The Hardscaping Solutions To Complete Your English Cottage Garden Look

Posted on: 17 May 2018

Are you longing for an old-fashioned, English cottage garden ambiance in your outdoor living space but can't quite seem to make it happen? You've probably bought all the right types of shrubs, trees, and flowers, but something just isn't right. If this scenario describes your predicament, your outdoor living space is probably lacking the right type of hardscaping. Following are just three of the many hardscaping possibilities that will help pull your English cottage garden look together. 

Install a Picket Fence

Picket fences provide instant charm to almost any yard and garden, but they're almost mandatory for those seeking a cottage garden look. You'd be surprised at how quickly the addition of a crisp white picket fence can erase a vague, unfinished appearance and replace it with a pulled-together quality. For an extra layer of cottage garden charm, plant some fast-growing morning glories near the fence and train them to scramble up its posts. 

An arbor over the gate of the fence puts a final accent on the scene, especially after it's had time to become covered by climbing roses. 

Put in Cobblestone Pathways 

Winding cobblestone pathways are another cottage garden essential that shouldn't be overlooked. Don't worry about them getting weathered -- the worn look just adds to the cottage garden effect. If you plant low-growing Corsican mint around the edges of the stones, they release an enchanting aroma of fresh green mint. Make sure your garden path meanders instead of simply going in a straight line, and if there's a spot that you find particularly serene and comfortable, consider placing a bench near the path to increase your comfort and enjoyment. 

Build a Dry Stone Wall

No English cottage garden is complete without an authentic stone wall either providing a border at the back of the property or serving as a retaining wall. The defining characteristic of a dry stone wall is that it's built without using mortar or any other type of binding material. It's important to hire an expert to create this sort of wall because the balance must be precise in order for the wall to be stable. Done correctly, however, a dry stone wall will stay in place for decades and even centuries -- intact dry stone walls are found in 16th and 17th-century churchyards all across the United Kingdom, and some have been discovered that date back as much as 3,500 years.

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Hello everyone, I am Carrie. Welcome to my site about gardening tools. When I moved into my home, I decided to turn the side yard into a huge garden space. I wanted to have a private retreat I could visit anytime life felt too tough and stressful. I started to build my garden using the tools I had on hand. Unfortunately, the tools did not live up to the demands of my extensive garden project. I will use this site to explore all the best tools you can use to build a huge garden in your own yard. Please come by again soon.