English Garden - Discover How to Design an English Country Garden
Are you looking for idean on how to organize the area around your house? Do you want it to look good but don't want to strain yourself? You should get interested with English garden! Creating such an arrangement is not very difficult, as messiness and natural layering of certain plants are its main concepts. Check the characteristics of English country garden. Get inspired and use the ideas around your own house.
What are the origins of the English garden?
The history of the English garden reaches long way back. The first widespread interest in such designs was noted in the 18th century, and the popularity grew over the years. It was an alternative to French and Japanese gardens, characterized by excessive order. The society was tired of symmetry and geometrical forms which required a lot work - both when setting up the garden and in order to keep it in a good shape.
English gardens implemented a little bit of freshness. They were extremely close to natural areas. The English garden designed aimed at using all the appeals of the land: hills, winding paths and natural greenery.
What are the characteristics of the English garden?
Small scale English gardens are designed so that the space resembles natural landscape to the fullest extent. You don’t have to worry if the terrain around the house is uneven with small hills and slopes. On the contrary! In such a case, your English garden will look even better.
Instead of designing perfect, even flowerbeds, try planting flowers and ornamental shrubs alternately. Make sure to pay attention to the conditions they need. For instance, shade-loving plants are a good option to plant by large trees.
A lawn with meadow-style flowers is a characteristic element of an English country garden. You don’t have to mow it evenly, as it should look as natural as possible.
English gardens are also famous for reservoirs. You can create your own pond or use e.g. a lake that is already located on the parcel.
Where can one use the English garden design?
Although the English garden style can be used in any garden, it looks best on widespread terrains, where it can really imitate “wild nature.” In this case, you have unlimited possibilities to create beautiful compositions.
If you’re planning to purchase land where you could create the English garden, look for properties with:
- woods nearby,
- lakes, pond and other reservoirs,
- unusual terrain.
Do you need a project for your English garden?
Although at first the English garden seems just a collection of random plants scattered around the land, it needs a landscaping project. This natural disarray is just a carefully constructed illusion. Despite the irregular terrain, the plants have to grow in harmony with each other. Not all species can be planted by each other. Keep it in mind if you want to achieve good results during the blooming season.
The English garden often contains secret paths and corners where one can rest and take shelter from sunlight. Although they are supposed to seem romantic and slightly inaccessible, in fact, they should allow for free movement around the area - so take care of it as well.
English country garden - what plants to choose?
English gardens consist of flowers and shrubs, and sometimes fresh herbs as well - they look very natural and tend to grow fast. The plants are often made to look as if they have spread in the area on their own, although in reality everything has been carefully organized.
Perennials and climbing plants are the basis in an English cottage garden. Don’t forget about the mentioned herbs as well as roses that often represent the English garden.
The most popular climbing plants for the English garden
Climbing plants are the basis of an English garden. They tend to grow fast and perfectly separate certain zones on the lot. If you decide on those plants, it’s recommended to take care of a special support like a metal trellis or a pergola. Climber plants can also grow by various walls and fencing.
Check out the most popular climbing plants that grow in English gardens:
- Leather Flower (Clematis)
- Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris)
- Common Ivy (Hedera helix)
- Honeysuckle (Lonicera)
- Field Rose (Rosa arvensis)
- Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda)
The English garden flowers - decorative perennials
Much like climbing plants, perennials are the absolute basis in the English garden. For this reason, they take a lot of space. Each of such a flower can look completely different because of their size, leaf shape or blooming color. You can easily pick the ones you like the most.
The English garden flowers are typically the following perennials:
- Purple Cornflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Lupin (Lupinus hybridus)
- Garden Delphiniums (Delphinium cultorum)
- Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)
- Gas Plant (Dictamnus albus)
The English garden design - what shrubs to pick?
English gardens are not only flowers and herbs but also characteristic shrubs. One can find the following shrubs in the English garden:
- Yew (Taxus)
- Dogwood (Cornus mas)
- Summer Lilac (Buddleja davidii)
- Mock Oranges (Philadelphus)
English country garden - pick interesting furniture and accessories
The English garden consists not only of plants but also garden furniture and various decorations like ornamental pots, gravel on the paths, decorative supports for climbing plants and sculptures.
If you have enough space, you can also build a wooden gazebo. You can plant a climbing rose around it, which will make the structure colorful during the blooming season.
As you pick the furniture, pay attention to the materials. The bases of tables and chairs might be metal, while the seats and table tops are made of wood.
Things to avoid when designing an English garden
The English garden has to look natural. For this reason, specialists advise against paying too much attention to symmetry. Everything should be arranged in a seemingly random fashion.
Be careful about trimming the shrubs. Typically, such plants are made even, and if a few of them grow in a row, they are trimmed in a similar way. In the English garden, everything is different - here, every bush has an individual shape.
Choosing plants only in one color is another thing to avioid. You can play with colors and arrange them with each other. Additionally, one can use plants with unusual-looking leaves.
📍 What is the English garden?
The English garden design is one of the most popular landscaping method that refers to wild nature. It's characteristic for a messy and slightly romantic landscape. Apart from perennials and climbing plants, an English cottage garden also uses characteristic accessories and furniture.
📍 How to design an English garden?
English garden design is only seemingly easy. One has to arrange plants is a reasonable, non-symmetrical fashion. Flowers are planted in layers. Additionally, natural terrain advantages such as hills and ponds are used.
📍 What does an English country garden look like?
An English garden looks very natural and romantic. Various plants - flowers, shrubs and trees are the basis of the design. The natural lie of the land and small architecture are also highly important elements.
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