If you have a Spanish style home or have selected Tuscan style interior decorating for your rooms, why not consider a Mediterranean Garden? Like the design style, these gardens are lush but welcoming.

Imagine looking out the window and seeing a grove of fruit trees or sitting in your yard with your morning coffee under a beautiful arbor, watching the sun rise.

Mediterranean Garden Characteristics

Mediterranean Gardens have an almost opulent feel to them, but they’re definitely far from formal. They combine straight lines and geometric layouts with simple, low key stonework, a charming mixture of all kinds of plants and flowers, and comfortable outdoor furniture that invites visitors to sit and enjoy the view a little while longer.

There are also variations within the category of Mediterranean gardens. You could try to evoke more of an Italian feel by using a small number of plants per bed to allow each specimen to really shine, using a lot of statuary, and relying on interesting shapes in trees and shrubbery to create a pleasing view.

You could try a Greek garden, with large, ground level fountains or water features, stone steps planted with trimmed grass, and overgrown paths surrounded by lush ground cover. Or evoke a Spanish garden feel with lush blooms in reds and oranges, accented by some Spanish tile in the furnishings or hung as garden decorations.

As you can see, you have a lot of options within the category of Mediterranean gardens, so how do you know that you’ve got one? That’s a tough question. You might define Mediterranean gardens as plants that use native Mediterranean plants. This is a common definition. However, you could also define Mediterranean as a style. So a garden that mimics the style of Italian, Greek, or Spanish gardens would qualify.

Mediterranean Garden Layout

• You can integrate both straight lines and curved, meandering paths into a Mediterranean garden, so carefully consider what you want. Generally, eating and gathering areas are defined by geometric shapes, so you might consider a circular patio for eating, surrounded by twisting paths that ramble throughout the garden
• Stone is a common feature of Mediterranean gardens. Pale, smooth stones are more common than rough hewn, rustic ones. Consider integrating stone into retaining walls, pathways, decorative elements, and furnishings
• Another common material for pathways is brick. If you’re looking for more of a Mediterranean countryside feel, consider using brick pathways and allow the grass or groundcover to infiltrate between the cracks
• Water is another important element in this style of gardening. You might decide to use a classical style fountain with moving water, or you may just integrate a long, low, flat water feature. Stone rimmed pools are very common features in Mediterranean gardens and they do a good job of filling long, narrow spaces

Plants to Use in a Mediterranean Garden

Mediterranean gardeners combine a variety of plant types in their gardens. It’s not uncommon to see flowers, herbs, fruit trees, and succulents all in the same garden. Certainly, if you want a traditional Mediterranean garden, you should stick to the plants that they use.

However, if these plants aren’t suited to your climate (and unless you live in California, they probably aren’t), does that mean that you’re going to have to pass your dream garden by in favor of something that is more suited to your area? Of course not. Some of the species favored by Mediterranean gardeners are still usable up to Zone 4, and you can use similar plants if necessary. If a grove of orange trees isn’t going to withstand the frost, try planting a grove of apple trees instead.

Some popular flower choices for a Mediterranean Garden include:

• Cyprus
• Euphorbia
• Evergreen
• Lavender
• Myrtle
• Oleander
• Olive
• Poppy
• Rosemary
• Sage

Mediterranean Garden Accessory Suggestions

• Common furniture materials:
  • Wrought iron
  • Wood
• Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Mediterranean Garden include:
  • Use a stone urn or birdbath as a focal point in a flower bed or a patio area
  • Mark the entrance to the garden or eating area with a pair of matched pillars. Consider topping them with trailing plants or garden globes
  • Use a trellis covered in climbing plants as a “wall” to section off an eating area

But you don’t have to be doomed to bare ground with only a few evergreens to break up the monotony. Why not try a woodland garden? This casual style works very well in shady areas, creating a retreat that is easy to care for and very attractive too. Woodland gardens work particularly well with homes that are placed on wooded lots as well as rustic style homes.

Woodland Garden History

Natural looking gardens didn’t really become popular until the late 1800s. Before that, formal gardens with geometric patterns, dramatic blooms, and lots of fountains were pretty much the norm. But a book called The Wild Garden helped to make more natural garden themes, like those found in woodland gardens or prairie gardens, an increasingly popular choice.

Woodland Garden Characteristics

Woodland gardens have a lot of advantages. If you’re sick of mowing, can’t stand to rake leaves, and don’t like the idea of all of those fertilizers and insecticides being released into the environment, why not remove your backyard and replace it with a woodland paradise?

Woodland gardens require no mowing or raking and need very little maintenance overall. Simply fertilizing the soil is usually enough to keep the plants happy and healthy. You may, however, run into some problems with animals that see your garden as the ideal place to live or lunch. Depending on the animal in question, there are some natural deterrents such as castor oil or human hair that you can use, or you can help to keep them out with a nice sturdy wall.

If you have a sunny lot but love walking through the woods so much that you want a woodland garden, it’s still possible. Instead of trying to evoke the feeling of the deep woods, instead, think of recreating a woodland meadow, using wildflowers that are more sun tolerant.

You can still use some of the more shade friendly varieties along the border; simply plant them under some new trees or shrubs. As your trees grow, you can gradually change your approach to suit the new environment.

Smaller yards can also be turned into woodland gardens, but you’re going to run into a few problems there. Obviously, you can’t fit a lot of trees into a small space, so you may need to try some dwarf varieties or shrubs. You also may have a problem with the leaves.

One of the greatest advantages of having a woodland garden is the ability to delay leaf removal or avoid it altogether. After all, no one goes through the woods to take out all of the leaves, do they?

But in a small space without many large trees, the wind is going to pick up those leaves, and they’ll end up all over someone’s yard. Either you or your neighbors is going to be rather unhappy in the end. So with smaller gardens, you will probably still need to remove the leaves, but you can simply mulch them and put them right back onto the beds.

Woodland Garden Layout

In the spirit of a woodland path, steer away from stick straight paths and borders. Meandering pathways over uneven land really evoke the woodsy feel, although by all means, make sure that the paths are well maintained enough to walk on them safely

Some good materials for pathways include wood chips, pine needles, gravel and brick. You might be tempted to leave them bare just like a path you’d find in the woods, but it’s not the best of ideas. Covering the pathways will help to define them better and keep your plants from covering them while you’re not looking

Plant some larger plant species around the border of the garden. This should help to block out traffic noise and the ugly garden flags that your neighbor insists on hanging outside. If you’re really in a high traffic, high noise area, try blocking out the world with a low garden wall. Rock is probably the best option there

Consider bordering pathways or beds with hosta. They make a great leaf trap and help to keep plants from spreading into areas where they don’t belong. All you need to do is divide them periodically

Plants to Use in a Woodland Garden

One way to keep your woodland garden as low maintenance as possible is to research native woodland plants from your area. These species are already well suited for the soil type in your region, which means you’ll be spending less time working organic materials into the soil before you plant. They are also tolerant of your climate. It should be relatively easy to learn about your options.

Try visiting the nature center at one of your local parks, or if you’re more of a do it yourself type, you can hit the trails with a wildflower guide and try to identify some species on your own. Just make sure to select species that are well suited for the amount of sun you’ll have in your garden. And if you have a lot of trees, you may want to seek out some dry shade plants. Trees suck up a lot of water, so the plants you select should be draught tolerant.

