Ideas and Tips for Creating Your Own English Country Themed Garden

An English country garden is typically small, compact, and awash with vegetables, herbs, and an abundance of flowers and plants. This style of garden dates back to at least the 19^th century when people grew their own produce and medicinal herbs.

You'll often find this style of garden alongside cottages though that doesn't have to be the case. If you want to try and recreate something similar in your garden, you don't need to be too worried about the style of property you have. While an ultra-modern townhouse in the city might not be quite the same, whatever you create can still evoke the romance and ambiance of these more traditional style gardens.

Here are some ideas and tips for creating an English country themed garden.

Boundary Walls

It's a good idea to try and include boundary walls and exterior walls of your property within your design where possible. Climbing plants are a great way to achieve this and will fit nicely into the country garden theme you are trying to achieve. Ivy, wisteria, and roses are only a few of the options available and tend to grow at a fairly decent rate. They will create a truly romantic feel to your home and look positively beautiful.

Grow Your Own Veggies

One of the key features of a traditional English country garden is the abundant produce grown. An array of herbs and vegetables can be planted in pots or if you have space, a separate allotment area. You might be surprised at not only how easy it is to grow things yourself, but how enjoyable the experience is. From rosemary to thyme or onions to zucchini, the possibilities are endless.

Water Features

A water feature is a great way to add a centerpiece or focal point to your garden. The sound of trickling or flowing water will add a very relaxing element to your garden and can be mesmerizing to look at.

While there are several options that would work well, such as a hand pump water feature or a wall fountain, large outdoor fountains can look positively breathtaking. They work particularly well when surrounded by an eclectic mix of natural colors.

Pack Your Garden with Color

The English have always been keen gardeners and are well renowned for gardening, so English country gardens are usually brimming with colorful plants and flowers. A mix of shrubs, perennials, and annual plants will help achieve color all year round and keep your garden borders looking lush and constantly full.

One of the benefits of this style is that there are few rules in terms of what to plant or what colors to go for. Planting doesn't have to be strategic, and the result is a very colorful and informal landscape. Hollyhocks, delphiniums, roses, lupins, and lavender are only a few of the flowering plants most synonymous with an English country garden, but the limits are extensive.

Topiary in Your English Country Garden

Topiary is the art of training plants by trimming and clipping to form precise structures and shapes. It is also another great way to recreate the beauty of a country garden. It works well in contrast with the haphazard planting we talked about earlier and is a perfect way to add some structure.

If you intend growing herbs and vegetables, consider using topiary to border any raised beds that you are looking to create, which will add even more structure to specific areas of your garden.

Pathways

When you think of an English country garden, one of the things you probably envisage is lots of meandering paths. Whether they are created with cobblestones, paving slabs, or stones, a maze of little paths will create a magical feel and element of surprise in your garden.

Add a Trellis and Pergola

Another great way to add an abundance of color and planting to your garden is to add trellises or a pergola. A pergola is a garden feature used to form a shaded walkway or sitting area whilst trellises are a great way to add additional divisions and boundaries to a garden. Adorned with flowers and climbers, they create a very relaxing and calming feel.

Furniture in the English Country Garden

When choosing furniture for your English country garden you should go with something more traditional in style. Due to its intricacies and non-bulky appearance, latticed wrought iron furniture works particularly well and will create a wonderful location for a traditional English afternoon tea — just don’t forget the scones!

Be sure to check out Wander for more great gardens you can visit and use as inspiration for your own English country garden.

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