Cottage gardens are packed with life — overflowing with flowers, in many colors, shapes and textures that attract pollinators of all types. In the past, cottage gardens were practical solutions — they provided food, herbal remedies and a little beauty. Now, this relaxed garden style is primarily for enjoyment, with a focus on flowers, but often includes herbs and vegetables tucked in here and there. There aren’t any firm rules, just pack in as much color, fragrance and flavor into the yard as possible. Though it can be a fine line between controlled chaos and jumbled mess at times, you’ll find a lot of different types of plants in a cottage garden.
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Scroll down to learn about some key cottage garden elements, such as flower shape and fragrance, and check out some well-suited choices for each. Plant a handful of these eclectic flowers and you'll have that cottage charm.