Some popular flower choices for a Woodland Garden include:

• Fern
• Forget-me-not
• Foxglove
• Hosta
• Hydrangea
• Periwinkle
• Poppy
• Rhododendron
• Trillium

You might also consider adding some wild berries like strawberry or blackberry to a larger woodland garden. Think about how enjoyable it would be to take a basket out into the backyard to pick some fresh berries to go with supper.

Woodland Garden Accessory Suggestions

• Common furniture materials:
  • Wicker
  • Bamboo
  • Wood
• Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Woodland Garden include:
  • Convert an old log or stump into a creative planter
  • Place large, flat boulders along a long path in place of benches. Help visitors understand their purpose by setting an outdoor friendly pillow on top
  • Line a long path with birdhouses or butterfly houses to inject a little color into the environment

Picture fields of tall grasses and wildflowers growing in the breeze and you’ve got the basic idea behind a prairie garden.

Prairie gardens mimic this natural look, and they have a lot of advantages that may make them the right choice for you.

They help to preserve native wildflower species that may be in danger due to over-development and elimination of prairie habitats

They require less maintenance in terms of mowing and weeding, which means less money spent on gas for the mower and less time spent in your gardening gloves.

Prairie gardens also don’t require as much pesticide or fertilizer use as a regular garden or yard, and they’re also attractive to butterflies, birds, and other forms of wildlife.

Read on to learn more about how to design your prairie garden landscape!

Prairie Garden History

Prairies used to be a common sight from Texas all the way up into Canada and from Colorado all the way across to Ohio. In fact, the prairie habitat was the most common of them all. Unfortunately, about 99% of those prairies have been eliminated through new construction, and native plants are being choked out by invasive species.

The removal of habitat has affected both plant and animal life, and recent interest in conservation has led many people to start looking for more natural ways to maintain their yards and gardens. The prairie garden is a natural offspring of those efforts.

Prairie Garden Characteristics

When you picture a prairie garden in your mind, you may be thinking of tall, unkempt looking grasses that would obscure your grass and make your neighbors think that you’re too lazy to mow. On the contrary, prairie gardens can be natural looking without bothering your neighbors or losing your mailbox in a sea of ornamental grasses.

There are actually different kinds of prairies, which are mainly identified by the size of the grasses and plants that grow there. Prairies range from tall grasses to short grasses, so you should have no problem finding something that will suit your landscape and satisfy your neighbors at the same time.

In order to make your prairie garden a success, it’s best to start off with an empty slate. This means that you don’t want any plants in the area. If you’re lucky enough to have a completely empty bed, terrific! But if you’re converting an area or an entire yard into a prairie vista, you’ll need to make sure to completely eliminate all of the plants in the area.

There are really three ways to accomplish this. You can cover the area with a tarp or a thick layer of newspaper held carefully in place with rocks or brick. The unfortunate part about this process is that it takes about two months to completely kill off grasses, so if you’re working with an area that’s visible from the street, this may not be the best choice for you.

The second choice is to completely turn the soil once, and then again in two weeks, and then a third time in two more weeks. The last and quickest method is to use a herbicide containing glyphosate.

Since the prairie garden is mainly made up of grasses and wildflowers, it is easily taken over by weeds and woody plants, so your main task will be to pull out plants that don’t belong. By removing sprouts before they turn into saplings, you’ll protect your delicate ornamental grasses. Also, since your plants are relatively small, most species will have fairly shallow roots. Most prairie plants don’t respond well to wet, marshy places, but in a draught you’ll definitely need to give them a little water.

Prairie Garden Layout

• You want a natural look in a prairie garden, but still follow some basic garden design principles. Plant your tall grasses and flowers at the back of your beds and the borders of your garden. They’re especially handy when it comes to obscuring ugly views and blocking our sounds.
• Place smaller species up front where they can be seen and enjoyed
• Plant species in clumps, but mix up the flowers in each area to create a pleasing combination of colors and shapes. When you think of a field of wildflowers, you see a sprinkling of color throughout the area rather than a concentration of flowers in one specific area. As best as you can, try to mimic that
• Even though you’re trying to create a natural prairie look, you can and should still select flowers for dramatic impact. Border a gate or entryway with some bright colors or showy blooms not found elsewhere in the garden, or highlight a particularly impressive species by showcasing it in a planter
• Pathways can be any material you like. If you favor gravel or woodchips, however, you’ll need to do some upkeep to make sure that the area stays plant-free. Another attractive option is to lay pavers or fieldstone and allow some groundcover to become established in the gaps between the stones
• It’s a good idea to start with at least a few potted plants. Remember that seeds take a long time to grow, and you should be starting with a blank slate. You’ll have a lot of hard work keeping invasive plants out of the area while waiting for your seeds to germinate, and then you’re not going to have flowers for a season or two

Plants to Use in a Prairie Garden

When it comes to establishing a prairie garden, you get double duty in terms of plant selection. Not only do you need to select the wildflower species, but you also need to select some grasses.

You can limit yourself exclusively to taller grasses or shorter ones, or you can mix the two in the same area to create a graded effect. Some tall grasses that you might consider include big bluestem, bottlebrush grass, and switchgrass. Some common and attractive short grasses include little bluestem, palm sedge, and vanilla sweetgrass.

Some popular flower choices for a Prairie Garden include:

• Aster
• Black eyed susan
• Columbine
• Coneflower
• Coreopsis
• Indigo
• Milkweed
• Orchid
• Phlox
• Sunflower

Prairie Garden Accessory Suggestions

Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Prairie Garden include:

• Place a rustic wooden bench or swing along a long path so that visitors can sit and watch the grasses sway in the breeze
• Display a collection of old metal watering cans. You could display them in a bunch or use them to line a pathway
• Place brightly painted birdhouses on tall posts in the middle of a field or bed of wildflowers

Do you have a special place in your heart for warm weather and the resort vibe? Want to recreate a little of that tropical flair that you enjoy while on vacation in your backyard? Why not plant a tropical style garden?

It’s possible to mimic the tropical feel even if you live in the Midwest; it just takes a little extra planning and a splash of creativity. The tropical garden is made up of big plants and bright colors; it’s just a matter of finding species that will work well in your climate. In these gardens, you’ll end up with a tropical feel even if the plants technically aren’t tropical species.

Tropical Garden History

Interest in tropical gardens has developed along with rainforest conservation efforts. Now, many zoos and botanical gardens feature native tropical varieties from Africa and South America. Some of the largest and most successful tropical gardens include the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, located on the Big Island, and the National Tropical Botanical Garden, located on Maui.

You don’t need to go to Hawaii to enjoy a visit to a tropical paradise, though. Many zoos feature permanent indoor gardens that you can visit even if you live in a in cooler climate.

Tropical Garden Characteristics

As noted above, tropical gardens rely on bright colors and big plants. If you think of a jungle or rainforest, the plants aren’t meek little varieties that fade into the background. And in order to mimic that look, you need a lot of foliage to fill the space.

