A cottage garden is informal, densely planted and full of flowers, with herbs and vegetables mixed through and nothing in straight lines. The English original grew up in a cool, damp climate, and its plants do not suit most of Australia. Its principles do. This guide covers where the traditional version works, the plants to use in its place elsewhere, and how to get a cottage garden through an Australian summer.
Cottage garden principles
- Informal layout. Curved paths and beds, with no formal symmetry.
- Dense, layered planting. No bare soil: tall plants behind, mounds in the middle, spillers at the front, and climbers on every fence and arch.
- Repetition and self seeding. The same plants turning up along the bed tie it together.
- Flowers and food together. Herbs, vegetables and fruit share the beds with the flowers.
- Simple structures. A picket fence, a timber arch, a gravel or brick path, a seat.
The English cottage garden does not transplant
This is the reason so many Australian cottage gardens disappoint. Delphiniums, lupins, foxgloves and old roses want cool, moist summers that most of Australia does not provide. Planted literally in Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide, the garden looks lovely for six weeks in spring and collapses in the first heatwave.
| Region | How well the traditional version works |
|---|---|
| Tasmania, Adelaide Hills, southern highlands | Achievable. The closest to English conditions |
| Melbourne, Canberra, Blue Mountains | Workable with afternoon shade and irrigation |
| Sydney, Perth | Adapt heavily: change the plants |
| Brisbane and the subtropics | Keep the look, not the plants |
| Tropical north | Not realistic. Use a subtropical style of abundance |
Keep the principles, change the plants
What makes a garden read as a cottage garden is not the species. It is the informality, the dense layers, the repetition, the mix of flowers and edibles and the curved lines. All of that works in Australian conditions with a different list of plants.
An Australian cottage palette
- Structure and repetition: westringia clipped loosely, rosemary, lavender, olive, correa.
- Flowering height: gaura, salvia, kangaroo paw, Mona Lavender plectranthus, dietes, society garlic.
- Native softness: dianella, brachyscome daisies, fan flower, prostrate grevillea.
- Self seeders: seaside daisy (deadhead it, and check with the council near bushland), Californian poppy, alyssum.
- Edibles woven through: rosemary, thyme, sage, silverbeet, dwarf citrus in pots.
- Climbers on structures: star jasmine, hardenbergia, and climbing roses in cooler districts.
Grey and silver foliage does a lot of work here. It looks soft, reflects heat and ties the informal planting together, which is why Mediterranean gardens and Australian cottage gardens end up looking related.
Making it survive an Australian summer
- Plant densely. Closed planting shades the soil, keeps roots cool and suppresses weeds, and it is what gives the cottage look.
- Mulch 75 mm deep between plants until they join up.
- Group by water need. Do not scatter thirsty perennials through a dry bed.
- Use morning sun where you can. Many cottage flowers scorch in hot afternoon sun.
- Plant in autumn so roots establish through the cool months.
- Accept a summer lull. An Australian cottage garden peaks in spring and again in autumn.
The roses question
Roses grow well across much of Australia, particularly in Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and the cooler tablelands. In humid Brisbane and coastal Queensland, black spot makes them hard work: choose disease resistant modern varieties, space them for airflow and water at the base. Our Australian rose care guide sets out the year, from winter pruning to summer feeding.
Upkeep
- Deadhead through the season to keep flowers coming and stop unwanted seeding.
- Cut perennials back hard after flowering, and salvias and lavender by a third in late summer.
- Divide crowded clumps in autumn or early spring.
- Top up mulch each spring and feed lightly; rich feeding gives soft growth that flops.
- Edit the self seeders. Pull what comes up in the wrong place and keep the rest.
Common questions
Can you have a cottage garden in a hot climate?
Yes, by keeping the style and changing the plants: salvias, gaura, lavender, westringia, daisies and silver foliage in place of delphiniums and foxgloves.
What are the best cottage garden plants for Australia?
Salvia, gaura, lavender, rosemary, seaside daisy, brachyscome, kangaroo paw, dietes and repeat flowering roses in drier districts.
When should I plant a cottage garden?
Autumn in most of Australia, so the plants are rooted before summer. Spring in cold districts.
Ready to plant?
Browse our flowering plants to choose the mix.
