This is my interpretation of a cottage garden: loose and casual, welcoming, lots of colors and pollinators, herbs, most “volunteer” plants welcome as long as they aren’t invasive, moss garden, hammock, stone walls, in harmony with natural surroundings. What’s yours?Location: our cottage in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire (zone 5a) in late July. For information about this cottage of ours check out my post on June 12th. About me: I’m a garden coach and consultant in zone 6 in the Boston area

Want a cottage garden but don’t know where to start? Create a charming patchwork of flowers and plants with my 8 garden design tips. These principles apply no matter which cottage garden style or varieties you pick! I have more reels on my profile that focus on different aspects of these design guidelines—including spike flowers, cottage garden pairings, etc., so take a look there for extra info. 1️⃣ Start with foundation plantings. Imagine what your garden looks like in winter. Use evergreens,