You still need to maintain the plants to keep them healthy, but otherwise you’ll want to let them grow wild. Let them crowd your paths. Plant varieties that will grow tall enough to block out the surrounding area so that visitors to your garden can pretend just for a moment that they’re out in the Caribbean somewhere.

You might think that if you’ve got a smaller space that a tropical garden is out of your reach. That isn’t true at all. You can still create a jungle-like atmosphere with a mix of dramatic colors and by filling the space completely.

Consider planting around the outside of a small patio so that you’ve still got room for a table and chairs. This allows you to use larger scale plants without crowding people while they dine.

You’ll also get a great jungle vibe by planting a few large species that overhang the table and block out the neighbors and street sounds.

Overall, you want the garden area to look as natural as possible. This means freeform shapes rather than geometrically perfect squares and straight lines. Naturally undulating ground as opposed to perfectly flat landscaping. And natural touches like rocks or boulders placed in beds or as seats along a long and winding path.

Plants should also look natural. By all means, prune them. Take care of them and keep them healthy. But if you feel the need to prune your plants into pretty shapes, tropical gardening may not be the right choice for you. Instead, let your plants grow lush and natural.

Tropical Garden Layout

• Your layout should be as far from formal as possible. Twisting or winding paths, overgrown edges, and natural shapes in your plants each contribute to the tropical atmosphere
• Pathways can be simple gravel or woodchip paths, or you can use stone or brick to create something a little easier to travel on



• If you live in a cooler climate, plant perennials, trees, and shrubs that won’t die off at the first sign of frost. Then you can fill in with bright annuals once the weather is warm enough or use some pots to plant the more delicate species. These can easily be moved outside once it’s warm enough, and they also give the added benefit of a little tropical flair when you move them inside for the winter
• Within each bed, mix and match the plants. Again, you’re not looking for formal beds with the largest plants in a nice straight line in the back of the bed. Think of how plants naturally spread; plant them in smaller clumps and really mix up the colors, sizes, and textures to make each bed as lush as possible
• Don’t forget to make the most of your furnishings too. Low key or country style accessories and furnishings aren’t going to work well at all. If your space permits, create an opulent outdoor room, complete with pillows in an outdoor fabric, tiki lamps for light and ambience, or hanging lanterns

Plants to Use in a Tropical Garden

When it comes to a tropical garden, you want to fill the space as best you can. Choose big plants: i.e. tall or wide species. A combination of the two will create a nice jungle-like atmosphere.

Species with large leaves are also a good choice. This doesn’t mean that you’re not allowed to select some smaller blooms by any stretch of the imagination, but a garden full of small plants isn’t going to quite capture that tropical feel.

The next thing to consider in terms of plant selection is color. Color doesn’t just have to be limited to blooms, although of course those will be very important in your tropical garden. Plants like coleus have colored foliage that holds up well in cooler climates and injects a lot of color.

When it comes to selecting colors for flowers and plants in a tropical garden, a wide variety works best. Mixing bright, vibrant tones like kiwi, bright red, orange, and purple is a good choice.

Some popular choices for a Tropical Garden include:

• Arum
• Begonia
• Canna
• Coleus
• Dahlia
• Fern
• Magnolia
• Nasturtium
• Palm
• Salvia
• Sedum

Tropical Garden Accessory Suggestions

Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Tropical Garden include:

• Give your dining area a little Tiki Hut flair with grass skirts and Tiki masks
• Add a fire pit (check out your local regulations to find out what’s acceptable and what isn’t)
• Set out some teak furniture with plush cushions and plenty of table space for drinks and snacks

If you have a love for old fashioned, traditional blooms, heady scents, and dramatic plants, rose gardening might just be the right choice for you.

Rose gardens don’t require much in the way of special requirements: just some good soil and a willingness on your part to spend some time out there taking care of your rose bushes (and a pair of good gardening gloves to protect your hands from the thorns might be nice.) If you’re a rose lover, they’re a terrific option to get some low cost blooms onto your table.

Depending on their layout, rose gardens can be very formal or casual, almost like a country garden.

Take the time to consider how you plan to use your garden and how it will integrate with the interior and exterior of your home. Then choose a layout and types of roses that work well with the feeling that you want to create.

Rose Garden History

Once upon a time, roses could only be found in the Middle East. Rose products such as perfume and medicines were an expensive export in other parts of the world. They became in such demand that the Romans soon imported a variety of rose species and established the rose gardens in the southern part of the city.

Roses have always carried a lot of symbolism. High society suitors used to spend hours crafting complex bouquets that would convey their exact thoughts to the recipient. Red roses, of course, symbolize love, for example. White ones symbolize purity. Yellow used to mean jealousy, but the meaning has been changed to friendship. And there was also the War of the Roses in England, in which York supporters wore white roses and Lancaster supporters wore red ones.

Rose Garden Characteristics

Of course rose gardens feature a variety of rose species throughout the area, although the plant selection doesn’t need to be limited exclusively to roses. In fact, you’ll want to select some foliage at the very least to fill in spaces. However, the good news is that many rose species grow quite large, so they’ll fill in an area quite nicely. There’s nothing like walking down a long path bordered with fragrant rose bushes.

There are actually many different varieties of roses that you’ll need to select from. Depending on your garden plan, you may want one of the old fashioned species roses, which haven’t been altered. Repeat bloomers or floribunda flower frequently during the summer, which is a good thing if you plan to cut some periodically throughout the season. Shrub roses are a little smaller and more compact, and they do better in cold winter weather. Hybrid tea roses are free branching and a good basic rose. Any combination of roses will work for a rose garden. If you’re new to gardening and looking for some breeds that are easy to maintain and work well in your climate, it’s a simple matter of heading out to your local nursery. They should be happy to make a recommendation or two.

Rose gardens are actually relatively easy to maintain as noted above. One of the most important tasks you can perform is deadheading. Deadheading is a simple process in which you cut off blooms that are starting to fade, before they go to seed. With species that bloom more than once during the season, deadheading is absolutely essential. And even with other species, it’s an important thing to do that will preserve the appearance of your plant and cause it to fill in better.

Rose Garden Layout

• One thing to consider carefully is the overall layout. If you plan to install walking paths, you’ll need to make sure that they’re wide enough; otherwise you’ll be constantly poked by the roses growing alongside
• You’ll also need to give larger rosebushes a little extra support, otherwise the weight of their blooms will cause them to topple right over. Sure, you can plant individual stakes for each plant to give them a little help, but also consider planting a row of climbing rosebushes along a stationery object like a white picket fence
• Select an area with good drainage. Roses don’t do well in soil that stays too moist, so if you’re forced to plant in a low, marshy area, you’ll need to create some raised beds to protect your roses from rot
• Consider the views. One of the best things about planting a lot of roses is that they look great close up and far away. Make the most of a long pathway with an arbor or trellis that allows the roses to climb and make a dramatic statement. Mix up the colors or stick with a dramatic monochrome plan

Plants to Use in a Rose Garden

Obviously, you want to plant roses in your Rose Garden, but it’s a mistake to stop there. At minimum, select a few complimentary plants to fill in the gaps and provide a little contrast to highlight the beauty of your roses. For example, you might plant a row of white roses along a long path. This is beautiful enough, but planting a hosta variety with colored leaves in between each of the roses will really make those white blooms pop.

