#upcycled garden materials

[ecogreenlivingessentials]

Sustainable Gardening: How to Grow a Thriving, Eco-Friendly Garden

Gardening is a rewarding way to connect with nature, grow your own food, and create a beautiful outdoor space. However, traditional gardening methods can sometimes be wasteful, relying on excessive water, synthetic fertilizers, and harmful pesticides. Sustainable gardening focuses on working with nature to create a self-sustaining, environmentally friendly garden that conserves resources,…

[howdoesone]

How does one upcycle a pile of trash into a beautiful garden?

We often think of trash as something that needs to be disposed of and forgotten about, but what if we could repurpose it in a creative way that benefits the environment? Upcycling is a great way to do just that, and one of the best things you can upcycle is a pile of trash into a beautiful garden. Continue reading Untitled

[ros3ybabe]

🎀 Hobbies 🎀

I feel as tho I don't have much time to do things besides school, work, some chores, and survive right now, but I've been thinking about some hobbies I enjoy and would like to incorporate into my life when I decide to make the time without burning out!

Reading - I used to be big on reading just about any books I could get my hands on. Then I was really focused on reading self help, and now that I haven't been reading at all, I've been thinking about getting back into reading. Always looking for book recommendations, and I do have my eye on some books I'd like to purchase.

Gardening - if I had the time and space, I'd love to have a flower garden or a vegetable garden. It always makes me happy when the fruits of my efforts come to life, so tending to plants and gardening sounds super fun and relaxing.

Video Games - I used to play video games on and off, but I wouldn't mind owning a PS4 or a Switch and spending some time playing video games whenever I'd want time to wind down.

Cooking/Baking - I love learning things, and the sense of pride I've gotten in the past when receiving praise for things I've cooked or baked has really driven me to want to increase my skill. I've only baked something from scratch once in my life, but I'd really like to expand my skills in making desserts.

Exercise - I'm talking all forms of it! Dancing, martial arts/kickboxing type activities, yoga, pilates, running, swimming, spin/cycling, weight lifting (again), calisthenics, all of it! I don't currently look like the exercise type but I find various forms of movement to be so fun! If I had more time, I'd be trying new things all the time!

Volunteer work - This is something I used to do all the time, and it's a hobby that I enjoyed that kept me humble. Not only that, but I thoroughly enjoy showing kindness and compassion to others. Making a difference in anuwau brings me so much joy, and I love meeting new people and learning their stories. I also would love to volunteer with animals, because they deserve so much love and affection too!

Drawing/Art - I used to draw for fun but when I started college, I didn't have the time to devote to continuously increasing my art skills. I still own a sketch kit, coloring materials, and several sketchbooks so it really is a matter of having time.

Crochet - The thought of making things that I can gift to others seriously makes me so excited!! Crochet seems like such a fun, crafty, relaxing activity and the added fun of gifting those crafts to others would make it so fun!!

Scrapbooking - I don't know if I'd ever do this one, but I do Ike the idea of keeping my memories in a physical space, and not just in like pictures on my phone.

Learning - if school wasn't crazy busy, I'd spend all my time learning languages (ASL, Japanese, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Italian, etc), computer coding skills, how to make and do certain things, just anything I can do to keep my mind enriched.

Upcycling/Altering Clothes - I would love to upcycle or alter articles of clothes into more personalized pieces for myself. The thought of having a personalized, hand made closet full of clothes makes me really want to buy a sewing machine and learn how to use it to my advantage!

That's all I can think of for now that I'd like to someday incorporate into my life. Having hobbies is always so fun, but I've been so busy and tired that I don't mess with any of the hobbies I'd want to do. If anyone has any tips for time management, or resources for beginning new hobbies, please let me know!!

til next time lovelies 🩷

[sowingsimplicity]

✨ veggie garden year 3 ✨ made almost entirely of recycled & upcycled materials. So far, lots of leafy greens and baby bunnies!

[dilemmaontwolegs]

Bee Stings and Butterfly Kisses || SV5

Pairing: Sebastian Vettel x wife!reader Summary: Your husband takes nesting to a whole new level with the paradise he’s found to start his family. Warnings: established relationship, pregnant!reader, fluffiness WC: 1.4k

The property Sebastian had chosen to raise his children upon was everything you could have dreamt of and more. There were rolling meadows full of fragrant flowers, forests of conifers and evergreens, and even a lake with an abundance of trout. The house he had designed was built using recycled material and was sustainable to run with the dozens of solar panels on the roof. He had truly future proofed everything to live a life as environmentally friendly as possible.

“Did you know honey is the only food that doesn’t spoil if you store it properly?” Sebastian barely looked up from the old set of drawers he was upcycling into an apiary. “There were pots of honey found in ancient tombs in Egypt, around 3000 years old.”

“I still don't see why we need bees at our home.”

“Because, my love,” he said as he placed his hammer down and pulled you into his arms, “this is our future we are building. Without bees there’s no pollination, with no pollination there’s no flowers, or fruit and vegetables.” His hand splayed across your swollen belly, feeling his son’s kicks against his palm with a smile. “It’s our responsibility to protect our future.”

The outdoor sofa where you were reading was a current favourite place of yours. It was tranquil and warm and allowed you to get off your feet for a little bit while your husband pottered around in the garden. With only a few weeks to your due date everything ached from your neck to your ankles so you kicked your feet up and listened to the birdsong.

The hiss of pain was one you had come to know well recently and it only took a minute for Seb to appear at the edge of the garden, the metal gate squeaking on its rusted hinge. He cupped one hand over his cheek, one eye closed with a wince as he ascended the stairs to the deck.

“You wouldn’t get stung if you used the smoke, love,” you softly reminded him as he took a seat and pulled his hand away. “Oh dear, that’s a big one.”

“We don’t know the long term effect the smoke has on them, it could be poisoning them,” he said as he turned his head so you could use your nails to pull the stinger out without squeezing more toxin into his cheek. “They will recognise me soon and realise I’m not going to hurt them.”

“If you say so.” You loved your husband but you weren’t so sold on the trust building exercise he found himself in. More often than not after going to check the beehive you found yourself in this position, grateful he wasn’t allergic. “How is your queen doing?”

His lips pulled up into a smile and he sat down on the edge of the seat, pulling your feet onto his lap and massaging your swollen ankles. “You tell me, my sweet, how are you doing?”

Emotions swelled in your chest and you cursed as he laughed, leaning closer to wipe away the tear that escaped. “Damn these hormones. You should really stop being so nice so my poor tear ducts can have a break. Can’t you just be a jerk?” His laugh grew and with it the kicks increased. “Yes, yes, daddy’s laughing at me.”

“I would never laugh at your mother,” he chuckled, lifting your shirt to press his lips to your belly. Stretch marks littered the skin and you dared not to think about the other changes that you couldn’t see below the swell, but he still made you feel beautiful. “Everything she is going through is my fault.”

“That’s right,” you agreed with a smile. “Daddy spent a lot of time romancing and seducing me, and now here you are.”

Seb looked up, his long hair hanging in naturally soft waves around his face. “How could I not? You were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I could hardly concentrate on the race after seeing you.”

“It couldn't have affected you too much,” you said as you tucked his hair behind his ear, “you still won.”

“I had to make a good impression somehow, since I could barely speak a word when we were introduced,” he admitted as he looked out over the garden he tendered.

You followed his gaze knowing he was going to be a great father considering the care he gave to the garden, and you. “It was your eyes I fell for anyway, they looked sweet and kind.”

