How to Make a Cottage Garden
Cottage gardens are normally built on small plots of land. A cottage garden can also be built larger, if you prefer, and if you have the room in your yard. Once you make the cottage garden, you are free to plant a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers in it.
- Determine where you want to put the cottage garden. Think about the light the garden will get. Some plants or flowers need a lot of light, while other plants don’t need very much to grow.
- Determine what kind of soil you have for your garden. Pick up a handful of soil and squeeze it. If it doesn’t fall apart and feels sticky, it is a heavy soil with clay. If it will not form a ball and falls apart, the soil has a lot of sand in it. You can add things to soil to make it work better for your needs, such as compost or decayed manure, several weeks before you start planting. Test the soil before you start planting with a soil test kit to make sure you do not need to add lime or sulfur to the soil.
- Plant flowers in the cottage garden. There are many types of flowers you can plant in the garden, such as roses, perennials, or lilies. Select flowers of different height for your garden.
- Plant shrubs or trees to use as the foundation for the garden. You can plant fruit trees, or flowery trees. Shrubs can include althea, myrtle, or crepe.
- Put herbs in the cottage garden. Include herbs such as rosemary, mint, basil, or thyme. You should put herbs in your garden even if you do not plan on using them for cooking.