There’s nothing quite as dreamy as the whimsical, lived-in cottage gardens of the English countryside.
If you love this look – and perhaps wish to channel your inner Beatrix Potter this summer – but aren’t quite sure how to transform your builder-grade back patio into the ultimate cottage escape, then you’ve come to the right place.
Below, we're sharing eight simple ways to transform your bog-standard patio into the cottage garden hideaway you’ve always imagined.
Plant a climbing rose
Whether you're planting ramblers or climbers, the sentiment stands: flowering climbing vines – especially classically English roses – offer a quintessential charm that makes them an absolute must for anyone wishing to transform their patio into a whimsical escape.
Pretty up your pot display
There’s something so darling about a display of weathered, moss-covered terracotta pots. If your patio doubles as your gardening station, transform storage with stacks of pots that double as shelving. All you'll need for this simple DIY hack is aged pots and wide planks of wood.
Incorporate woven furniture
Woven furniture, preferably wicker, will warm up your patio instantly. Pick pieces with soft, curved silhouettes and fanciful detailing for a true cottage look. Choose secondhand chairs and sofas and paint them in shades such as creamy white, blue or sage green to give your outdoor setting a nostalgic feel.
Bring on the block prints
Block-printed fabrics are core to cottage style, so be sure to dot them throughout your patio with abandon through cushions, pillows, table linens, and even umbrellas and awnings. Accent block-print patterns with gingham details and lace accents to bring your patio a true grandma-chic look.
RELATED: Lace homeware is trending again – yes, even granny's doilies are chic again
Keep tables and patios bustling with life
Blending function and fun is a hallmark of cottage living, so ensure your both garden table and patio are awash with potted plants and vases of flowers from the garden. Blend herbs, roses, wildflowers – the works, as in this winsome home in Somerset.
Swap pavestones for gravel
Nothing says English garden quite like the presence of gravel, so skip the paving stones and rely totally on the tones and texture of gravel to give your garden a classically quaint vibe. If you need added stability underfoot, lay simple pavers in a checkerboard pattern and fill the gaps with pea gravel. In this Gloucestershire courtyard garden, Cotswolds chippings keep the feeling local.
Trot out the topiaries
Topiaries are popular choices for flanking front doors, but dotted around the back patio – or even just one placed strategically among abundant beds – they go a long way in bringing a soothing, cottage feel.
Extend the look with raised beds
While gardens-gone-wild are a key part of cottagecore, not everyone is able to transform their outdoor space into the verdant meadow of their dreams, and cottage living is all about optimising what space you do have. Enter: raised beds!
Plant vegetables and wildflowers within view of your patio to give the appearance of a winding, wild garden. Top the beds with wooden finials for added charm and consider lining surrounding flower beds with woven willow edging to push your space into true fairytale territory.
Summer gardening edit
John Lewis VegTrug
Metal Square Digging Spade
Anna Logan is the Deputy Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she has been covering all things home design, including sharing exclusive looks at beautifully designed country kitchens, producing home features, writing everything from timely trend reports on the latest viral aesthetic to expert-driven explainers on must-read topics, and rounding up pretty much everything you’ve ever wanted to know about paint, since 2021. Anna has spent the last seven years covering every aspect of the design industry, previously having written for Traditional Home, One Kings Lane, House Beautiful, and Frederic. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. When she’s not working, Anna can either be found digging around her flower garden or through the dusty shelves of an antique shop. Follow her adventures, or, more importantly, those of her three-year-old Maltese and official Country Living Pet Lab tester, Teddy, on Instagram.
Maddy is the Homes Writer at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she can be found writing about the latest interiors news and collating inspiring trend edits. She has previously worked for Good Housekeeping, Prima and Red, and has an MA in Classics and Ancient History from the University of Manchester and a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, where she was the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper.