The rows of plants were just flowering and you traced them to see the little bursts of yellows that all too soon would become bright red ripe tomatoes. Next were the beans, too many varieties to count, all climbing the trellis Seb had made from the wood of fallen trees in the forest. Further beyond were your favourites, the bushes that were brimming with berries of every flavour. Each morning you would amble your way to them with Seb and a bowl, pointing out the juiciest looking berries for him to pick for your smoothie.

Patting his good cheek, you shuffled to sit up and swing your legs off the couch.

“Where are you going?”

With a groan you pulled yourself to your feet and rubbed the straining skin at your sides. “To get some ice to stop that swelling,” you said as you pointed to his face. “You need to be able to see properly if you are thinking about getting back in a race car this weekend.”

“I can get it, you rest.” He followed you into the house even after catching the roll of your eyes and watched you struggle to bend down to reach the ice tray at the bottom of the freezer. Unable to stop himself, his hands caught your waist and straightened you up before he grabbed the tray. “I don’t want you hurting yourself,” he said with a kiss to your temple.

“I said the same thing, but you still went and got stung.”

“But that’s because I have you to kiss me better.”

You smiled at the softness in his tone and gave him the gentlest of kisses to his swollen cheek, barely the touch of a butterfly's wing. “There, is that better?”

“Yes, I don’t even need this anymore,” he said as he turned to put the tray away until you stopped him with an amused look.

“Nurburgring,” you reminded him, grabbing a tea towel to wrap the ice cubes in.

He had been excited since he got the call from Christian Horner to drive the historic track, and in a car modified to run on eco-friendly fuel no less. He was not going to do anything to miss the opportunity to return to the racetrack, even though he enjoyed retirement and the quiet life he had built in the rural settlement. So, he quietly accepted the ice pack and carefully pressed it to his cheek.

“It’s a dangerous track, Seb,” you murmured as you took over holding it, cradling his other cheek with your palm. “Please be safe and come home in one piece.”

His hands came to rest on your stomach, nearly covering it all as he splayed his fingers apart. “Of course, my love. And you need to stay in one piece until I get home.”

You giggled and felt the strong kick responding to his voice. “I have a feeling your son will take his time. Would you resort to one of those dreadful planes if he decides to come early?”

His lips twitched in amusement, used to your jibing over the consciousness of his carbon footprint. “I could probably drive home faster, with a few speeding tickets along the way, but I might be able to lower myself to boarding a plane for him.”

“Ah, that’s a father’s love,” you giggled. “He doesn’t even know what a sacrifice that would be.”

Sebastian lowered the ice pack so he could dip his head and kiss you. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for the two of you.”

“Except get rid of the bees.”

His lips curled against yours in a smile you felt. “Except that.”

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Wedding Theme

Theme - (in wedding planning) an idea, concept, or mood that unites the various elements of your wedding day.

The chosen vibe of your wedding can dictate the floral bouquets, décor color schemes, and even the style of the wedding attire.

You can choose from different wedding styles or aesthetics, such as: boho, glam, eco-friendly, minimalist, or elegant.

Part of the fun of planning your wedding is that you get to choose how your wedding venue can help you accomplish your theme, and you can select wedding décor that match your ideas.

Wedding Theme Ideas

Once you decide on a theme, choose the design motifs that will make for the perfect wedding. Consider these popular wedding themes:

Art deco wedding: This is a more design-forward approach; flappers and other 1920s aesthetics may weave their way into your art deco style, which features geometric shapes, sleek artwork, and zigzag or chevron-patterned forms. You can extend the theme into wedding favors, like gold art deco matchboxes for guests.

Beach wedding: Guests may go barefoot at the waterfront ceremony for this kind of destination wedding. You might suggest pastels for décor to keep with the summery vibe or advise guests wear white or neutral-colored linen outfits to match the aesthetic. You can extend the theme to the drink menu, with specialty cocktails like Mojitos and Piña Coladas.

Bohemian wedding: You might feature found materials or DIY centerpieces as table décor for your bohemian wedding. For bohemian weddings, brides and grooms might opt for nontraditional attire, and guests can wear looser, less formal clothing. Bohemian weddings emphasize authenticity over glitz and Edison bulbs over expensive chandeliers. This wedding theme may take on an outdoorsy element, so a garden wedding can also double as a boho-chic one.

Outdoor wedding: You can transform the great outdoors into your personal wonderland. If you gather in a park or backyard or near the mountain or a lake, your outdoor wedding can offer wedding guests a less formal setting. You can opt for simple table settings and wildflowers from nearby areas as your wedding flowers. Wedding planners should have a backup plan in case of bad weather.

Modern wedding: For a modern, elegant wedding, choose simple décor and clean lines to emphasize the venue or wedding location.

Rustic wedding: The rustic wedding theme nods toward the natural world with wood and DIY flair. You might use glass jars as drinking vessels, rely on fairy lights for softer lighting, and set your wedding ceremony in a barn or other setting with elements of greenery.

Seasonal wedding: When planning a wedding, lean into the season. You have plenty to play with in terms of floral arrangements, dress colors, and even linen styles depending on if you have a spring wedding, summer wedding, fall wedding, or winter wedding. For example, your fall wedding might feature tablescapes with autumn leaves.

Traditional wedding: If you want a classic wedding theme, you will follow several traditions. For example, you might host a black-tie event where groomsmen wear tuxedos, and the bridal party wears matching dresses. Or you may have a cake topper that looks like you and your significant other in doll form. Your classic wedding can follow familiar beats: a ceremony and then cocktail hour, toasts, dinner, dancing, and the cutting of the wedding cake.

Whimsical wedding: Whimsy can certainly factor into your romantic wedding. You can choose quirky floral arrangements, dresses with funky patterns, snaking tables (as opposed to plain circular or square ones), and various types of chairs and lighting fixtures.

Vintage wedding: Upcycled and reclaimed goods can make for a glamorous wedding. You can tie the theme together and give your guests a memorable experience with vintage dresses, silverware, glassware, and other materials.

Wedding Theme Tips

When fashioning your wedding theme, consider these tips from celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss:

Borrow décor items and flatware. Themes often require particular décor items, like wooden slabs for a rustic reception, rattan chargers for a tropical event, or mismatched china for a romantic affair. “You can borrow furniture,” Mindy says. “If you like that eclectic look, pull out a bunch of different tables. It's only gonna add to the personality.” You can also suggest a theme through votives, glassware, and flatware. “I guarantee you your aunts, your mother, your sisters, and your friends will have wonderful flatware that you can borrow,” she adds.”

Go bold with your theme. The color and size of décor items you choose can help express a theme, regardless of your budget. “If you're looking for ultimate drama, I would go deep, dark, bold flowers,” Mindy says. “No matter the time of year. . . if someone comes in and says, ‘I wanna sexy, bold wedding,’ I'm gonna reach right for these big, burgundy dahlias or roses, which are readily available most places. So bold is color, it's size, and it's depth. If you're goin' bold, do it. And you can do it on a budget because more color, the less you need.”

Enlist the help of your wedding party. It takes time and effort to commit to a theme, especially when you have a budget to consider. A theme might require you to forage wild flowers, hang string lights, or craft centerpieces. “Get your wedding party to help you—both sides of the wedding party,” Mindy advises. “Make it a fun event maybe even a couple days before the wedding, or don't go to bed too late the night before [and] spend the day together, finishing everything up.”

Make it personal. No matter what theme you choose, add personal touches to go the extra mile. “I did an event once where the client really did the research and gave me a picture of every guest there,” Mindy recalls. “We made that part of the place card. So not only was it fun to find your place, but it really showed that the couple took the extra effort to let you know, ‘We are happy that you're at our event.’”

