Allotments 4 All

I've been concentrating so much on my lottie for the last few years the flower boarders in the garden have suffered and they need a bit of invigoration!

The border has suffered from chicken onslaught and also rather than the full sun it used to get it now gets some sun, light shade/ shade.

I want to add some more plants to go for a cottage garden style.


Currently I have latris, foxgloves, solomans seal, lungwort, purple loosestrife, day lillies, phlox, sedum susceptible, geranium and a few asters.

any suggestions? herbaceous or small bushes? 

No cottage garden is complete without Roses IMO, and a honeysuckle too. Have them scramble over a fence, up an obelisk or pergola.

Maybe a few aquilegia too and definitely some sweet peas <-- these are "must haves". Oh, and poppies too.

Two more classics to consider are Verbena Bonariensis and Verbascum's

Steve...:)

I always like to have rosemary and sage growing in the borders.  They look nice, taste good and have beautiful purple flowers.  I think that no cottage garden is complete without hollyhocks and delphiniums to give a bit of height too.  ;)

I agree with Steve and Mimi. Also Skimmia, pieris and mahonia are good shrubs for shade as is hypericum. Brunnera, epimediums, hellebores and alchemilla molls work well in shade too. For sunnier spots try geums, astrantia. asters, rudbeckia and echinops.

Find a show near you now, have a look at the display gardens and see what you like. think about scent and touch as well as colour and appearance.
It's good fun redoing your garden, but expensive! You could always see if you can get some cuttings from friends or neighbours.

Can you give us some details of soil type.

How about Philadephus, I have a golden leaved one and a 'wild' one I grew from seed, both have fantastically scented flowers and I keep mine pruned so not too big. I also have some clipped box cones and globes to add structure all winter. Also Astrantia 'Shaggy' is a favourite of mine, always showy but compact and I grow mine through a rose bush.

 Lupins are a must. How about ACHEMELA MOLLIS ( spelling) lovely lime green.

Quote from: Deb P on June 15, 2012, 13:07:30
How about Philadephus, I have a golden leaved one and a 'wild' one I grew from seed, both have fantastically scented flowers and I keep mine pruned so not too big. I also have some clipped box cones and globes to add structure all winter. Also Astrantia 'Shaggy' is a favourite of mine, always showy but compact and I grow mine through a rose bush.

Oh yes!I meant to include philadelphus. Always a winner! You can get some quite compact ones too if you don't have a lot of space. Manteau d'hermine is one such.

Quote from: rosebud on June 15, 2012, 15:42:53
Lupins are a must. How about ACHEMELA MOLLIS ( spelling) lovely lime green.

Alchemilla. Lovely plant.

Weed... so are astrantia and lemon balm...  ;D