If you’re really a purist and want to plant roses and only roses with no other types of flowers, take the time to select a variety of species that grow at different heights and have different types of foliage. You can plant them with some ornamental shrubs to break up the vista. Just remember that, especially in larger gardens, you need a little variety to keep the eye from becoming bored. Take the time to inject some dramatic pops of color in your roses; find a variety with a particularly vibrant color and use it to highlight an entryway or surround a patio. Integrating this type of variety will help keep your rose garden from being ho hum.

Some popular choices for a Rose Garden include:

• Aster
• Bleeding heart
• Daisy
• Hyacinth
• Lily of the valley
• Hosta
• Peony
• Primrose
• Tulip

Rose Garden Accessory Suggestions

Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Rose Garden include:

• Break up a long row of roses with simple stone statues placed between every second or third bush
• Inject a little country flair by planting creeping roses in an old wheelbarrow or wine barrel
• Display a collection in your garden like old metal watering cans or stepping stones. Again, use accessories to inject variety into the view

Maybe you have an existing pond in your backyard and would love to build a garden around it. Or maybe you’re so in love with the idea that you’re willing to start from scratch. The fact is that water gardens are very easy to implement in your yard. Besides, who can resist the idea of sitting down with a cool drink next to a trickling waterfall and your very own pond?

Unless you’re blessed with a preexisting pond, you’ll need to do some planning first. First, determine the features you want. Do you want a waterfall? Koi pond or other fish? Plants only?

The more stuff you want in the pond, the larger it will need to be. Select a location where rainwater won’t drain into the pond, carrying fertilizer and muck into your pond. And take the time to map out the pond on the ground to make sure its what you want before you break ground.

Water Garden History

Historically, water features such as ponds and waterfalls were often found in Japanese gardens. The tradition passed from them to the Greeks and Romans, and many European gardens integrated fountains and ponds into their elaborate gardens. After World War II, water gardening became increasingly popular, since many plants and fish varieties were now readily available outside of Japan.

Water Garden Characteristics

Obviously, the central characteristic of your water garden is the water. The shape of your pond or ponds really contributes to the overall vibe of your garden. If you like a more modern, geometric look, try a circular or oval shaped pond. If you like something more natural, use freeform shapes for the water features. If you’d like to be able to walk through the garden, consider a narrow pond with a bridge arching over it. If you plan to create a sitting area next to the pond, orient the pond along the sitting area so that everyone can see it.

While most gardeners spend a lot of time pruning, weeding, and watering, water gardeners have a different set of important tasks. As a water gardener, you’ll need to focus on keeping the pond clean and the nutrients in the water properly balanced. It’s actually rather similar to keeping a fish tank.

You’ll need to keep the water free of debris, maintain the water pump and filters, and periodically test the water. Water can be treated or changed to help keep levels where they ought to be. Even if you don’t have fish in your pond, don’t skip these steps. Murky water will really interfere with your enjoyment of your Water Garden, and if it gets particularly bad, it can kill off some of your delicate plant life.

One concern that many potential water gardeners have is mosquitoes. We’ve all been taught that standing bodies of water attract them, so Water Gardens are a big mistake, right? Actually, that’s not true. Water gardens attract dragonflies and damselflies, and they eat mosquitoes for lunch. So do koi and other fish, for that matter, so your pond will police itself when it comes to mosquitoes. However, you do want to make sure that the water in your garden is circulating properly; little pools of stagnant water should be eliminated just to be safe.

Water Garden Layout

• Once the pond shape has been selected, you’ll need to dig out the area and line it with a waterproof liner. Take the time at this point to step back and consider the overall appearance of the pond and how it works with the surrounding environment. Now is the best time to make changes
• Flat ponds can be pretty boring. Inject a little variety into a flat landscape by building a short rock or slate wall along the back of your pond and plant ferns or other plants along the top
• A waterfall really adds visual interest and helps to aerate the water at the same time. Your waterfall can land right into the main pool, or it can trickle through several levels of pools before it gets to the bottom
• Carefully plan your approach when it comes to placing plants. Move from the center of the pond outwards, placing the larger potted plants in first, followed by the floaters, then smaller potted plants, and edging. Make sure to leave an easy access point that will allow you to test the water without trampling on one of your beautiful plants

Plants to Use in a Water Garden

Your Water Garden plants not only provide something pretty to look at, but they make important contributions to the little ecosystem that you’re constructing. For example, they offer shelter to your fish and block animals from using your pond as an impromptu bath. You’ll need a variety of different types of plants, including some that grow on the pond’s edges, some that float in the water, and others that are placed in pots that are then placed underwater.

Anacharis is one plant that you’ll definitely want to check out because it consumes nutrients that will allow algae to spread. You’ll probably still need to keep an eye on the algae situation, but anything that helps to keep algae in check is a very good thing. However, if you plan to keep koi, they consider anacharis to be a tasty treat, so you’ll need to protect them.

You’ve got a couple of options when it comes to planting species that are appetizing to your fish. You can create two separate pools connected by a waterfall, and put the anacharis and other species in the upper pool, or you can just use plant protectors.

Some popular choices for a Water Garden include:

• Anacharis
• Cattail
• Creeping jenny
• Dwarf papyrus
• Lotus
• Taro
• Water hyacinth
• Water lilies
• Water poppy
• Water willow

Water Garden Accessory Suggestions

Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Water Garden include:

• Install a garden bridge. Try a rustic country style or a streamlined modern version to suit the décor
• Create an imitation island covered in flowers
• Install lanterns in the ground around your pond to illuminate the entire area at night

If you are a person who likes symmetry; clear, uncluttered lines; and simple ornamentation, a formal or knot garden might be the right choice for you. These two garden types are very similar. The key difference between the two is that knot gardens are generally arranged symmetrically, often with pruned boxwood hedges featured prominently.

Formal gardens may or may not be symmetrical, but as in the knot garden, plants are pruned and cultivated to create a clean and uncluttered look overall.

Whether you plan a symmetrical knot garden layout with plenty of boxwood for edging or just a formal and elegant look overall, these gardens rely heavily on geometric shapes and straight lines. This gives the garden an overall feeling of order and organization not found in other garden styles.

Formal or Knot Garden History

When you think of formal gardens, you may automatically think back to grand palaces like Versailles. French, Italian and English manors or villas also made use of formal gardening, since it made for a pleasant place to stroll despite less than practical clothing and footwear. In fact, most gardens throughout Europe were formal in style through the 17th century. It was only during the early 1700s that more natural landscapes became popular.

Formal or Knot Garden Characteristics

The key to a successful formal garden or knot garden is the layout. Consider plotting out the area on a piece of graph paper or in a garden design program. Integrate straight lines and simple geometric shapes such as squares, rectangles, and circles into the plan. Gentle curves or circles can add some interest, but use them sparingly.

Since your garden relies heavily on shapes and lines, it’s absolutely vital to maintain plants properly. While overgrown pathways might look completely natural in a woodland garden, they look unkempt when set in a formal design. Similarly, shrubs and other plantings need to be pruned and maintained regularly into clean shapes to make the most of this design. Suffice to say that if you’re interested in a low maintenance garden, formal style might not be the best choice for you.