Pick a color palette. Mindy encourages couples to add a little color, even if they have a simple palette. “Colors really reflect an emotion, not only with you as a couple, but as your guests walk into the room,” Mindy says. “There's always a reaction. So whether you're choosing something that's very modern or you're choosing something that is like an unkempt garden, immediately they will know what direction you have chosen for the look and feel of your wedding.”

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[cityof2morrow]

NetworkMAT: Streetscaping 001 (Sidewalks & Sewers)

Published: 5-23-2024 | Updated: 7-16-2024 (+hood visibility) SUMMARY “Accentuate the streets, pedestrian paths, and roadsides in your city …” “Rubberall is made from upcycled rubber, metal, and other materials. It's ten and a half times weather resistant as regular rubber and twice a pretty. Order it in bulk today!” “Build a functional water and waste management system in your city…” Another edition to the Network Materials (networkMAT) (Simmons, 2022-2024) series! This modular set includes 80 low poly objects for pedestrian paths, sidewalks, decorative foundations, and other roadside streetscaping. Objects are designed to be used with the Streets of 2morrow (Simmons, 2023) set  - but they’ll work without them just fine. There are also matching neon curb lights. How about functional sewer/water management networks?! You also get a canal, tunnel, deco, and functional items for making your own sewer network. The drains will clear the lot of any unattended puddles and garbage every few hours – visible exhaust rises from them during this process. The utility box and pipes earn the lot owner a small credit at each billing cycle – SimCity rewards good infrastructure!

DETAILS Requires all EPs/SPs. §0 and §100-1000 for lights/bollards, §300-1000 for sewer items Build > Architecture/Columns and Buy > Lighting/Plumbing/Electronics > Misc Most objects are repo’d to the BBNiche1Master (BuggyBooz, 2012) and/or Element Repository, which are both in the Repo Pack (Simmons, 2022). Don’t forget to grab some recolors – I recommend the “element” set HERE (Simmons, 2023) for the sewage water/material. See the following tags for more swatches: #co2recolors, #ts2recolors, #ts2repo #co2repo #co2repopack IMPORTANT:

2-click objects are for 2-click/step foundations and foundation pieces are for default foundations/stages. Still – you’ll be able to mix and match in a variety of ways.

You’ll need “move object on/off” and “grid on/off” cheats to place some objects.

Foundation pieces match default foundations/decks which are slightly larger than a 1x1 tile space. They will overlap slightly – so depending on your design, you may want to shift things around with cheats.

Some items are asymmetrical/oversized so they’ll fit better with others in the set and give the paths a bit of a “distressed” look.

The 1x1/2x2 round corners use angled (not rounded) curves; this detail is apparent when you apply solid color txtr’s to them.

Some lights are repo’d to the neon plutonium rod (Nightlife EP) and will use the same light colors.

There is a short tutorial for this set HERE.

ITEMS SIDEWALKS

2-Click Platforms, Planters, and Ramps (12-100 poly) 4-Click Foundations (32-64 poly) Bollards 001-002 (230-262 poly) – Bollard 001 is repo’d to the Plutonium Rod (Nightlife EP) Step Covers (Steps/Ramp) (~18-24 poly) -place with cheats; – center/side pieces work as Rubberall Platform 1x1/2x1 (20 poly) Rubberall Ramp Cover 1x1 (66 poly) Rubberall Corner (Left/Right) (96 poly) Rubberall Curb (14 poly) Just8, 1x1 Transition Curb Left (24 poly) Just8, 1x1 Transition Curb Right (24 poly) Just8, 1x1 Transition Platform (44 poly) Lighting (166-332 poly) Solo, 1x1 Planter (20 poly) Solo, 2x2 Planter (20 poly) Urban Future 4, 1x1 Curb (66 poly) – curb MESH; includes invisible recolor other curbs, curves, corner, and accent pieces (6-305 poly) SEWERS 001

Beam (Deco) (44 poly) Beam (Column) (44 poly) Canal (7x9) (140 poly) Pipes 001-003 (1000-1024 poly) Rails (1-Tile/3-Tile) (115-192 poly) Tunnel (7x9) (448 poly) Utility Box (Functional) (266 poly) – earns the lot owner a small credit for each billing cycle. Utility Wires (896 poly) Zogorman Drains (1x1 /3x1) (42-126 poly) K76 Drains (1x1/2x2/Raised) (728-744 poly) DOWNLOAD (choose one) from SFS | from MEGA COMPATIBILITY Compatible with Shiftable Everything (Lamare, 2022) and Object Freedom (Fway, 2023). Shift trees and garden plants into place before adding the planter pieces. CREDITS Thanks: Sim Shenanigans Discord folks, UV Mapping Tips (Frac, 2024). Sources: Beyno (Korn via BBFonts), Dosch SciFi Materials V1.1 (2022; 2009), EA/Maxis; Metal Grate (RBG_illustrations, 2019 via CCA), Modulo_Sewer_01 (Polo_Art, 2022 via Creative Commons Attribution), Modular Sidewalk/Curb Kit (Just8 2022-2023 via CCA), Neon Floor Lamp Add-On (PineappleForest, 2022), Nooks & Niches (Buggybooz, 2012), Offuturistic Infographic (Freepik), Retro Simlish Font/Simlish Manbow Solid (Adele, n.d.), Rubber Traffic Inspirations (Pewex, 2019), Sewer grate (Katy76 via PC Sims, 2007); Sidewalk (Zogorman, 2018 via CCA), Spawn of Square Stair (Khakidoo, 2007;), Textures (CuriousB, HugeLunatic, 2018; Simmons, 2023; 2010; Stonemason, 2011; Klevestav, 2013; 2010; EA/Maxis); Tree Planter w/ Grate (LordSamueliSolo, 2021 via CCA), Urban Future 4 (Stonemason, 2011).

[enbycrip]

Folks, if you are talking about or sharing anything about “native plants”, please mention *your* location and *where* the plants are native to, not only country-wise but environment-wise.

So many people are learning about rewilding, gathering, foraging and gardening for food in harmony with the environment entirely online. Making your information clear for those people takes you little effort and limits confusion and misinformation getting out there.

The internet isn’t only “not just America”; many nations contain different environments with materially different conditions.

I live in Scotland. Most of the gardening and foraging information I get in the UK is calibrated for the south of England, which is a really different environment from mine - spring can come up to a month later and the south is semi-arid, which Scotland is *not*.

These days I actually look at a lot of Danish and Swedish gardening advice because their environment is a lot closer to mine. And that’s within one small nation. The world is wide and full of incredible diversity.

I am seeing UK-based pages sharing information about “native lawns” which contain plants from arid areas of the US because there’s no specificity in the original post. A small amount of information in the post, even a few lines, about locations, environments, context and goals would prevent this sort of confusion and incorrect information from spreading.

A lot of people are really enthusiastic and ready to be engaged in gardening for food, rewilding, gardening in harmony with the environment, soil preservation etc, but confusion and feeling they can’t trust information sources can really kill that. Make it easy for people new to the movement where you can, please.

ID: some photos of my native rewilded lawn from Scotland, UK, containing buttercups with butterfly eggs on them, yellow rattle, a willow tree, wild orchids, and many different grasses, and my small garden pond upcycled from a Belfast Sink surrounded by wild grasses, ladies’ mantle and wild geraniums and with woundwort and pondweed growing in it. There is a short path mowed in the lawn to allow safe passage of mobility devices and a wooden bench sitting in the long grass. A somewhat overgrown gravel drive and a front door with three steps up to it can be seen. The photos were taken in early June 2023.

