Charming Cottage Landscaping Ideas

Cottage landscaping adds tons of charm to outdoor spaces! Tour my cottage garden. I’ll show you how to use simple, thrifty ideas to create a magical yard.

Before we purchased our current home, one of the things that really drew Mr. Tidbits and myself to the Lavender Blue Cottage was the landscaping. It is mature, lush, shady (a big deal for our hot, dry area) and full of charm. It was, and is, totally dreamy to me.

I can’t take credit for the landscaping, that was all done by the previous owners of this home. I so appreciate their hard work and thoughtfulness. Hopefully my family can maintain and even continue to develop the beauty here.

Cottage landscaping, with it’s relaxed and natural style, is loved by many people. I like to think of a cottage-style garden as one that leans less toward a perfectly manicured suburban lawn and more toward a casual arrangement of beautiful landscaping elements. Less formal, more whimsy, if you know what I mean.

One of the best things about a cottage landscape design is that it can be done on a budget. I’m excited to show you around my cottage garden and share thrifty ideas for how to make a cottage garden oasis that won’t break the bank.

Click on the button to watch my YouTube video of these cottage landscaping ideas!

Cozy Seating Areas

First up on my list of ideas for cottage landscaping is cozy seating areas. This is a must because you’re going to want to spend time enjoying that beautiful yard or garden!

Below you can see our sunken patio with an outdoor fireplace. It’s super cozy and sweet – the perfect spot for backyard cookouts.

While I love the work that went into this patio, you can make a seating area anywhere and out of many different things. Think about where you can use some outdoor furniture. Under a shady tree? Next to a beautiful flower bed?

Get creative! I love this informal arrangement of an old bench and cut logs for seating. Cut logs can be a great way to add seating without lots of cost, especially if you have trees around your home that need to be taken down.

And let’s not forget a good hammock. A summer evening is so much better when you enjoy it from a hammock! You don’t even need mature trees to hold it if you get a version that comes with a stand. Just move it wherever you want and take a relaxing break.

Dining areas are great to have too. This pergola is wonderful, but a shady tree will do as well.

Natural Materials

Next, let’s talk about using natural materials in your cottage garden design.

Natural materials can create focal points and charming borders. I’m sure the rocks and wood logs that line many of our pathways came right from this property. Grouping those things together with a purpose looks fantastic!

We also have lots of rock mulch and wood chips around our home. It’s just another way to use what you’ve got and make maintaining your yard easier.

Pathways

Meandering pathways are another element of a cottage landscaping. Here at the Lavender Blue Cottage we’ve got plenty of pathways.

Below is a gravel and paver stone pathway that I adore. It’s so much more whimsical than a regular concrete sidewalk, don’t you think?

Make sure you line those pathways with something beautiful. You won’t regret it!

Yard Decor

Next up is yard decor. Don’t go too crazy here, but a touch of something decorative can go a long way toward making your yard a special place. Our cottage garden holds lots of fun surprises, like these cute butterflies that are scattered around the yard.

Wagon wheels, wind mills, bird baths – it all looks at home in a cottage landscape.

There is a charming pond and fountain in our front yard. It’s so nice to have something interesting to look at and the water gives the yard a fresh, cool feeling on hot summer days.

When we first moved in here, my kids were forever finding sculptures and decorative gems around the yard. Those little touches make it feel like a real-life fairy garden.

Look for items that you already have. Check thrift stores and yard sales for unique yard decor pieces. It doesn’t need to be expensive to be delightful!

Color and Blooms

It goes without saying that flowers, color and blooms of all types are a must for any cottage garden. ‘We’ve loved watching the pinks, purples and yellows that popped up in the yard during the growing season.

Got those annuals and perennials in the ground! It doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, a little bit of unstructured charm just adds to the appeal of a cottage landscape.

Some day I hope to have a yard full of sweet peas, cosmos, foxgloves and delphiniums. Wouldn’t that be incredible? If you grow the right type of plants, you can have your own supply of gorgeous cut flowers.

Personalize It

The previous owners of this home called it the Blue Note Ranch. They had metal signs with the name placed on their gates. I love that idea! Give your home a name, a sign, a mark of something special to make it yours and make it unique. I hope to one day have my own signs for the Lavender Blue Cottage.

Another great way to personalize your landscaping is to add elements that you love. The outdoor clothesline that we installed earlier this year is one of those items to me. It speaks to my home-loving heart and the work I try to do here on this blog to inspire the keeper of the home.

Animals

The Lavender Blue Cottage wouldn’t be home without the animals. Between the cats, dog, cows, horses and chickens, we’ve collected quite a few.

Are we crazy? Maybe. Probably, but we love our little homestead and all the critters that call it home, even the sassy ones.

Arbors and Archways

There is something magical about walking through a an archway, isn’t there? If you want to add some quick charm to your yard or garden, an archway will do the trick. Who doesn’t want a bit of magic in their landscaping?

If you don’t want to build or buy an archway or arbor, try growing and strategically pruning the trees and shrubs in our yard. My daughter loves the natural archway that the previous owners crafted out of these two shrubs.

Sentimental Areas/Meaningful Landscaping

I was interested to learn that prior to the house we live in being built, there was another home on our property way-back-when. That home is long gone, but in it’s place a previous owner created a beautiful garden area as a nod to the past. Don’t you just love that idea?

Adding sentiment or meaningful landscaping is a fantastic way to develop a cottage yard. Maybe it’s a memorial or garden of someone’s favorite flowers or colors. Maybe it’s an herb garden to honor someone who liked to cook with herbs or vegetables that remind you of childhood days at Grandma’s house.

Whatever it is, adding meaning details brings lots of love into your outdoor space.

Structural Detail

Structural details look great in cottage landscaping. This cute white picket fence was jazzed up by the previous owners with a decorative white chain that loops down the length of the fence.

Simply adding decorative trim around the doors of the shed and out building adds tons of character. The weather vein, the bell, the cute wagon wheel – all of these are simple elements that turn a boring structure into something delightful to look at.

And how about the wood shingles on the chicken coop? Those little details make a huge impact in a cottage garden.

Trees and Plants

Finally, plant allll the things. A hallmark of an English cottage garden are trees, shrubs, flowers and greenery. Collect them all!

I really appreciate the color and texture that these evergreens provide, especially as we move toward the winter season. They will be lovely year-round.

Trees and plants make all the difference. And you know what they say – the best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago. The second best time is today.

Ground cover is also a great option for adding greenery without the need to mow acres of grass. Try some! It gives me cottage vibes in the best possible way.

Developing a cottage landscaping can take some time, but once you have it established, it’s the most enchanting place to be!

Other Cottage Landscaping Ideas

I can’t imagine how the Lavender Blue Cottage would look and feel without it’s cottage landscaping. It’s truly one of the best things about this home.

Thanks for joining me to take a look around at some thrifty landscaping ideas. If you want more ideas of how to add some charm to your yard or garden, check out:

• How to Make a Charming Outdoor Clothesline
• The Cutest Chicken Coop Building Plans
• Easy to Build Cedar Raised Bed Gardens
• Curb Appeal: Project Mailbox Makeover
• Deck Makeover Reveal Day!
• Beautiful Front Porch Ideas for a Charming Home
• How to Make DIY Raised Garden Beds
• Patriotic Outdoor Decor That Only Takes Minutes
• The Lavender Blue Cottage Exterior Home Tour