The garden, designed as a cottage garden, features a simple layout with a large lawn, pathways, a formal pond, rectangular flower beds, and a fruit and vegetable garden. The house, with beige façades, has three entrances: to the east, south, and west, with the main entrance located on the west. A path from the gate leads to the house, passing by a gabion retaining wall filled with local gray stones. Climbing plants like Virginia creeper and spotted dead-nettle create a “country” effect along the wall. Fruit trees such as rowan, hawthorn, elder, viburnum, and bird cherry line the wooden fence, providing year-round interest and food for birds.
The gabion wall leads to the house and parking area, where a palette of Taxus baccata hedges, Hydrangea macrophylla, and spring bulbs like Tulipa and Narcissus creates a striking effect. A narrow path between the Taxus hedges and Cornus ‘Sibirica’ shrubs leads to the main garden, offering privacy and winter color with its scarlet stems.
The southeast side includes a vegetable garden with raised beds and paths of gravel or bark mulch. Pollinator-friendly plants such as Calendula, Nasturtium, Marigolds, Honeysuckle, and Clematis attract bees and butterflies. Long flower beds with sun-loving herbs and plants like Agastache, Helenium, Monarda, Thistle, Sage, and Mullein line the path leading to the main garden.
An elevated terrace, resembling a boat on the lawn, features wooden flower boxes for annuals such as Petunias, Lobularia maritima, and Lobelia. The terrace offers a view of the garden and direct access to the kitchen and living room, making it a cozy spot for morning tea or evening relaxation.
The main flower border includes traditional plants from English cottage gardens: Roses, Foxgloves, Phlox, Geraniums, and Sage. The border transitions from cool to warm colors, with long-blooming perennials and spring bulbs like Hyacinths, Muscari, and Tulips. Summer blooms include Peonies, Alliums, Clematis, Foxgloves, and Roses such as ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ and ‘Golden Celebration’.
A wooded area on the southern border, planted with Philadelphus and Syringa vulgaris, houses shade-tolerant perennials like Geranium macrorrhizum, Bergenia, and Hellebore. A path through the woods leads to a pond surrounded by sun and moisture-loving plants such as Candelabra Primrose, Astilbe, Iris sibirica, Armeria maritima, and Aquilegia vulgaris. Phormium tenax and Hosta ‘June’ add architectural interest.
A seating area with a fireplace, sheltered by Cornus hedges and summer Buddleias, includes fragrant plants like Buddleia and Matthiola. Echinacea ‘Fatal Attraction’ and Japanese Blood Grass create a vibrant contrast.
The sunny and open garden benefits from drainage trenches to prevent waterlogging. Juniperus Sabina hedges along the southern border control erosion and enhance the garden’s stability.