[mariateresaeliapivetta]

The Timeless Charm of Brocante: Why We Love This Vintage-Inspired Style

When it comes to interior design, few styles capture the romance and nostalgia of the past quite like Brocante. Rooted in French culture, the term “brocante” refers to flea markets or second-hand goods, yet its essence transcends simple thrift shopping. Brocante is an artful mix of vintage elegance, rustic charm, and a touch of whimsy that creates a warm, lived-in atmosphere. But why does this style resonate so deeply with design enthusiasts? Let’s dive into the world of Brocante and uncover its enduring appeal.

What Defines Brocante Style?

At its core, Brocante style is about breathing new life into old treasures. It thrives on the beauty of imperfection, celebrating items that show the passage of time. Think antique furniture with distressed finishes, mismatched dinnerware with delicate patterns, weathered textiles, and handmade details.

Brocante isn’t about creating a flawless, museum-like environment. Instead, it embraces a curated, eclectic look where each piece has a story to tell. Key elements of Brocante interiors include:

Vintage Furniture: French armoires, wooden dining tables with chipped paint, or upholstered chairs with faded fabrics.

Soft Color Palettes: Muted tones like white, beige, pastels, and soft greys dominate the color scheme, creating a serene and cohesive atmosphere.

Decorative Accessories: Chandeliers, ornate mirrors, vintage clocks, and delicate porcelain or ceramic items.

Natural Materials: Linen, cotton, aged wood, and wrought iron bring texture and authenticity.

Why Do People Love Brocante Style?

1. Nostalgia and Sentimentality

Brocante offers a connection to the past, reminding us of simpler times. The style evokes a sense of history and craftsmanship, often lost in mass-produced modern design. Each item feels like a treasure, full of character and charm.

2. Sustainability and Upcycling

In a world increasingly aware of environmental impact, Brocante’s emphasis on repurposing and reusing is not only appealing but also ethical. By giving old items a second life, this style promotes sustainable living while creating unique and personal interiors.

3. A Warm and Inviting Atmosphere

Brocante interiors are inherently cozy. The use of aged materials, soft lighting, and layered textures makes spaces feel welcoming and lived-in. Unlike minimalist styles, Brocante thrives on personality and comfort.

4. A Celebration of Individuality

No two Brocante spaces are alike. This style encourages creativity and self-expression, allowing homeowners to mix and match pieces that reflect their personal taste. Whether it’s a flea market find or a cherished family heirloom, every item has its place.

5. A Romantic Aesthetic

With its delicate details, ornate decorations, and emphasis on softness, Brocante is undeniably romantic. It appeals to those who dream of rustic French cottages, rose-filled gardens, and the charm of provincial life.

How to Incorporate Brocante Into Your Home

You don’t need to overhaul your entire home to embrace Brocante style. Here are some simple ways to start:

Shop Vintage and Flea Markets: Look for unique pieces like wooden crates, vintage picture frames, or enamel kitchenware.

Mix Old with New: Combine antique furniture with modern accents to create a balanced and harmonious space.

Embrace Imperfections: Don’t shy away from scratches, faded fabrics, or chipped paint – they add authenticity.

Focus on Textures: Layer linens, rugs, and cushions for a cozy, tactile feel.

Add Personal Touches: Display collections, photographs, or handmade crafts to make the space your own.

In Conclusion

Brocante style is more than just an aesthetic – it’s a lifestyle. It’s about cherishing the past, embracing imperfection, and finding beauty in the everyday. Whether you’re an avid flea market hunter or someone looking to add a touch of vintage charm to your home, Brocante offers endless possibilities. Its timeless appeal lies in its authenticity, warmth, and the stories it tells, making it a favorite for those who value heart and soul in their interiors.

Are you ready to bring a touch of Brocante into your life? Happy treasure hunting!

[tumibaba]

