, the flowers are great for cutting. They will grow in full sun or partial shade and grow to a stately 3 feet or more. They will start from seeds fairly easy.

Easy to grow and beautiful, columbine blooms in spring and early summer. The colorful blooms are loved by hummingbirds and gardeners alike. I can't imagine a garden without these little beauties. they grow to about one to two feet tall.

In spring and early summer, coralbells produce sprays of pink, red, or white flowers. These flowers are a top choice of hummingbirds. They can grow to a height of 3 feet, but in my garden they onoy grow to about 2 foot, this is the height I perfer as they do not compete with the delphniums or foxgloves.

  Corabells perfer a little shade.

 

Delphinium produces stately spires in shades of purple, blue, pink, and white,and are about as regal as garden flowers come. Unfortunately, taller types need staking to protect them from wind but they're well worth this bit of extra work. They will grow to a height of 6 ft. and do perfer some shade.

 

Daisies offer a simplistic beauty that works well in any cottage garden. Their bright white blooms with sunny yellow centers are perfect for beds and borders, as well as vases. They will grow from 2 to 3 ft. in your garden and perfer good well drained soil. Daisies will grow in full sun or partial shade.

 

 

Bees Balm or Monarda is a paradise for bees and hummingbirds. It blooms non stop all summer and it's medium height is good for the borders of your garden. They can come in an assortment of colors. They will start well from seeds. They like full sun and good soil.