Cottage Garden Update

Eighteen months in, and the cottage garden at Blackbird Cottage has officially hit its stride. What started as a blank slate is now a layered, abundant space, a mix of structured formality and wild, romantic charm. Reflecting on the past 18 months, our cottage garden has blossomed into a vibrant tapestry of colors and textures, harmoniously blending English cottage charm with Australian native beauty. In this post, you’ll see the structures we built and the plants we used to create the look.

Advanced Trees

Our original budget had money set aside for the garden and some of this was allocated to advanced trees for instant impact. Over the past year we’ve added a couple of smaller maples and silver birch so we get the deciduous effect of the English garden and shade in the summer for native birds to make homes. The trees are growing well in their new homes and spreading their branches.

Salvia

Salvias are a favourite in every garden we create. They’ve been a standout in this garden, their spiky blooms adding vertical interest and attracting pollinators. In the cottage garden, we’ve added a number of varieties from the shorter annuals, to the tall brighter blue that dance in the breeze.

Hedging

Gavin chose a mix of our hedging favourites for the garden. Box hedges line the front of the house, giving a more formal look. We also softened the gravel areas and built structures with them. Westingia hedges provide pretty mauve flowers in summer and structure for the garden beds and paths. Their muted green backdrop highlights the more delicate flowers in the garden and their wonderfully hardy and drought tolerant..

Native flowers

Incorporating natives like the Waratah and Bottle brush has been a delight. The striking red flowers not only celebrate local flora but also complement the softer hues of our daisies and cottage annuals. And they look stunning in a vase for early spring vibes. These classic cottage favorites bring a sense of nostalgia and timeless beauty to the garden.

English Cottage Favourites

We transplanted most of the bulbs from the cut flower garden at the farm and planted them here, at the cottage. Daffodils, tulips, snowdrop and hyacinths have ensured there’s always something new to anticipate, with bursts of color emerging throughout the year. And of course, we’ve added fuchsia, hydrangea, lavender and dahlias to grow while amongst the cottage hedging, with perennial favourites such as Canterbury Bells and Orange Blossom starting to bloom

Built Structures

Over the last year, we’ve added a number of hard landscaping features to the garden. These provide height and variation, as well as places to sit and privacy. New arches (from Bunnings) create entry points and are planted with evergreen creepers. A pergola has become the perfect place to sit and entertain, while extra raised beds, espalier and vertical structures are growing our food.

Inspired by our plant selections? Check out our previous post on Plants for a Farmhouse Garden for more ideas.