In this article, because it is the month of romance, we take a look at two of the most romantic styles of gardens – the cute English cottage-style garden and the more stately traditional English formal country garden.
They have similarities certainly, as they are both English country-style gardens – but they are also quite different. We’ll look at why this is so, then offer a few tips on getting started with whichever of these that you choose to create, and show the essential elements of landscaping each one.
Different Types Of Gardens
Primarily the difference between these garden types is one of space. The Traditional English formal country garden was a style of garden which utilised the large spaces of the lands available to the English upper-class gentry and contained larger and more elaborate elements of hard-scaping and less colour.
English cottage-style gardens, however, were for those of the lower classes living in much smaller ‘cottagey’ homes who, if they took pride in their gardens, had to create beauty and style utilising very much smaller spaces and less extravagant landscaping elements.
In this time of romance, who can forget the tale of ‘Lady Chatterley’s lover’ where the lady of the house escaped from her Formal English garden to spend time with the gardener in his cute cottagey space?
Where to start
Firstly, if you are deciding between which of these gardens to create then consider the space available to you – and of course cost, as the formal English garden will cost more. Then find the right space where the soil is just right or can be prepared accordingly and you have plenty of sunshine (around 6 to 8 hrs a day)
Get ideas and advice
Many ideas are available online of course, in articles like this one, but for a really good start rather come and consult with us to let us know what you are doing and possibly engage our services to landscape the area – or at least assist you to plan it and give you the ideal plants, shrubs, trees, flowers etc. – and hardscape elements (like water features paving stones, screens etc) that you might need.
Now, make your plan with a sketch, or however, you want to do it and take into account the vital importance of choosing a colour scheme, materials, plants, and accessories that will work with the size, style and colour of your home.
Essential landscaping differences
To successfully design and landscape either of these styles of garden, you need to consider some of the other differences apart from just size and space…
Appearance – In an English formal garden, the overall appearance is naturally quite formal to match the size and architecture of the buildings. Symmetry and form are essential, and one would use numerous straight lines and geometric patterns.
Conversely, a Cottage garden, apart from being much smaller, is wild and messy, almost as if it had not been designed, but Mother Nature had just thrown a huge variety of flowers and plants together in wild abandon just to cover all the soil!
Hardscaping – English formal gardens are highly sculptured and pruned with expanses of lawn and less use of colour than a cottage garden, so the hardscaping elements are large and prominent, like sculptured formal hedging to instil a sense of order, with less formal planting borders as a counterbalance.
Other elements are Garden rooms enclosed with hedging, fencing, screening, gates, or walls – and large water features like ponds, streams, waterfalls, and expansive multi-layered fountains. Large areas are divided by paving, pathways and straight hedges – and mass planting of similar plants like large rose beds.
The English Cottage Garden, on the other hand, with its huge variety of colours and intimate feel, would have curved lines for flower bed edges and hard landscaping like a cottage patio so you could add an outdoor living space without taking too much space in the garden itself.
Small paving areas and paths, like cobblestones and other traditional styles of pathways leading to a small water feature, would be other typical hardscaping design elements. Also make sure that you only use pretty, eye-catching garden accessories and traditional garden ornaments like a rustic birdbath, sundial or bench.
Weepy Willows Wholesale Nursery provides all your needs
Remember that whatever type of garden you are trying to create, from these romantic gardens to our South African traditional Indigenous gardens – or a modern office space garden setting, Windy Willows Wholesale Nursery can provide all your needs and either advise you on or execute excellent landscaping for you.
Pop into our nursery in Honeydew or contact us here to find out all you need to know about anything to do with making your garden fabulous. May we wish you, in this month of romance, lots of love throughout all the years of your life!