November 10th, 2024 Posted In: Garden Style & Living The best cottage garden plants have pretty blooms. They flower for a long time and are often fragrant. And above all, they are plants which grow well in your climate and soil.But there are no rules in cottage garden style. You can adopt a colour theme as Tim Pilgrim has in this contemporary cottage garden.Or you can grow a glorious patchwork of different flowers together.You can plan a cottage garden, but you don’t have to. You can let it evolve, experimenting over time. If you love to buy plants on impulse, then this style is perfect for you.So this is a list of the best cottage garden plants, with their pros and cons. They all have charming flowers, some are sweetly scented and they’re all perfect for pollinators. That’s not just bees but butterflies, moths and other insects.These plants grow in a wide range of climates and zones, so you’re likely to have a variety available to you.Firstly, decide whether you want a low maintenance cottage garden, a romantic ‘cottagecore’ haven or you’re prepared to spend time and effort on creating a classic cottage garden.What makes a garden a cottage garden?Cottage garden style is colourful and relaxed. It has informal plantings of flowers, fruit and vegetables. See what is cottage garden style and how to achieve it?The name derives from the idea that workers in cottages would use plants they could grow cheaply and easily. This can mean choosing native plants. It certainly means using plants that grow easily.Cottage gardens don’t need defined areas. Whereas English country garden style will have lawns, herbaceous borders and a separate ‘veg patch’, everything can be grown together in a cottage garden.A cottage garden doesn’t look designed. It evolves slowly, with vintage finds and thrifty hand-me-downs. Paths, pots, troughs, arches and other landscaping elements are recycled or upcycled. See A Rustic Cottage Garden on A Budget , Recycled Garden Ideas from RHS Chelsea and Eco-Friendly Garden Design for ideas.You could also use natural materials, such as stone or wood, for furniture and hardscaping elements.Recycled zinc bins and pavers with thrifty vintage garden furniture in Arit Anderson’s peat-free show garden at RHS Hampton CourtWhat are the most ‘cottagecore’ flowers?‘Cottagecore’ is a social media term. It stands for a simple, rustic life where you grow your own food, bake your own bread and make home-made clothes. It’s a lifestyle ideal around simplicity, sustainability and biodiversity.The hashtag #cottagecore on social media is  associated with pretty cottages, romantic floral dresses and other picturesque rural elements such as keeping hens or ducks.All the plants in this post have charming ‘cottagecore’ flowers. But if you want to emphasize the ‘cottagecore’ ethos, combine flowers and veg growing and make sure your garden supports biodiversity.Find out which plants are native to your area, too, as these will support your local wildlife best.However, non-native plants can also support biodiversity, especially when weather patterns are unexpected. For example, some non-native plants flower earlier or later than your native plants. This helps pollinators if there is warm weather earlier or later than usual.So ‘grow native plants’ isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ rule.Old bricks, a pretty gate and ducks – elements of ‘cottagecore’ style.Asters (asters & symphyotrichum)Hardiness varies, but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Asters are daisy-like flowers in blue, pink, red, white or purple, perfect for the cottage garden look. Botanists have recently re-classified them into several different, unrelated species. But the common name for them all is still asters.‘Symphyotrichum’ asters are native to many parts of the Americas. Plants with the botanic name of ‘Aster’ are European, UK and Asian natives. There are other species too.If you want to focus on native plants, look up the asters that are native you where you are. Otherwise, both asters and symphyotrichum are pretty, easy-grow plants that flower for a long period from summer to the first frosts.They’re a good flower for pollinators at the end of the season when many other flowers are over.Aster amellus ‘King George’ has pretty blue flowers. It starts flowering in summer and goes on flowering until the first frosts.HoneysuckleHardiness varies, some down to minus 29C/minus 20F. Dappled or partial shade.A classic cottage garden climbing plant, but do your research before planting one! There are nearly 200 species of honeysuckle. Different varieties are native to north America, northern Europe or Asia.Some honeysuckle varieties may be invasive where you are, so check the name carefully. Some Asian honeysuckles can be very invasive in parts of the USA and Canada, for example. That means that they will spread too quickly, which will crowd out other plants. This can be damaging to biodiversity.However, there will be a honeysuckle for where you live.The honeysuckle fragrance is famous, but not all honeysuckles are scented. Check that too.And some honeysuckles will grow and grow. Unless you’re happy to prune back several times a year, check the eventual height and size.Honeysuckle comes in white, cream, yellow or gold. This yellow honeysuckle is native to North America, but grows well in the UK too.PoppiesThe seed of Common Poppies can survive very cold temperatures, such as minus 50C/minus 60F but they need the weather to warm up before they sprout and flower.  Full sun or partial shade.Poppies are famous for popping up when the soil has been disturbed. If you dig a new bed, turning over the soil for the first time for years, you’re likely to get poppies the following summer.That’s why so many poppies appeared in the fields after World War 1. They germinated where the soil had been turned by tires or dug up in trenches.There are dozens of different types of poppy, all good for a cottage garden. But the best known is the Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), mainly available in scarlet and light purple/pink.They are particularly loved by pollinators. I often find two or three bees sharing one poppy flower.Grow Common Poppies from seed. You can either sow them in trays and plant them out or scatter the seed directly on the ground.Poppies self-seed well. They seem to prefer to self-seed – they want to decide where they will grow! Once you have them in your garden, they will dot themselves around.The common poppy grows every year from seed. The seed heads look good in winter.See this post for more self-seeding plants – all 20 are so pretty and perfect for a cottage garden.Low maintenance perennials for a cottage gardenIf you want low maintenance cottage garden plants, then choose shrubs and perennials. They need less work than annuals and bedding plants.Annuals are plants that grow from seed, flower and die in one year.Perennials are plants that live in your garden for three years or more. See perennials made simple for advice from Rosy Hardy of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants.And here are three top long-flowering, easy-care perennials for cottage gardens.Catmint (Nepeta)Very hardy – down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Drought resistant, deer and slug resistant, easy going, long flowering…this must be one of the easiest plants to grow. It flowers for weeks from mid-summer onwards. If you cut it back when the blooms fade, it will start flowering again. It grows in almost any soil, is loved by pollinators and comes in shades of blue, white or lavender.Nepeta is often recommended as an easier alternative to lavender. Lavender isn’t difficult to grow. However, nepeta will tolerate wet weather and lavender hates getting its feet wet.Catmint (nepeta) in the gardens in the famous West Dean Gardens in Sussex.Globe thistle (Echinops)Hardy down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun.Another easy-growing plant which is drought-resistant, deer and slug resistant and with a long season of interest.The sculptural blue or white globe thistle flowers make this one of the best plants for pollinators. And when the blooms are over, they develop seedheads for the birds.Once established, globe thistle needs almost no care. Once the birds have enjoyed the seeds, the stems will slowly collapse over winter and can be cleared away easily in spring. New foliage will spring from the base.Globe thistle (Echinops) is a magnet for pollinators. And the birds will enjoy the seedheads in winter. A cottage garden plant with a long season of interest.Hardy geraniumsHardiness varies but some hardy down to minus 29C/minus 20F. Full sun, partial shade and some varieties full shade.Don’t be confused by the brightly coloured bedding plants labelled ‘geraniums’ for sale in garden centres in summer. Those are called pelargoniums. They won’t survive any freezing weather outside.But there are nearly 500 different varieties of hardy geranium. Some like full sun, others are perfect woodland ground cover plants. Many are drought resistant once established. Geranium macrorrhizum (Cranesbill) is even good in dry shade and difficult conditions under trees.They flower for months with blooms in pinks, reds, purple or white. They’re deer and rabbit-resistant.The only care hardy geraniums need is to be cut back once a year after flowering. Then they will often flower again.Hardy geraniums, such as ‘Anne Folkard’ can be sprawling plants or you can find low-growing ground cover varieties.When are cottage gardens high maintenance?A cottage garden generally has lots of different plants and flowers in it. This may mean that there are lots of different caring schedules – you’ll be pruning, feeding, watering or dead-heading at different times.Some people enjoy looking after their gardens, so ‘high maintenance’ isn’t always a bad thing. But if you want the cottage garden to be low maintenance, plant perennials, shrubs and trees.Annuals and vegetables are the high maintenance elements in a cottage garden.The following cottage gardens plants are delightfully pretty. But they are ‘high maintenance.’ This doesn’t mean they’re ‘difficult to grow’. It means they will need regular attention.Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus)Annuals (grown from seed every year) so can be grown in most temperate climates. Full sun in cooler climates, light shade in warmer places.Probably the most famous ‘cottage garden plant.’ But also the one that requires the most attention, sadly! The blooms are adorably pretty in colours such as pink , purple, blue or white. The scent is delightful and the fragrance from a vase of sweet peas will fill a room.You’ll need to train sweet peas up a support, water them, dead-head them constantly and protect them from rodents.None of these tasks are difficult, but it isn’t a plant that can be left to its own devices. If you want a low maintenance garden, then don’t plant sweet peas.Everlasting sweet peas are less work and come back every year, but they don’t have the fragrance.I know so few people who grow sweet peas that I only have a photo of them in a vase. They are the most beautiful, fragrant cottage garden plants, but they do need regular attention.LupinsThere are some very cold hardy lupins but many lupins you buy in garden centres won’t come back year after year. Full sun.Some experts suggest treating lupins as an annual or short-lived perennial, although the original cottage garden lupins were both cold hardy and long-lived. But the gorgeous new cultivars are less likely to survive over winter in your garden.In the UK, the milder winters mean that lupins may survive, but gardeners often report disappointment. They are also prone to slug damage.They are stunningly beautiful cottage garden staples in blues, yellows, reds, purples or white.Lupins are classic cottage garden plants. Their spikes add fireworks to any border, but they do need more care than many other border plants.TulipsTulips grow best in areas with cold winters and can survive down to minus 40C/minus 40F. However if you have hot summers and mild winters, then tulips may not grow as well. Full sun or part shade.Tulips have all the gorgeous drama that makes a cottage garden.But in many gardens, they don’t come back year after year. And Head Gardener Neil Miller of Hever Castle says that tulips flower best in their first year. Read his advice on growing tulips here.My garden is full of odd tulips in different sizes and colours. That’s because I planted a group of them in a certain colour scheme, and just one remains. Then I planted a different colour scheme another year. And only one  or two of those survived. It looks pretty and cottagey, but if you want a particular effect, it’s best to grow your tulips from new every year.They’re easy to grow in pots. But they don’t reliably come back in borders. Tulips may get tulip fire after a very wet winter or spring.These mixed tulips in my lawn are pretty, but they are all different sizes and colours. Tulips don’t come back reliably, so these are the remnants of several planting schemes over the years!Delphiniums (sometimes called larkspur, although true larkspur is different)Hardiness varies but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun.Delphinium blooms are vibrant spires in purple, red, blue or white. They are probably the most striking and gorgeous flowers for any cottage or ‘English country’ garden.But they need looking after. They need feeding, staking and protecting from slugs. They don’t want too much competition. They need enough water, but not too much.None of this is difficult but you can’t just plant delphiniums and leave them to get on with it. You need to look after them on an almost daily basis.Any list of cottage