English Cottage Garden

The instantly recognizable English cottage garden encapsulates that delightful mix of scented climbers, drifts of flowers inter-mingled with herbs and vegetables, fruit trees and traditional features. Much loved and copied throughout the world, it is uniquely individual. With no strict rules to adhere to, it is a garden style that is both informal and functional, celebrating fragrance, flowers and seasonal interest at its heart. The old cottage style of gardening, that blended planting to create a flowery yet productive plot within a small space, is still highly relevant and easily transferable to today's modern garden, whether it be a city courtyard or a large garden in the country. Appropriate for gardeners of every level of ability, The English Cottage Garden covers all aspects of designing a cottage-style garden; from choosing the right trees, climbers, shrubs and perennials to creating an authentic cottage feel to the planting It also covers the use of colour within the garden; how features can establish a framework and create focal points; and why companion planting is essential to this style. Illustrated throughout with a wealth of photographs showing gardens, planting combinations, colourful border schemes and individual flowers, this book is an essential read for anyone interested in the quintessential cottage garden.

Andrew Sankey taught graphic design before starting a garden design/landscaping business in 1991. Whilst creating his own cottage garden in Lincolnshire, he became a passionate advocate of the cottage garden style, particularly for smaller gardens. He opened his own cottage garden under the National Garden Scheme and became chairman of the Lincolnshire branch of the Cottage Garden Society. Andrew has lectured widely on cottage gardening, medieval gardens, women gardeners, plant hunters and Arts and Crafts gardens, both in Britain and the USA. He has designed many cottage-style gardens and borders throughout the East of England of every conceivable shape, size and situation.