Country Gardens share their origins with their citified cousins, the cottage gardens.
Both garden styles arise from the practical working man's garden, men and women who struggled to feed and clothe their families, while occasionally
adding a patch of garden color gleaned from a more wealthy or connected neighbor.
Anything that represented too much additional work in these gardens didn't stay long, because these gardens were about survival. An economy of purpose drove what was added and maintained within these gardens.
As the highly formal, perfectly manicured formal gardens maintained for rich landowners by a host of paid gardeners began to fade into history with the changing of landscape philosophies in the late 1700s, many rich landowners began to adopt a more relaxed style, one that blended nature with more formal features. This movement birthed our modern day country gardens style.
In many ways, the modern day cottage garden style and the country garden we know today share the characteristics infused by this working man's view of gardening.
As families moved closer together into towns or cities, the needs and practicalities of their different circumstances dictated the content of their garden plots. The varying needs of the rural and city dwellers dictated the beginnings of the diversion between the two related styles.
So then, the primary difference between today's modern style differentiation of country gardens versus cottage gardens is the space involved, and the widening gap between the practical and useful aspects of the two styles.
Country gardens in the modern day tend to be on larger properties, and continue to maintain some portion of the practical and functional content of the original working man's garden, while the cottage garden has evolved into a highly decorative and less purposeful application of the same basic principles.
Both styles retain an informality that allows a
great diversity of purpose and application, however. Small urban plots can easily mimic the country garden style,
while cottage garden style can be easily applied to large open properties,
depending upon the gardener's means and preferences.
Apple Trees |
Raspberry |
Blueberry |
Cotoneaster |
Viburnum species |
Shrub Roses |
Astilbe |
Bellflower |
Shasta Daisy |
Nasturtium |
Iris varieties |
Primrose |
Daisy varieties |
Cherry Trees |
Blackberry |
Evergreen Trees |
Lilac varieties |
Hydrangea varieties |
Climbing Roses |
Foxglove |
Oriental Poppy |
Rudbeckia |
Obedient Plant |
Columbine |
Wallflower |
Morning Glory |
Mabee Farm Historic Site, Rotterdam Junction
Courtesy of: schenectady2009
Hill Top Farm, Near Sawrey, Cumbria
Home of the Children's Author, Beatrix Potter
Heathfield - old vegetable garden
located near Addington, Croydon, Great Britain
© Copyright Nigel Freeman licensed for reuse under Creative Commons License
Pure country charm nestles at the corner of an expansive lawn.
Meet me in the garden.
A water wheel evokes a country theme in this walled garden.
Fishing anyone?
Shaded corner in a country garden. Imagine yourself relaxing in style!
Anyone seen my hat?