garden plants will include delphiniums, such as this blue delphinium at Doddington Place Gardens. They are gorgeous but they are not low maintenance.Best cottage gardens bulbs & tubersDaffodils/narcissiHardy down to minus 20C/minus 4F. Not suitable for climates with hot summers and mild winters. Full sun or partial shade.Daffodils, also called narcissi, are probably the easiest bulbs to grow. Many of them will spread and they come back year after year.Plant them in a lawn for a romantic cottage garden look. But remember that you won’t be able to mow the lawn until six weeks after the flowers have faded.All bulbs need about six weeks of sun on their leaves in order to make their flowers for next year. So if you mow too soon, you will lose next year’s blooms.There’s more about growing and choosing daffodils here.One good place to plant them is under trees and shrubs that lose their leaves in winter. By the time the leaves are back, the daffodil will be almost ready to go dormant again. See where to plant bulbs.Daffodils are the easiest bulbs to grow. They come back reliably year after year and even spread. These were planted over 30 years ago, so I don’t know their name!AlliumsHardiness varies but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or light shade.Alliums have striking blue, white or purple pom-pom blooms. These add punctuation points to a cottage garden border. In some places, they’ll self-seed easily, popping up in unexpected places. Another very popular flower for pollinators.Deer, rabbits, squirrels and voles don’t like the taste of onion. Alliums are the decorative side of the onion family, so pests leave them alone. Super easy and very resilient, alliums flower in early summer. The seed heads offer sculptural interest for several months afterwards. The foliage dies away by mid-summer.Alliums (this is ‘Purple Sensation’) keep their distinctive shapes after the flower colour has gone. So they are a presence in the garden for around three months from early summer.Alstromerias (also known as alstroemerias)Hardiness varies, some down to minus 10C/14F. Full sun or light shade.Easy to grow and long flowering. See alstromeria grower Ben Cross’s advice in how to grow alstromerias for endless flowers. The red and orange blooms are taller – if you want the more delicate shades, they’ll be shorter. Plant in the front of a border.Alstromerias can spread too vigorously in some areas. If they’re invasive in your area, they grow well in pots.They are very good flowers for the vase but always twist and pull the stem out. Never cut an alstromeria!Best cottage garden shrubsLavenderHardiness varies but most ‘English lavender’ hardy down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Full sun.Lavender loves sunlight. It’s a Mediterranean plant but ‘English lavender’ will grow well in colder climates, as long as they are fairly dry. It’s another pollinator magnet and has magnificent fragrance.You can get lavender in several shades of blue and purple, and also white.I had bushes of Lavender ‘Munstead’ in the garden for 15 years. They only needed cutting back once a year, after flowering. Otherwise they were almost maintenance free. I cut my lavender back much harder than many people advise. It keeps it in good shape. See The Absolutely Best Way to Prune Lavender.My lavender ‘Munstead’. It flowers in summer, after which we cut it into neat mounds.RosesHardiness varies but many hardy down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Full sun, partial shade and a few grow in shade.Roses are the most famous cottage garden plant of all. You can grow roses round arches, arbours and pergolas. You can grow them in pots. And you can grow them in a mixed border.Some roses have fragrance and others do not. If the blooms have an open centre, they’re good for pollinators. But the double-flowered ones are less beneficial.There are more than thirty thousand different varieties of roses. You can find roses for very cold climates and roses for hotter climates. But you’ll get the biggest choice of roses if your winters are no colder than minus 28C/minus 20F and your summers average below 30C/100F.Roses can be low maintenance or high maintenance, depending on what you want. If you insist on perfect blooms without black spot on the leaf or aphids, then you will have to keep fussing over them.However, if you accept imperfection, you can enjoy beautiful roses in your garden without too much work. They will need fertilising once or twice a year and will flower best if you deadhead them regularly. See how to grow roses and how to choose roses for an obelisk, arch, fence or pergola.The archetypal cottage garden flower – roses! Here at the Peter Beales rose garden in Norfolk, there are roses on arbours, arches, fences and obelisks, as well as in borders and climbing up walls. Roses mix well with other cottage garden plants, such as foxgloves.HydrangeasHardiness varies, generally down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Also some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Shade or partial shade.Hydrangeas are easy-going plants that grow well in shade. Some varieties are good for pollinators but the ‘mop head’ varieties (with a round flower) don’t offer pollen or nectar. If you want pollinator-friendly hydrangeas, check the variety before buying.Hydrangeas flower from mid to late summer. Then their flowers slowly dry on the stem and turn into autumn shades of brown and cream. Some hydrangeas, such as ‘Annabelle’, stay sculptural all through the winter and look magnificent with frost on them. So these plants offer a long season of interest.See everything you need to know about growing hydrangeas.Hydrangeas are very easy-care. They need watering in dry summers, but otherwise all they need is to be pruned once a year in spring. Not all hydrangeas are wildlife friendly, but this hydrangea flower is called ‘lace-cap’ and offers benefits to pollinators.Best cottage garden perennialsMonarda (bee balm)Hardiness varies, some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Another easy-care, deer resistant plant although it can get some slug and snail damage. Popular with pollinators such as butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. The striking spidery blooms come in brilliant, jewel red, pin or purple and also white.Monardas won’t like long droughts or boggy conditions.The unusual spidery flower of monarda (bee balm) attracts bees and hummingbirds.Verbena bonariensis (tall verbena)If your winters go below minus 17C/0F, then you’ll need to grow verbena bonariensis as an annual. Full sun.Butterflies and bees both adore the purple flowers and birds love the seeds. A tall ‘see-through’ plant with slender stems and blooms which last from mid-late summer to the first frosts. Best planted in clumps – you’ll hardly be able to see just one verbena bonariensis.Verbena bonariensis is generally considered slug-resistant, deer resistant and easy care. You can leave the flowers to turn into winter seed heads for the birds and they look good in frost.Verbena bonariensis is a short-lived perennial. If you have colder winters, you will probably need to grow it as an annual. A clump of verbena bonariensis creates a mass of see-through stems topped by a cloud of purple.Sedum/stonecrop (now hylotelephium)Hardiness varies but some hardy down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or light shadeSedum (now hylotelephium) is one of the 10 resilient plants in 10 beautiful but tough perennials which will survive both too wet and too dry summers.I find Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ to be extra-ordinarily resilient. It can get nibbled by slugs. But I picked up a stem that had been nibbled by a slug and put it into a vase. I forgot about it and two months later, I realised it had grown roots. So I planted it in the soil. It’s grown into a proper plant!And when you look at ‘Autumn Joy’ in bloom, you will see the flowers are crowded with pollinators of lots of different types and sizes, all enjoying the nectar.Sedum (now hylotelephium) ‘Autumn Joy’ is on the bottom right of this photo. A superbly resilient plant for late summer and autumn/fall. Adored by pollinators.Best cottage garden annuals & biennialsAnnuals grow from seed every year so you don’t always need to know about hardiness.Biennials grow from seed, flower, set seed and die over two years.Many people plant their annuals from seed in the autumn/fall so that their plants have a head start the following summer. If you’re doing this, you’ll need to check whether you can plant them outside over the winter.You can also grow the seedlings in a greenhouse or potting shed until spring comes. When temperatures and light levels are low, plants don’t grow much.Annuals and biennials have lots of flowers and come in a wonderful range of colours. They’re perfect for filling gaps or creating a gorgeous display. But they are more work. You have to sow the seed and/or plant the seedlings. Then you may have to support them, feed, water and deadhead them, then clear them away at the end of summer.CosmosFull sun or partial shade.One of the prettiest and most popular cottage garden annuals. I find them easy to grow. One warning, however! Don’t give them extra fertilizer!Most plants flower more if you fertilize them. But cosmos will grow green and bushy, then fail to flower.Cosmos are available in various shades of pink, yellow and cream, along with white. Perfect cottage garden blooms!Hollyhocks (can be annual or biennial)Full sun.A classic cottage garden flower. It’s tall and vigorous with blooms in white, pink or cream. Hollyhocks can sometimes have a mind of their own. Gardeners have often told me that they’ve struggled to grow hollyhocks. Then suddenly hollyhocks start to spring up on their driveway or in the cracks of pavers.You can get single flowered hollyhocks and double-flowered ones. Only the single flowered ones benefit pollinators.They can grow to 6ft/2m tall so may need staking.A hollyhock in the Abbey Physic Garden in Faversham. The soft colours and frilly flowers make it a beautifully romantic cottage garden plant.Cleome (Spider flowers)Full sun or light shadeCleomes aren’t as well known as cosmos or hollyhocks, but they are striking, pollinator-friendly flowers. They have spidery blooms in deep pink, pale pink or white.Although cleomes are tall (3ft/1m), they are upright and don’t usually need supports. It doesn’t need fertilizer and can be very drought-resistant. Resistant to most pests and diseases.Cleomes and salvias in the Savill Garden near Windsor. The cleomes are the taller, spidery flowers. They’re long-lasting and dramatic.Foxgloves (biennial)Partial shadeFoxgloves have spires of flowers in white, pink, purple, white or cream in early summer.They’re toxic to both humans and pets, so if you are worried about either nibbling plants in your garden, then don’t plant them. Most pets know what to nibble though. See how to puppy-proof your garden.Foxgloves often self-seed easily and need very little attention. If you cut the first big spire of flowers off when it is over, you should be rewarded by a spray of smaller spires.Foxgloves are another popular cottage garden plant. The spires add spikes of colour in early summer. They are toxic so be careful around children and pets.Best cottage garden plants for warmer climatesMost of the plants in this post will grow well in warmer climates, but some will not like temperatures that are regularly above 30C/100F or never freeze. If you don’t need a winter coat and spend most of your life in a T shirt instead of a sweater, you probably won’t be able to grow tulips, daffodils, delphiniums or hydrangeas!However, some popular cottage garden plants grow as perennials in warmer climates and are re-planted annually in cooler climates. Mix them with local native plants as Bill Bampton of The Diggers Club does in Cottage Garden Mash-up – how to adapt English cottage garden style to your own climate.SalviaFull sun or partial shadeSalvias come from Mexico and grow well in climates which rarely freeze in winter. They can tolerate hot summers and drought.However, if you see a salvia growing in the UK, you’ll see lots of bees enjoying the nectar. They’re proof that non-native flowers can be valuable to wildlife.There are 900 different types of salvia in a very wide range of different colours. There are some vivid pinks and purples, pastel pinks and creams plus bi-coloured salvias.Read the UK’s top expert on growing salvias here. Those in cooler climates will probably have to replant salvias every year.  But they flower for months at a time. See 18 long flowering perennials that bloom from summer until the first frost.Plants such as rosemary and sage have recently been re-classified as salvias. They are perfect cottage garden herbs.Salvias are quite tender and if your winters freeze regularly you will either have to lift and store them or plant again from new. But they are amongst the longest-flowering perennials and perfect for a cottage garden.Best cottage garden treesEvery cottage garden should have a fruit tree!  You may want to choose something unusual, such as a quince or a medlar tree. A native fruit tree is always a good choice.But a simple apple or crab apple tree will give you flowers in spring and fruit in autumn/fall. You can enjoy this or share it with wildlife by leaving it on the tree.See An Orchard in Your Garden for tips on growing fruit trees in a small garden.Crab apple trees on either side of a vintage gate. These are Malus hupehensis and birds adore the tiny red fruits at the end of summer.Pin to remember the best cottage garden plantsAnd do join us. See here for a free weekly email with more gardening tips, ideas and inspiration.  Source link

