Cottage Gardens are easeful, bountiful spaces where abundant blooms intermingle to engage the senses and create the perfect retreat for plant lovers.
Aligning utility and beauty in a way that is instantly recognizable, Cottage Gardens are a love song to the magic that happens when you maximize planting spaces and bid farewell to rigid design in favor of more blooms.
These gorgeous landscapes mix flowering plants with edible ones, create meandering walkways out of sturdy, weathered stone, and prioritize quiet spaces where the gardener can pause and take it all in. For those of us who grew up idolizing the book or film The Secret Garden, Cottage Gardens give us a way to draw our adult selves into that world—right in our own back yard!
Dennis’ 7 Dees is proud to introduce our Cottage Garden Landscape Design Guide, a rich resource that provides guidance on the plant selection and placement, color palettes, material elements, and finishing touches needed to create the perfect, custom Cottage Garden.
To celebrate, we had a conversation with one of our Garden Designers who specializes in Cottage Garden landscapes, Emily Smiley, to learn more about her approach to this iconic, flowerful style.
How do you approach designing a Cottage Garden?
EMILY: “Designing a Cottage Garden is about embracing a sense of romanticism and timeless beauty while maintaining a natural, unstructured aesthetic. I begin with an understanding of the space, observing how light moves throughout the day, the existing soil conditions, and the architectural elements that frame the garden, and most importantly how the client envisions the use of the space personally.
My design philosophy is deeply rooted in creating lush, layered plantings that feel both spontaneous and artfully composed—almost as if nature had taken its course, yet with a curated elegance. I use principles of spatial awareness to balance tall, wispy blooms with soft, trailing ground covers, ensuring there’s a harmonious blend of height, texture, and color that evolves beautifully through the seasons.”
Which plants do you think are essential to Cottage Gardens?
EMILY: “For a truly authentic Cottage Garden, I lean heavily on time-honored perennials and classic blooms that evoke nostalgia and charm. Key selections include David Austin Roses for their exquisite blooms and fragrance, Delphiniums for their dramatic vertical interest, and Dahlias for their striking, architectural form. I love to integrate Peonies and Hydrangeas for lush, full blossoms, and Foxgloves to create that quintessential cottage silhouette.
To soften the edges, Lavender, Catmint, and Lady’s Mantle in the sun, and Begonias and Lily of the Valley in the shade, to spill gracefully over pathways, blurring the line between structure and wildness. These choices not only provide multi-season interest but also serve as exceptional cut flowers, allowing the garden’s beauty to be brought indoors.”
How do you create a color palette for a Cottage Garden?
EMILY: “Creating a color palette for a Cottage Garden is much like designing the interior of a home. I envision it much like composing a painting—there must be a thoughtful interplay of hues that guides the eye seamlessly through the space you are working with.
I begin by selecting a dominant color family—whether it be the soft blushes and creams of an English-inspired palette or the vibrant purples and blues of a more whimsical countryside aesthetic. From there, I layer in complementary shades, considering how certain blooms will catch the light and how foliage textures can create depth and contrast. I also consider the bloom cycles to ensure there’s a continuous wave of color throughout the growing season, blending cool and warm tones to create a visual sense of harmony.
This approach not only enhances the garden’s aesthetic but also supports its role as a sanctuary for pollinators. When working closely with clients, I pay close attention to how they decorate their own home, how they dress, the colors they naturally gravitate to. You want your garden to reflect your own personality and aesthetic, so creating a space that the color and atmosphere brings a sense of calmness to the individual that I’m creating for. We all see color differently. Some people love a more monochromatic look throughout, whereas others want to see an array of color and texture. So ultimately, as the designer, I need to pay close attention to the details and preferences of the client so I can seamlessly bring it all together.”
What is your favorite way to use plants in the home from a Cottage Garden?
EMILY: “My favorite way to use plants from a Cottage Garden is to extend their beauty beyond the garden itself—through the art of cut flowers. I’m passionate about bringing the outdoors in, arranging freshly cut Roses, Peonies, and Hydrangeas into lush, overflowing bouquets that capture the garden’s essence indoors. I also love to incorporate herbs like Lavender and Thyme for their scent and textural contrast, adding an element of rustic charm.
Beyond floral arrangements, I design spaces with garden-inspired aesthetics—window boxes brimming with lush blooming seasonal flowers that beautifully cascade over the rim, and outdoor dining areas framed with Climbing Roses, Hydrangea, Wisteria, or even Ivy. It’s about creating a seamless flow from garden to living space, enhancing the experience of nature year-round.”
ANDREA: “I absolutely love having a fresh element from the garden in every meal that I cook. It might just mean grabbing a few leaves or some herbs to add to a salad, or picking a few edible flowers to garnish my toast, but the simple addition of that very-recently-living element just makes my meals feel so special and makes me feel even more connected to the garden.”
If you were to translate a Cottage Garden in a container setting, or on a smaller scale, how would you go about it?
EMILY: “Capturing the spirit of a Cottage Garden on a smaller scale is an exercise in layering and thoughtful plant selection. In container gardens, I aim to replicate the overflowing abundance by combining plants with varied textures and growth habits—think Geraniums, Petunias, Salvia, and Trailing Lobelia spilling over the edges, paired with upright Foxgloves or Dwarf Delphiniums for height. I use color theory to ensure each container has a cohesive palette that complements its surroundings, while still offering visual depth and seasonal interest.
Additionally, I often incorporate climbing elements like Roses, Wisteria, and Clematis on trellises to add vertical intrigue. The goal is to evoke that same lush, curated wildness of a traditional Cottage Garden, even in the most compact of spaces.”
Why do you love Cottage Gardens?
EMILY: “I love Cottage Gardens because they embody the perfect harmony between nature’s wild beauty and the gardener’s thoughtful touch. There’s a romance and nostalgia to their overflowing blooms and meandering pathways that feels timeless—an ever-changing tapestry where every season tells a new story.
For me, Cottage Gardens are about more than just plants—they are living expressions of artistry and emotion. The delicate fragrance of David Austin Roses, the towering spires of Delphiniums, and the soft drape of Lavender create an immersive experience that transcends the garden itself, inviting you to slow down, breathe deeply, and appreciate the splendor of the outdoors. It’s a celebration of color theory in its most organic form, where soft blushes blend with deep purples, and textured greens create a canvas that evolves beautifully with time.
Above all, I adore how a Cottage Garden blurs the line between indoor and outdoor living. The idea of cutting fresh blooms, arranging them into bouquets, and bringing that garden essence indoors is a ritual that connects me to each season’s magic. It’s about cultivating a space that feels personal, poetic, and deeply rooted in nature’s elegance.”
Dennis’ 7 Dees specializes in creating green spaces that inspire, inside and out. Whether you choose to get your hands dirty with stunning seasonal plants purchased at our Portland-area garden centers, or enlist the help of one of our world-class landscape designers, we can help you create the cottage garden of your dreams.