How to Create a Cottage Garden in New Zealand
Cottage gardens are all about relaxed planting, plenty of flowers and a garden that feels full of life. Rather than neat rows and formal planting, flowers, herbs, shrubs and climbers are layered together so they naturally flow into one another. Paths, arches, pots and other garden features can help bring the whole look together.
You don't need a large space either. The same style can work in a garden bed, along a boundary, in a front garden or in a collection of pots.
Plan The Cottage Garden Look
Start with structure. Paths, arches, trellises, fences, pots and seating can give the garden shape. Soften them with climbers and flowering plants as the garden fills out.
Plant in layers. Combine tall plants, mid-height flowers and lower-growing plants so the garden feels full without becoming one flat layer.
Repeat a few favourites. Loose groups of the same plants or colours help tie the garden together while keeping the informal cottage feel.
Mix in herbs and edibles. Rosemary, thyme, sage, chives, strawberries, blueberries and rhubarb can sit naturally amongst flowers and add fragrance, texture and interest.
Choose Colours you Love. Cottage gardens can be soft and romantic, bright and colourful, or somewhere in between. Choose a loose colour palette that suits your home and helps tie the planting together without looking too planned. Try classic pinks, whites, blues and mauves, soft whites and greens, or a bolder mix of colours.
Best Plants for a Cottage Garden
| Taller plants for height and drama: | Hollyhocks, delphiniums, foxgloves, lupins. |
| Mid-height flowering plants: | Lavender, salvias, shasta daisies, echinacea, penstemons, roses and hydrangeas. |
| Climbers: | Climbing roses, clematis, star jasmine, sweet peas, wisteria. |
| Bulbs, corms and tubers: | Daffodils, tulips, anemones, ranunculus, irises and dahlias. |
| Low growing plants for edges and borders: | Alyssum, lobelia, dianthus, catmint and creeping thyme. |
| Herbs and edibles: | Rosemary, thyme, sage, chives, strawberries, blueberries and rhubarb can sit naturally amongst flowers and add fragrance, texture and interest. |
Plan for Colour Across the Seasons
A mix of annuals, perennials, bulbs, shrubs and climbers helps keep something flowering through much of the year.
- Spring: daffodils, tulips, poppies and sweet peas.
- Summer: roses, lavender, cosmos, dahlias, hydrangeas.
- Autumn: asters, Japanese anemones, sedums.
- Winter: azaleas, hellebores, camelias, daphne.
Flowering times will vary depending on the variety and where you live, so always check the plant label, bulb packet or seed packet for planting and flowering information.
Cottage Gardens in Small Spaces and Containers
- A narrow border, sunny front garden or group of pots can all create the same relaxed look. Use climbers, tall flowers and containers to add height and interest without taking up lots of ground space.
- Use Daltons Premium Potting Mix or Daltons Premium Outdoor Container Mix rather than garden soil. Container-grown plants can dry out quickly in warm or windy weather, so check moisture regularly.
Prepare and Plant
Most cottage garden favourites grow best in a sunny position with well-draining soil, but plant needs vary. Match each plant to the conditions in that part of your garden.
- Before planting, remove weeds and old plant material, then work Daltons Compost through the existing soil to add organic matter and help improve soil structure. Daltons Premium Garden Mix can also be worked through existing garden beds to help improve soil structure, drainage and moisture holding.
- Plant in loose groups, mixing different heights and flower shapes, and allow suitable plants to soften the edges of paths and beds. Leave enough room for plants to reach their mature size and maintain good airflow.
- After planting, apply Daltons Premium Mulch & Feed around the garden, keeping it away from the base of plants, to help retain moisture and discourage weeds.
Watering
Water newly planted gardens regularly while plants establish. During dry periods, water deeply and direct water around the base of plants where possible.
Feeding
Feed according to the needs of the plants you are growing. Daltons Premium Container & Garden Fertiliser can be used in garden beds and containers, while Daltons Premium Rose & Flower Fertiliser is formulated for flowering plants. Always follow pack directions.
Ongoing Care
- Deadhead spent flowers where appropriate, train climbers as they grow, remove damaged or diseased foliage and keep weeds under control.
- If you like a more natural look, leave some suitable flowers to set seed for the following season.
Pests and diseases
Keep an eye out for aphids, slugs and snails, thrips, caterpillars, powdery mildew, rust and black spot.
- Water the soil rather than the foliage where possible
- Allow good airflow between plants
- Remove spent flowers and diseased leaves promptly
- Keep weeds under control
- Feed regularly to maintain strong healthy plants
Cottage Flowers for Picking
Many cottage garden favourites also make lovely cut flowers, including roses, dahlias, sweet peas, cosmos, delphiniums and hydrangeas. If growing flowers specifically to bring indoors is your main goal, see our How to Grow a Cut Flower Garden in New Zealand guide.
Quick Answers
Use a mix of tall flowers, mid-height perennials, low-growing edging plants, climbers, bulbs, herbs and edible plants, choosing varieties suited to your local conditions.
Plant in loose groups, repeat favourite varieties and let suitable plants soften the edges of paths and beds.
Yes. A single garden bed, narrow border, front garden or group of pots can all work.
Many cottage flowers prefer a sunny position, but requirements vary. Match each plant to the conditions in your garden.