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Corporate Gifting in India: Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas

Corporate gifting has become an essential part of building business relationships in India. However, with growing environmental concerns, many companies are now shifting towards sustainable and eco-friendly gifting options.

This article explores innovative, green corporate gift ideas that align with corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals and leave a lasting impact on clients, employees, and stakeholders.

Why Choose Sustainable Corporate Gifts?

1. Environmental Benefits

Reduces waste and carbon footprint by using biodegradable materials and eco-friendly packaging.

Promotes recycling and upcycling, extending product life cycles and reducing landfill waste.

Supports sustainable production practices that minimize resource consumption and pollution.

2. Brand Image and CSR Initiatives

Enhances corporate reputation by showcasing a commitment to environmental responsibility.

Aligns with eco-conscious business practices, meeting the expectations of green-conscious clients.

Demonstrates commitment to sustainability, reinforcing corporate values and ethical policies.

3. Thoughtful and Long-Lasting Impression

Unique, high-quality gifts that recipients appreciate and use for a long time.

Creates a sense of goodwill and loyalty by showing thoughtfulness and care.

Top Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Corporate Gift Ideas in India

1. Reusable Bamboo and Wooden Products

Bamboo coffee mugs and water bottles that are lightweight, durable, and biodegradable.

Wooden desk organizers and stationery made from responsibly sourced materials.

Bamboo toothbrushes and cutlery sets for reducing plastic waste in daily use.

2. Organic and Sustainable Gift Hampers

Organic tea and coffee assortments packed in recyclable containers.

Healthy snack boxes with nuts, dried fruits, and seeds for guilt-free indulgence.

Ayurvedic wellness kits featuring herbal skincare and immunity-boosting essentials.

3. Eco-Friendly Office Supplies

Recycled paper notebooks and planners that minimize deforestation.

Seed paper pens and plantable stationery that grow into plants when disposed of.

Jute or cork laptop bags offering a stylish yet sustainable alternative to synthetic materials.

4. Sustainable Home and Lifestyle Products

Reusable cloth bags and tote bags replacing single-use plastics.

Handmade soy wax candles free from toxic chemicals and artificial fragrances.

Upcycled home decor items crafted from reclaimed materials.

5. Indoor Plants and Green Gifting

Air-purifying plants like Snake Plant, Money Plant, and Aloe Vera improving indoor air quality.

DIY gardening kits encouraging sustainable home gardening.

Seed balls for tree plantation initiatives, making gifting more impactful.

6. Handcrafted and Artisanal Gifts

Khadi fabric apparel and accessories supporting rural artisans.

Ethically made terracotta and ceramic items promoting traditional craftsmanship.

Handwoven scarves and eco-friendly textiles made using natural fibers.

7. Zero-Waste Personal Care Kits

Natural and organic skincare sets free from harsh chemicals and synthetic additives.

Handmade soaps and shampoo bars reducing plastic bottle waste.

Biodegradable bamboo razors and combs offering an eco-conscious grooming solution.

How to Choose the Right Sustainable Corporate Gift?

1. Understand Your Audience

Identify recipient preferences to ensure gifts are appreciated and used.

Ensure usefulness and practicality by selecting items that fit their lifestyle.

2. Prioritize Sustainability Certifications

Look for eco-friendly labels (FSC, Fair Trade, Organic) ensuring authenticity.

Check for biodegradable and recyclable packaging to reduce waste.

3. Support Local and Ethical Brands

Choose gifts made by local artisans and small businesses to support sustainability.

Ensure fair trade and ethical labor practices for socially responsible gifting.

