The English Cottage Garden
History
The English invented the cottage garden, probably in the 1400s, to produce food for families. Every bit of space was planted with herbs, fruit trees, and flowers - all jammed together. Aside from being practical, it was charming – even to this day !English gardener Gertrude Jekyll (1843–1932) is the patron saint of modern cottage gardens. She popularized the informal, flowing look we associate with country houses (in England) and picket fences (in the US).In reaction to the fussy, formal plantings the Victorians created, she followed a more natural look, with plants arranged by color, height, and season. She used a mix of perennials, vines, bulbs, and shrubs. 
Plant Specialists design and installation of a roof top English garden
Controlled Chaos
The key to achieving the look, is to plant flowers at the edge of garden beds and allow them to spill over onto paths. Then you add shrubs and trees for structure. Unlike classic English gardens where you plant a few things in mass, here it’s the opposite – you plant a little of everything ! This method not only achieves the look, but also limit loss to pests and diseases because of the huge number of different species. 
Another Plant Specialists classic English Garden
The Basics
Use annuals for bare spots as perennials and shrubs fill in, and to add all-season color during the times when the garden seems a bit quiet. Vines and climbers go up and over arches.
Install perennials that bloom at different times to ensure a sequence of interest throughout the season. This grouping includes something that comes on early, mid-season, and late.
Edibles are essential to a true English cottage garden. Use food crops and herbs. Apples do well in containers.
Groups of shrubs are critical - they add volume, height, and depth. Plant in groups of at least three.
A spectacularly designed terrace filled with herbs and hyssops
Add a bit of formal – like a few sheared boxwood balls to the mixed plantings. It helps to break up the softness by adding some structure. And, really, what’s more English than some sheared boxwoods!Although the overall effect is casual abandon, English cottage gardens require careful editing, if you don’t want to end up with jumbly mess ! 
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The Structures
Plant flowers at the edge of garden beds and allow them to spill over onto paths. Bonus points for fragrant flowers that brush against visitors’ ankles as they pass by !Install arbors, trellises and gazebo so you can train vines and climbers to grow up and over. Plant them also against walls, next to gates, above doorways and hanging over fences. 
Another beautiful garden trellis with roses and clematis
Place benches, and chairs strategically in the garden to lure visitors to spend time sitting among the bees and the blossoms. Add one to a hidden corner, a place with a view, or smack in the middle of an pretty flower bed!There is no room for error ! Use tried-and-tested plants known to thrive locally. The English used hollyhock, nicotiana, poppy, foxglove, nasturtium, and cosmos. But if you live in a different climate, plant native flowers to get a similar effect. If those plants don't thrive in your area use something that does ! 
This is a lovely example of a garden - that is very natural looking
Plant shrubs and small trees among the flowers to add height, structure, and visual interest to garden beds.If you have fruit trees, berry bushes, or vegetables, you need pollinators to produce a harvest. When planting flowers, choose varieties bees can’t resist.Cottage gardens often are a dense mix-and-match jumble for a practical reason: If you have small clumps of many kinds of plants, you will limit loss to pests and diseases.Form irregularly shaped garden beds with paths that define perimeters and spaces. A meandering walkway is better than a straight one because it will force passersby to slow down and see more of the cottage garden. 
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The Plants
Bell flower (Campanula persicifolia)
Stays in bloom most of the summer. Its long stems and abundance of buds make it a great cut flower, as well as a welcome garden plant.
Dianthus (Dianthus allwoodii)
Spicy scented flowers and fringed petals ! Not very tall - keep them toward the front of your garden border. You will enjoy their scent more if you plant them where you will brush up against them. Drought resistant and because of their fragrance, not usually bothered by animals - but butterflies love them !!!!
Delphinium (Genus)
Delphiniums can withstand quite cold winters, but high heat and a lack of moisture during the summer can make them short-lived. Use them in a sheltered spot so the tall flower spikes do not get bent by wind or rain.
Hardy Geranium (Geranium x rozanne)
These are not the bright colored Pelargoniums known as geraniums. They are low mounding plants that intermingle with a charming ease. The new variety “Rozanne”, will flower throughout the summer, with no deadheading needed.
Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
Few flowers are as delightfully charming as hollyhocks. They can easily reach heights of 8 ft. or more, making them vertical accents for any part of your garden. New double flower varieties are available. They need good air flow but wont tolerate WIND!
Japanese anemone (Eriocapitella huphensis)
Blooming in early Fall they need moist well draining soil. Some varieties can reach 4' tall and may need staking. They come in shades of pink, purple, and darker hues.
Ladies mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris)
Soft herbaceous perennial with hairy leaves. Forms masses of pale yellowish green flowers in early summer. Native of Greenland.
Lavender (Lavandula genus)
Old world favorite with blueish purple flowers and amazing scent. Clump growing requires attention to watering as is needs to dry out to stay healthy.
Peony (Paeonia genus)
Clump forming perennial with soft pastel colors and big bold flowers. Sometimes fragrant. Blooms in late spring.
Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
Semi evergreen perennial with sweet scented flowers in spring. Comes in an array of bold colors.
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Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission from @SHUTTERSTOCK