As the trend for more naturalistic, sustainable landscaping continues to grow, the timeless charm of English garden design has never been more appealing. These lush, cottage-style oases strike a delicate balance between orderly and wild, blending local flora with thoughtful structure to create an effortlessly beautiful aesthetic.
What this really means is that you don't have to be a horticultural expert to recreate the relaxed, romantic vibes of an English country garden in your own backyard. According to Tom Coward, head gardener at the iconic Gravetye Manor in the UK, the key is embracing a "structured informality" that celebrates natural elements alongside strategic design choices.
Plan Your Color Palette
Coward emphasizes that the secret to an English-inspired mixed border is to let nature be your guide. "Nature puts plants together in ways we can only dream of mimicking, so you can be quite free with the color theory you use," he explains. Focus on how shades complement or contrast each other, then build your plant selection around that color scheme.
At Gravetye, Coward has experimented with bold, almost clashing pairings like blue and orange flowers, along with more harmonious palettes of yellow, orange, and pink. "Be adventurous," he says. "The green foliage will tie everything together."
Layer Texture and Movement
Beyond color, Coward stresses the importance of incorporating a variety of leaf textures to create a sense of depth and visual interest. "Texture is more important than the color because a variety of textures brings a sense of movement to a border," he explains. "Movement is very important to the look of a mixed border."
Large, bold leaves like lamb's ear or lady's mantle provide a coarse, anchoring element, while delicate, feathery foliage from plants like daylilies and ornamental grasses add lightness and flow.
The bigger picture here is that an English-inspired cottage garden is not about precision or perfection. It's about embracing the natural ebb and flow of the landscape to create a space that feels simultaneously cultivated and wild. With a little planning and a lot of personality, you can capture that signature English charm in your own backyard oasis.