Formal gardens lean more towards the uncluttered look, as opposed to the more natural mishmash of plant species found in styles like the country garden. Rather than planting a bed with a great variety of species, consider two or three, and plant them in symmetrical rows or squares to add to the feeling of order and simplicity.

You may even elect to use a monochromatic color scheme when it comes to flowers. One popular choice is to select only plants with white blooms, which look terrific against the dark green foliage of boxwood and other shrubs. Or perhaps you’d prefer selecting two or three complimentary colors to mix things up a bit while still maintaining the formal appeal of the layout.

All of this focus on symmetry and order may start to feel a little constraining. It’s certainly acceptable to deliberately break the mold in a formal garden, so long as you do it deliberately and with good reason. For example, you might have a long pathway leading to a gazebo or dining area in your formal garden.

Even if you’ve limited yourself to white plantings throughout the rest of the garden, flanking the entryway to the dining area with red blooms for example really makes the most of the vista and draws attention. Use pops of color or an unexpected curved line to draw the eye to your favorite views, plants, or gathering areas.

It wouldn’t be right to discuss a formal garden without at least mentioning a topiary. As you may know, the topiary is an evergreen that is pruned into a specific shape or image.

Topiary shapes may include geometric patterns such as windmills or crosses or something a little more complex and fanciful like rabbits or elephants.

Generally, more complex topiaries look out of proportion in smaller gardens. If you have a smaller space but just can’t resist the allure of a topiary, consider creating a smaller geometric shape that won’t overwhelm the space.

Formal or Knot Garden Layout

• As noted above, pathways should be straight, with the occasional curve thrown in for interest. Flower beds are generally made of simple geometric shapes
• Consider traditional pavers like stone, brick, or concrete blocks for pathways. Choose geometric shapes that compliment your flower beds
• As with all gardens, you want your plantings to be visible, so plant the largest species in the back or center of the bed. With the formal arrangement, it’s also good to focus on symmetry and shape, so try to make sure that your plantings and accessories are all balanced appropriately
• If your garden is hilly, you need to level the playing field as much as possible. Even gentle hills will interfere with the straight lines of the garden and make them look a little lopsided. You can spend a lot of time moving dirt around or you can take the time to flatten the area where the pathway will lie and use the extra dirt to create raised flowerbeds
• However you choose to plant, define the pathways with an evergreen like boxwood, geometric edging material, low stone walls, or something. Otherwise, the upkeep necessary to keep the edges of your paths clean will likely drive you loopy

Plants to Use in a Formal or Knot Garden

Generally, plants found in a formal garden are traditional rather than exotic. Rather than firey colors and showy blooms, you’re looking for something that has classic lines and restrained colors.

If the space is large enough to accommodate it, consider planting a small arbor in one area of the garden. Symmetric rows of fruit bearing trees are attractive and work well in a formal setting, and there’s nothing that beats heading out to the garden to pick some fresh fruit for an afternoon snack.

Some popular choices for a Formal Garden include:

• Boxwood
• Evergreen
• Hosta
• Hydrangea
• Marigold
• Morning glory
• Peony
• Primrose
• Rose
• Violet

Knot Gardens often integrate attractive and aromatic herbs like thyme, marjoram, lemon balm, and rosemary into the mix.

Formal or Knot Garden Accessory Suggestions

• Furniture materials:
  • Wood
  • Wrought iron
  • Stone
• Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Formal or Knot Garden include:
  • Place Grecian urns filled with flowers at regular intervals along a pathway
  • Flank a bench with two traditional hanging lanterns
  • Integrate a small number of choice stone or concrete pieces in traditional shapes such as pineapples or globes

Although you might assume that container gardens are nothing more than a row of potted flowers, that’s not the case at all. You’ve got a lot of options when it comes to container gardening. Since you’ve got virtually a clean slate, you can make your container garden as large or as small as your space will allow. You can develop something a little more permanent, using large and hugely heavy pots, or something more transportable that can move with you to your next apartment or that can be sheltered inside during colder weather. And these are just a few of the options.

Container Garden History

You might think that container gardening is a modern development, but that isn’t actually correct. Container garden use started with the ancient Romans. Medieval monasteries often used container gardens to grow vegetables and herbs to supplement their diets. And as more and more people migrated to the cities where land for planting was scarce, more people began to grow a few essentials in pots on their windowsills, on balconies, in patios, and even on rooftops.

Container Garden Characteristics

Container gardens can flourish anywhere, although they tend to look the best in small, defined spaces. Enclosed patios, rooftops, and balconies are common choices. Often, people turn to containers when they’re dealing with a paved area with no dirt to be had for planting as noted above. However, there’s no reason that you can’t choose to cover some small flower beds with mulch and establish a container garden on top of them. This may be a good choice for you if you’re looking to establish some delicate perennials that won’t withstand your winter weather.

One of the reasons that container gardens tend to do best in smaller spaces is because it’s difficult to adequately fill a large space with containers. It can also get awfully expensive to buy attractive planters to fill a large space adequately. So if you’ve got a large area to work with but love the idea of container gardening, consider mixing some in-ground plantings with some attractive containers.

Simply filling the area around the containers with ground cover and a few easy-to-maintain shrubs should do the trick. Or, if the area is completely paved, create a few vignettes throughout the space. Create small clusters of containers throughout the area. Or for a more formal look, place containers containing the same species of large ornamental shrub at even intervals along a long wall.

Another thing to consider when selecting a container garden is their unique care requirements. Generally, container gardens are easier to care for than in-ground varieties: you have less space to water, fewer garden pests, and little to no problems when it comes to weeds. However, you’ll need to repot plants as they grow so that they don’t become pot bound. Pot bound plants have trouble getting adequate nutrients and water, and this can result in stunted growth and even death of the plant. So using a too small container is a big no-no.

The converse is also true: using a too large container for your flowers will make them look out of proportion and can keep them from getting enough water, since the water pools at the bottom of the container and their roots aren’t long enough to get at it. So one of the major tasks you’ll have as a container gardener will be to make sure that your plants are in the right size of container to keep them healthy and beautiful. And of course, you’ll still need to water and deadhead.

Container Garden Layout

• Just because your potting your plants doesn’t mean that it’s not important to consider the overall layout of your arrangement. A good layout will can change a bunch of plants into a beautiful garden
• First, consider the heights of your containers and plants. As with an in-ground garden, you want to arrange the plants and containers so that they’re visible. That means that in a group, the smaller ones need to go to the front
• While it’s true that you can avoid this problem by choosing containers of exactly the same size and shape, it’s not the best of ideas unless you’re going for a formal look and plan to plant them all with the same flower species. They say that variety is the spice of life for a reason
• However, carefully consider the weight of larger pots if you plan to move them. A large ceramic planter will be virtually stationary when you fill it with dirt
• If you need to stick with smaller, movable pots, you can still fill the space. Elevate smaller pots on garden tables, or turn a larger pot (empty, of course) over and place the smaller one on top. By elevating a pot with a fabulous flower in it, you’re creating a lot of visual interest
• If you plan to keep your container garden for more than one season, it’s better to invest in nice pots. Cheap plastic pots often deteriorate in sunlight and can crack. Wood will rot
• Don’t skip the ground cover. If you’ve got a lot of exposed dirt, cover it with mulch, pebbles, marbles, or something that makes it look a little less bland. You can also fill larger containers with a mix of larger and smaller plants to make the dirt a little less visible

Plants to Use in a Container Garden

You can plant virtually anything in a container garden. Herbs and flowers are popular choices, but there’s no reason that a larger container garden couldn’t include vegetables and small shrubs if that’s what you want. Again, the key is to match the plant with the right container and to find the right mix of plants for each container. Consider the size and style of the container. If your container is ornate, choose a shrub that won’t overshadow the beauty of the container. And for more showy blooms, choose a container that won’t detract from their appeal as well.

