Ideas · Backyard
Cottage garden ideas, tried on your own backyard.
Brick paths, roses over an arch and borders full of flowers. A cottage garden looks effortless, but it relies on a clear structure underneath.
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The look
What makes a cottage garden backyard
A cottage garden packs deep borders with perennials, roses, herbs and self-seeders, so there is little bare soil. What keeps it from looking messy is a simple layout: a path to walk, a clear edge to the beds, and a destination like a bench or an arch.
It suits older houses and informal yards, and it is good for pollinators. It takes more upkeep than a gravel or grass yard, so plan for deadheading and cutting back.
Abundant, romantic planting. Colors: blush, lavender, leafy green. Materials: brick paths, climbing roses, perennials, picket fencing.
- Brick or gravel paths with a soft edge of spilling plants
- Climbing roses or clematis on an arch, fence or house wall
- Deep borders of perennials such as foxgloves, salvias and catmint
- A picket fence, a gate and a bench at the end of the path
- Herbs and a few edibles mixed in with the flowers
Try it
Three ideas to try on your own photo
Each one opens the studio with the description filled in. Upload a photo of your backyard, change any words you like, and compare the result with your own space.
- Cottage garden backyard with a brick path, climbing roses on an arch, deep perennial borders and a white bench.See it on mine
- Turn the lawn edges into deep cottage borders with foxgloves, lavender and catmint. Keep the lawn in the middle.See it on mine
- Cottage-style backyard with a picket fence, gravel path, herb beds and a small potting shed.See it on mine
Before you build
Worth knowing first
- Make the borders deeper than feels natural; cottage planting needs depth to layer tall plants behind short ones.
- Repeat a few plants along the border so it reads as one garden, not a collection.
- Pick plants for your soil and sun; a shady yard needs a different cottage palette.
Each design can come with an estimated cost range for your zip code, so you get a rough idea of the budget before asking for quotes. How the estimate works
How much changes
From a refresh to a rethink
- Refresh
- Planting, mulch, furniture and decor. Paving and structures stay.
- Remodel
- New surfaces, beds, lighting and features within the current layout.
- Reimagine
- A new layout for the yard. The house, fences and mature trees stay.
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2 free designs · No account · No credit card