It's difficult to say as there are so many. It would help to know what sort, size, aspect of garden you've got and whether you want annuals or perennials or both.

hi heron garden boarders size are are ten foot by four foot and i would like perennials thanks heron

hi sunshines
i dont have a cottage garden put one plant i would have is
solomons seal (polgonatum)
handed down from my father
bm

thanks bm123

Why not look at the pics on Goypeadia 'Cottage gardens' ? I love the old fashioned flowers that are seen in cottage gardens such as Hollyhock, Lupin, Iris, Buddliea, Honeysuckle.

Don't forget Poppies, I agree Goypedia will have lots. The 'science bit' is to be able to avoid bare patches where earlier plants such as Delphiniums have finished. I try to plant things like Delphiniums, large poppies, Lupins ect, behind later flowering plants. For example; I have Paeony with a Lobelia and an Aster in front of it. Solomon's seal is lovely and is goog for a shady area.

Cottage gardening is actually more difficult to do well, than just planting up a 'normal' flowerbed, as it's the combination of flowering times, colours and heights that are difficult to manage.
I still think these are the most beautiful gardens though.
If you can still get hold of Geoff Hamilton's book from the series he did on TV on cottage gardening, that is excellent. But as said above, there is a great deal of help on the Internet.
We find one of the easiest and most beautiful plants day lilies for summer flowering, and Japanese anemones for late flowering. For spring, pulmonarias, and primulas of various types, rather than just bulbs. The biggest mistake we make is to forget the late flowering things, but it's probably in autumn that you really need the best display. Dahlias are an absolute must, flower late and can be dug up if necessary and grown year after year by looking after the tubers and doing cuttings to increase them.

Foxglove, hollyhocks, cornflower, bee balm, echincae, yarrow, climbing roses, rambling roses...these are all cottagy plants I have had good luck with. The foxglove and hollyhock particularly self-seed very well and I now have them popping up in the funniest places. This, I think, is the essence of cottage gardening...that sort of haphazard, grow it where it falls sort of look. I even grow veg amongst my flowerbeds, such as tomato plants, beans or peas up a trellis. I know it's not quite as easy as I make it sound and I have learned by tiral and error, lol. But if gardening does one thing, it grows patience in the gardener!!!

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