Some popular flower choices for a Container Garden include:

• Begonia
• Coleus
• Geranium
• Impatiens
• Marigold
• Nasturtium
• Pansy
• Petunia
• Salvia
• Zinnia

However, don’t be limited to flowers only. Herbs do particularly well in containers and can be used to add a little zest to your cooking. And who could resist some fresh cherry tomatoes or leaf lettuce from your container garden? Since you’ll have to plant them in small numbers, stick with vegetables that mature quickly so that you have enough to share with friends.

Container Garden Accessory Suggestions

Don’t forget to accessorize! A few well chosen garden accessories can really take a container garden to the next level. One suggestion is to vary the containers that you’re using. Try planting some flowers in an old wine barrel or integrate a colorful strawberry pot into the mix.

Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Container Garden include:

• Hang some brightly colored stepping stones on the wall behind the containers
• Lean a small section of white picket fence against a wall and plant some trailing flowers in a planter hung on the fence
• Place a small battery powered fountain among your containers to add an unexpected twist

Japanese Gardens are separated into a few different types, so you’ve got choices even within this style. The hill and pond garden includes a pond or area of raked gravel that represents a pond, nestled within some gently rolling hills. The flat garden is more of a minimalist, Zen approach that is particularly good for small spaces. Japanese style tea gardens work well for larger spaces, since they focus on travel down a long pathway.

Japanese Garden History

Japanese Gardening developed among the upper class of Japan, and in fact, each element had a specific significance. Special groupings of rocks and arrangements of flowers were used to create a meaning that would benefit the owner and visitors to the garden. A poor garden design was believed by some to bring bad luck to the owner. For many, gardens were a natural outcropping of their religious beliefs, either Shinto or Buddhist, both of which demonstrated a reverence for nature. Many temples also had elaborate gardens.

However, it doesn’t follow that Japanese Gardens were specifically built for Zen meditation, or that they weren’t also cherished for their attractiveness and peacefulness. The Japanese Garden was instead simply an expression of the beauty of nature.

Japanese Garden Characteristics

There are three major principles that you need to keep in mind while designing a Japanese Garden. First, all of the elements should look natural but not wild and overgrown. For example, you’d never use perfectly straight paths surrounding square beds with perfect right angles, because that simply doesn’t happen in nature. Instead, a naturally undulating path surrounding irregular beds with pleasing shapes is both natural appearing and aesthetically pleasing.

The second major principle is balance. All of the elements in a Japanese garden should be in balance with one another. No one element should overwhelm the others in terms of size or scale, nor should one element take up too much of the space. For example, you wouldn’t want to plant one huge tree in a small garden. It would hog all of the space and ruin the balance. Instead, you’d want a few dwarf trees or shrubs. The large trees might work just fine in a larger garden with long walking paths, where the smaller trees would fade into the landscape.

It’s also a good idea to resist the urge to fill all of the space. In fact, emptiness is the final principle that you need to keep in mind when designing your Japanese garden. Leave some spaces empty; don’t fill every possible inch with plants or rocks. Allow your most beautiful plants and accessories to stand alone to draw the eye to them and make them really pop.

Japanese Gardens are almost always enclosed, shutting out the outside world and making them as peaceful as possible. Use fences and gates to enclose the garden, but don’t rule them out as design elements either. Cut windows in gates or fences to allow passersby to catch glimpses of what lies within your garden. Use walls within larger gardens to lead visitors from one area to another.

Japanese Garden Layout

• Layouts should be natural, with undulating paths and placement of design elements naturally throughout the space
• Paths may be raked gravel, stone pavers, or brick. In fact, using worked stone with straight lines is a good way to contrast with the natural undulating lines found in the rest of the garden
• Plant beds can be covered with wood chips or gravel, or moss can be allowed to grow on naturally uneven hills to bring attention to the shape of the land
• Pay attention to the direction in which gravel is raked. Draw attention to shrubs by raking in circles or semicircles around their bases. Then rake the rest of the bed in long, straight lines
• Don’t forget to use rocks as a design element; don’t forget to select rocks with different shapes. Tall rocks, flat rocks, and wide rocks all have a place in the Japanese Garden
• Japanese Gardens should always have a water element or at least an element that represents water. If you have a space for a Koi Pond, this will make a great focal point.
• Plants should draw attention to the pleasing shapes of the rocks and add a little color at the same time

Plants to Use in a Japanese Garden

It’s very important to properly maintain the plants in a Japanese Garden. Because the number of plants is kept to a minimum, unattractive elements like deadheads, dead leaves and mold are readily visible. The overall shape of a plant is also an important element in your garden. You don’t necessarily need to prune them in the same way that you would prune a Bonsai Tree, but it’s certainly a good idea to prune off single protruding branches that make plants look scraggly and unkempt.

Shrubs and evergreens usually form the backbone of plantings in a Japanese garden. Blooming plants are added around the shrubs to inject a little color. Consider planting a stand of larger plants alone to draw attention to the symmetry. If you have the space for it, a stand of bamboo or cherry trees can be particularly beautiful.

Some popular choices for a Japanese Garden include:

• Azalea
• Bamboo
• Cherry trees
• Dwarf maples
• Hydrangea
• Iris
• Lotus
• Rhododendron
• Water lilies
• Wisteria

Japanese Garden Accessory Suggestions

Furniture materials:

• Wood
• Wrought iron
• Stone

Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Japanese Garden include:

• Place lanterns on pedestals at spaces along the pathways
• A small garden bridge can really inject some Asian style
• Plant a small island of evergreens in a sea of raked gravel

Maybe you like the idea of having fresh vegetables to serve at your table, but you don’t live on a farm and want to preserve some curb appeal. One compromise that many people make is to tuck the vegetables behind the house where they can’t see the road and limit beds that are visible from the street to flowers.

But if you don’t have enough room to do that or if the light in your backyard isn’t conducive to vegetable plants, it’s possible to plant an attractive vegetable garden that won’t be an eyesore.

With a little careful planning and a few flowers sprinkled here and there among the vegetable plants, there’s no reason you can’t plant an attractive vegetable garden. Just remember that most vegetables need full sun to thrive.

Another important step to Vegetable Garden success is to have your soil tested before you start. It’s much easier to work organic matter into empty beds than it is once you’ve planted, and poor soil will really hurt your vegetables.

Vegetable Garden History

Vegetable Gardening has a long history. As farmers moved into cities and suburbs to look for work, they planted small plots wherever they could to supplement their food sources.

Around World War II, Vegetable Gardening was even considered a patriotic move. Everyone was expected to contribute to the war effort, and the planting of a Victory Garden or War Garden (which were patriotic names for what was essentially a regular Vegetable Garden) was a way to keep people healthy. Some communities started plots together, bringing rise to cooperative gardening.

Vegetable Gardens look particularly great with Foursquare homes, Cape Cods, and Ranches. They also integrate well with Rustic decorating, Tuscan style, or Arts and Crafts décor.

Vegetable Garden Characteristics

As noted above, many Vegetable Gardens are tucked behind houses. These gardens are often planted in rectangular raised beds, with plants organized in long rows. If you’ve got the space to do this, it’s a tried and true way to raise fresh veggies for your home. However, if space is at a premium, there’s no reason that you can’t integrate vegetables throughout your gardening space on the side or even the front of your home as long as the soil and light quality are both sufficient to support the plants.

When you’re trying to plant a more attractive Vegetable Garden, implement some basic gardening principles. For example, consider the color of the vegetable in question and plant it in tandem with a flower in a complimentary color. For example, bright red heirloom tomatoes would pair well with orange-yellow Gaillardia. Or you could plant them with flowers of the same color, like red poppies, to make the tomatoes less visible.

When it comes to planning your beds, decide if you want a more permanent layout or if you want to be able to change it every year. You’ll need to till or turn the soil every year and rotate the location of each vegetable type if you want them to be successful plantings.

One option is to create permanent pathways segmenting the garden into small plots and turn each plot individually. Or make temporary paths each year with wood chips or sawdust, and then mix them into the soil next year and start anew. If you plan on using this more flexible approach, carefully consider the placement of any perennials, since you’ll have to work around them every year.

You might also use a row of vegetables as an edge or a border. For example, plant a row of cabbages at the border of a flower bed instead of hosta. You’ll need to plan ahead in case of critters, though. This approach only looks good if your row of cabbages isn’t decimated by hungry rabbits.

Vegetable Garden Layout

• Vegetable garden beds can be any shape, with curved or straight lines
• However, beds shouldn’t be too deep; you want to avoid having to step into them very often, tamping down the soil and damaging your seedlings or plants
• If beds are larger, you’ll need to plant in rows, which is going to give you a more farm-like and less decorative appearance



• Raised beds warm earlier, allowing you to get started earlier in the season if you’re in a cooler climate
• Wood chips or gravel are simple pathway covers, or try some concrete pavers for something a little more permanent
• One way to dress up your vegetable garden is to make the most of your entrance. For a larger vegetable garden, try an arbor planted with climbing flowers. For a smaller area, use a white picket gate and hang a planter filled with blooms

Plants to Use in a Vegetable Garden

Obviously, you’ll want to plant vegetables in your garden, but don’t exclude the possibility of mixing veggies and flowers. Many flowers will attract beneficial insects to your garden, minimizing your need for pesticides. And by carefully mixing vegetables with flowers, you’ll get an attractive plot that you’re proud to show.

Consider planting edible flowers that do double duty. You get the attractive element of the flowers and, if you plant them with lettuce, you have a beautiful ready made salad right at your fingertips just in case you need to throw one together at the last minute.

Some popular choices for a Vegetable Garden include:

• Clematis
• Climbing roses
• Daisies
• Gaillardia
• Morning glories
• Nasturnium
• Poppy
• Sunflower

As with any other plant, pick your vegetables carefully. Start out with some of the easier varieties like tomatoes, lettuce, green onions, and green beans. Consider integrating some herbs into the mix for variety. Skip more difficult crops like green peas until your garden is established and you’ve got the hang of Vegetable Gardening.

Also make sure to consider the scale; corn is a great crop, but those ears take up a lot of space and aren’t the most attractive plants in the world if your plot is visible from the street.

Vegetable Garden Accessory Suggestions

• Furniture materials:
  • Wicker
  • Wood
  • Wrought iron
• Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Vegetable Garden include:
  • Inject a little country farm appeal with a scarecrow
  • Hang a bright painted butterfly house or birdhouse
  • Plant some strawberries in an old watering can or wheelbarrow

Is the heat getting to your plants, making it impossible to keep anything alive in your garden? Are your water bills getting a little too high as a result of constant watering of your garden? Do you have a sloping lawn that’s eroding or difficult to care for? Consider implementing a Rock Garden in those areas to solve your problems.

You don’t need to live in a desert climate to have a Rock Garden, although this style is certainly a good choice for hot, dry areas. Rock Gardens can have a desert theme, featuring succulents like cacti, or they can be more reminiscent of a rocky hill or mountain. They work particularly well in small and graded areas. Consider replacing part or your entire front yard with a Rock Garden to save on your water bills this summer.

Rock Garden History

Rock gardens were first developed in Japan and China, although these early versions often didn’t include plants. Instead, they focused on interesting natural rock formations, almost like sculpture or bonsai would be used today. Rock Gardens didn’t really start to become popular in the United States until the late 1800s. Most early US Rock Gardens were woodsy, focusing on alpine plants. Desert versions developed later.

Now, there’s even a society dedicated to the Rock Garden. NARGS, the North American Rock Garden Society, offers information and tips for people who are really interested in learning more about the traditions of rock gardening.

Rock Gardens look particularly great with Pueblo Revival, Mission style homes, Bungalows, and Ranches. They also integrate well with Southwestern decorating, Rustic style, Asian or Modern décor.

Rock Garden Characteristics

Rock Gardens aren’t limited to rocks alone. The rocks instead provide a natural looking landscape to house the plants you select. If the rocks don’t look right, it doesn’t matter how many plants you pile on top of them; the garden will never look quite right. As a result, rock placement is important. Place rocks in lines to create a grade. Stagger those lines slightly and vary the spacing so that they look more natural. Dig down into the dirt and settle rocks in rather than simply setting them on the ground.

Rock Gardens in general are very natural, integrating stone and plants to mimic the vista that you’d find in the woods, on a mountainside, or in the desert plains. While many Japanese and Chinese gardens use rocks in their overall design, they’re really very different from a true Rock Garden. Japanese and Chinese style gardens tend to be very minimalist, whereas Rock Gardens are more natural and less restrained.

When it comes to overall design, Rock Gardens offer some distinct advantages. Desert versions require very little watering and will thrive in extremely hot areas. Woodsy versions do very well in wooded lots where many other plants won’t make it. Because they’re less formal and rely mostly on hardy plants, they don’t require quite as much upkeep as say a Rose Garden or a Vegetable Garden. And this also makes this style a good choice for the novice gardener.

Rock Garden Layout

• Rock gardens can have a natural look with curving paths, or you can inject a little formality with straight paths
• Just about any material will work for the pathways. For paths that fade into the background, use gravel. Or try red brick or wood chips for a little color contrast
• If you go for stone, consider placing the pavers with gaps between them so that you can plant a little creeping groundcover in the walkway
• If you have a lot of small rocks or don’t want groundcover to creep onto your paths, you’ll need to edge your beds
• Rock choices are important and will vary depending on what kind of plants you want to use. Porous rocks are good for a woodsy rock garden with mosses and woodland plants. Non-porous rocks work better for desert plants
• Place rocks into the garden from largest to smallest, using the smaller pieces to fill in the gaps. Then place plants in the gaps between the rocks

Plants to Use in a Rock Garden

Plant selection is very important in a Rock Garden, although it might not seem like it at first. You can’t just run to your local nursery and pick up a flat of impatiens to put in your Rock Garden. You need to select varieties that work with the type of rock you’re using and with the type of vista that you’re trying to create.

Most Rock Gardens use plants that are low maintenance and not so showy when it comes to blooms, so if you like a lot of cut flowers this garden style probably isn’t the best choice for you. But again, your tradeoff is that they don’t require a lot of upkeep, and they don’t overshadow all of the work that you’ve put into placing the rocks into your landscape.

Perennials are good choices for Rock Gardens because they’ll spread naturally as the seasons pass. All you need to do is thin them when necessary, and it’s also fun to see where a new patch of your favorite plant has popped up.

Plant choices will of course vary depending on the type of Rock Garden in question. For a woodsy garden, combine mosses, flowers, and small trees or shrubs to create a natural vista. Some popular choices for a woodsy Rock Garden include:

• Baby’s breath
• Blanket flower
• Dwarf conifer
• Iris
• Ornamental onion
• Poppy
• Rockcress

For a desert garden, succulents and desert plants need good drainage to avoid developing mold. Some popular choices for a desert Rock Garden include:

• Agave
• Aloe
• Cacti
• Euphorbia
• Lupine
• Sedum
• Thistle

Rock Garden Accessory Suggestions

• Furniture materials:
  • Wicker
  • Wood
  • Glass
• Some accessory ideas to integrate into your woodsy Rock Garden include:
  • Birdhouses on tall poles
  • Leaf wood carvings hung on the exterior of the house or shed
  • Place wooden benches along a long path as you’d find in a park
• Some accessory ideas to integrate into your desert Rock Garden include:
  • Try some wrought metal garden art to add some vertical interest
  • Use Southwestern painted tile pieces to inject a little extra color
  • Use painted ceramic pots for cacti that need to be overwintered inside

Think of a cottage garden and what comes to mind are the thatched cottages and quaint, whimsical gardens of Tudor England or the rural landscape of the American South. Like a scene from your favorite fairy tale, a cottage garden bursts with the glorious color of flowers, a picket fence and cute gate and natural rock walls that adorn a humble country dwelling.

First, put the notion that you have to live in a small thatched-roof cottage to use this theme in your landscape design, although if you build a shed or other outbuilding to look like an English Cottage it will make a dazzling focal point that grounds your garden in the style of Cottage style gardens.

Cottage Garden History

Cottage style gardens came into being during the Tudor period in England between 1485 and 1603 AD. Humble families living in the countryside had to grow their own crops to eat and so the cottage style garden has firm roots in hardy plants and vegetables; vines, small fruit trees, and flowers including foxglove, iris, hollyhock and daisies are typical.

During the long era of Queen Victoria, from 1837 until 1904, the cottage garden became especially popular and evolved into the style of garden a country gentleman would have; the more formal estate gardens of wealthy English families living outside the cities for some of the year.

Today, the cottage garden remains popular, especially with more dedicated and serious do-it-yourself gardeners. One thing to bear in mind when choosing a cottage style garden will be the amount of time and labor that must be devoted. With the variety of plants found in a cottage garden, serious labor is the norm.

Cottage Garden Characteristics

A cottage style home or other structure designed with the look of a cottage will be the best choice for a focal point. The enclosure is typically a wooden picket fence; the functional purpose is to keep animals out of the garden and to frame and define the garden space.

Arches, arbors and trellises help accent entry points, seating areas and to provide more vertical landscape design elements. Walkways are small and intimate; gravel, pavers or naturally shaped stones will do nicely as materials for walkways and borders or low walls in the cottage garden.

The Cottage Style Garden is informal and relaxed, with a whimsical flare. It meshes particularly well with homes decorated in English Country or Victorian styles. Try a Cottage Garden if you have a Colonial style home, a Queen Anne Victorian, or a Cape Cod.

Cottage style landscape design is a particularly good choice for people who like wildflowers and more natural looking gardens.

Cottage Gardens can be tailored to large or small landscaped spaces. In a large space, create twisting pathways that lead to hidden bowers or dining areas.

In a smaller space, build around a single central eating area while maintaining the casual style of the Cottage Garden.

You can easily develop a Cottage Style Garden in your front yard by putting up a white picket fence, planting some tall flowers like snapdragons or delphinium along its length, and then layering on some smaller plants.

Cottage Garden Layout Tips

• Stick with meandering paths and steer away from straight lines
• Common materials for pathways include stone, old bricks, and wood chips
• Pathway materials should also be irregular, and ground cover can be planted between them to give a comfortable, established look
• Edge plant beds and walkways with old bricks or fieldstone to maintain the casual look
• Rather than pruning plants into geometric shapes and away from pathways, let them grow naturally to overhang (but not engulf) pathways
• Plant flowers in small groups, but don’t be afraid to mingle them. Look for pleasing color combinations and make sure to plant smaller species toward the front so they’ll be visible without having to prune your larger plants
• Don’t forget to consider your entryway. You might consider a white picket fence with a gate or, if you have a larger space, an arbor covered with climbing plants

Plants to Use in a Cottage Garden

The original plant varieties used in cottage gardens were ones that grow easily and could be traded and shared with neighbors; they are sometimes called “passalong” plants. Since it was a working crop garden, flowers were primarily from seeds that blew in on the wind. Herbs were also plentiful.

Plant annuals for seasonal color and perennial in balance so that you get nice color all year round (or three seasons at least, if you live in a colder climate). Shrubs will add structure and stability to the garden, while small fruit trees that flower and produce apples, peaches or other tasty fruits in your cottage garden. Use creeping vines to give your garden more privacy and vertical enclosure. Here are some cottage garden planting ideas and tips:

• Pick a few self-seeding species and watch as they pop up in new places each year



• Consider starting with a base of perennials and work in some annuals each year to fill in empty spaces
• Old-fashioned blooms work best in the Cottage Garden rather than fancy tropical hybrids
• Pastels usually form the base of a cottage garden, but don’t be afraid to throw in some deep blooms like damask roses
• Some popular choices include:
  • Bleeding heart
  • Columbine
  • Coralbells
  • Cosmos
  • Daisy
  • Delphinium
  • Foxglove
  • Hollyhock
  • Hydrangea
  • Pansy
  • Peony
  • Rose
  • Snapdragon

Cottage Garden Accessory Suggestions

• Furniture materials:
  • Wicker (white painted pieces in particular)
  • Wrought iron
  • Distressed, painted wood
• Some accessory ideas to integrate into your Cottage Garden include:
  • A cluster of birdhouses, painted and distressed
  • An old section of fence or a window frame used as a trellis
  • An old watering can or a wooden wheelbarrow could be used as a planter
  • Place an old wooden bench or swing at the end of a meandering pathway