The Future of Corporate Gifting in India

Increasing demand for eco-conscious corporate gifts as businesses embrace sustainability.

Growth of sustainable gifting startups offering innovative and green solutions.

Greater emphasis on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) policies in corporate gifting strategies.

Conclusion

Sustainable corporate gifting is more than just a trend; it’s a responsibility. By choosing eco-friendly gifts, businesses can build stronger relationships while making a positive impact on the environment. Whether it’s bamboo products, organic hampers, or handcrafted goods, sustainable corporate gifting in India is here to stay.

FAQs

1. Why should companies opt for eco-friendly corporate gifts?

Eco-friendly gifts help reduce environmental impact, enhance brand reputation, and align with CSR initiatives.

2. What are some budget-friendly sustainable corporate gifts?

Affordable options include seed paper stationery, reusable cloth bags, and organic snack hampers.

3. How can businesses ensure the sustainability of their corporate gifts?

By choosing certified sustainable products, minimizing packaging waste, and supporting ethical brands.

4. Are eco-friendly gifts well-received by employees and clients?

Yes, they are thoughtful, practical, and align with modern sustainability values.

5. Where can businesses source sustainable corporate gifts in India?

Many online marketplaces and local brands offer eco-friendly corporate gifting solutions.

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Jerry has lots of dollar-stretching ideas for saving money in the garden.

1. Free plants:

Saving seed can be a life-changing experience. You can easily save lots of seed, giving you lots of opportunity to experiment without fear of failure, as well as the option of giving some away. Store in airtight containers such as old jars; save silica gel to go with the seeds to keep the seeds dry in storage.

To collect seed, use old panty hose to slip over the ends of plants with pods that explode - as some pea plants and brassicas.

You can also propagate by cuttings. Jerry prunes plants at a good time to take cuttings - usually after they’ve finished flowering. Jerry also uses recycled pots and potting mix, making it even cheaper.

2. Free fuel:

Animal manure is great and often freely available - Jerry managed to source some camel and buffalo dung when a circus recently came to town!

Always compost manure first, to remove any weed seed or residual chemicals they may be carrying.

Jerry also recycles any dead cane toads he finds as roadkill, by burying them under his fruit trees.

Mulch is essential in any garden - Jerry uses several types - but it can be expensive. Check with your local council to see if wood chippings from pruned street trees are available, or make your own leaf mold from raked up leaves; simply pile up the leaves, keep them moist, and wait for them to decompose.

The result is low in nutrients and high in carbon so it’s perfect as a surface mulch or for growing ferns and palms.

Potting mix - Jerry makes his own, using equal parts of garden soil, horticultural sand and old potting mix.

3. Upcycling:

Repurpose material that would otherwise end up in landfill, such as polystyrene foam boxes, which are great for growing plants as they are lightweight and they insulate the plants’ roots from heat and cold.

Other uses include as part of a worm farm or as a self-watering container.

Jerry grows strawberries in these boxes – the extra height helps keep the fruit from pests on the ground.

He also uses them to store pots with cuttings in as it keeps the plants at an even temperature, plus it’s easy to cover the boxes to create a mini greenhouse or shadehouse if needed. For shade he uses old net curtains found at op shops.

4. Trading:

Some plants give you more than you’d ever need, especially citrus. Jerry makes loads of different marmalade, which he trades for eggs or avocadoes that he doesn’t have.

5. Buy once, cry once:

By this Jerry means pay more for quality equipment that will last. Cheap equipment is often not meant to be serviced or repaired, but good-quality items will be designed to take replacement parts and are worth fixing. Jerry still uses his grandfather’s hand mower and mattock, and has other equipment that is many decades old.

Filmed on Quandamooka, Turrbal & Yuggera Country in Brisbane, Qld

[romaleen]

November 10th, 2024 Posted In: Garden Style & Living The best cottage garden plants have pretty blooms. They flower for a long time and are often fragrant. And above all, they are plants which grow well in your climate and soil.But there are no rules in cottage garden style. You can adopt a colour theme as Tim Pilgrim has in this contemporary cottage garden.Or you can grow a glorious patchwork of different flowers together.You can plan a cottage garden, but you don’t have to. You can let it evolve, experimenting over time. If you love to buy plants on impulse, then this style is perfect for you.So this is a list of the best cottage garden plants, with their pros and cons. They all have charming flowers, some are sweetly scented and they’re all perfect for pollinators. That’s not just bees but butterflies, moths and other insects.These plants grow in a wide range of climates and zones, so you’re likely to have a variety available to you.Firstly, decide whether you want a low maintenance cottage garden, a romantic ‘cottagecore’ haven or you’re prepared to spend time and effort on creating a classic cottage garden.What makes a garden a cottage garden?Cottage garden style is colourful and relaxed. It has informal plantings of flowers, fruit and vegetables. See what is cottage garden style and how to achieve it?The name derives from the idea that workers in cottages would use plants they could grow cheaply and easily. This can mean choosing native plants. It certainly means using plants that grow easily.Cottage gardens don’t need defined areas. Whereas English country garden style will have lawns, herbaceous borders and a separate ‘veg patch’, everything can be grown together in a cottage garden.A cottage garden doesn’t look designed. It evolves slowly, with vintage finds and thrifty hand-me-downs. Paths, pots, troughs, arches and other landscaping elements are recycled or upcycled. See A Rustic Cottage Garden on A Budget , Recycled Garden Ideas from RHS Chelsea and Eco-Friendly Garden Design for ideas.You could also use natural materials, such as stone or wood, for furniture and hardscaping elements.Recycled zinc bins and pavers with thrifty vintage garden furniture in Arit Anderson’s peat-free show garden at RHS Hampton CourtWhat are the most ‘cottagecore’ flowers?‘Cottagecore’ is a social media term. It stands for a simple, rustic life where you grow your own food, bake your own bread and make home-made clothes. It’s a lifestyle ideal around simplicity, sustainability and biodiversity.The hashtag #cottagecore on social media is  associated with pretty cottages, romantic floral dresses and other picturesque rural elements such as keeping hens or ducks.All the plants in this post have charming ‘cottagecore’ flowers. But if you want to emphasize the ‘cottagecore’ ethos, combine flowers and veg growing and make sure your garden supports biodiversity.Find out which plants are native to your area, too, as these will support your local wildlife best.However, non-native plants can also support biodiversity, especially when weather patterns are unexpected. For example, some non-native plants flower earlier or later than your native plants. This helps pollinators if there is warm weather earlier or later than usual.So ‘grow native plants’ isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ rule.Old bricks, a pretty gate and ducks – elements of ‘cottagecore’ style.Asters (asters & symphyotrichum)Hardiness varies, but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Asters are daisy-like flowers in blue, pink, red, white or purple, perfect for the cottage garden look. Botanists have recently re-classified them into several different, unrelated species. But the common name for them all is still asters.‘Symphyotrichum’ asters are native to many parts of the Americas. Plants with the botanic name of ‘Aster’ are European, UK and Asian natives. There are other species too.If you want to focus on native plants, look up the asters that are native you where you are. Otherwise, both asters and symphyotrichum are pretty, easy-grow plants that flower for a long period from summer to the first frosts.They’re a good flower for pollinators at the end of the season when many other flowers are over.Aster amellus ‘King George’ has pretty blue flowers. It starts flowering in summer and goes on flowering until the first frosts.HoneysuckleHardiness varies, some down to minus 29C/minus 20F. Dappled or partial shade.A classic cottage garden climbing plant, but do your research before planting one! There are nearly 200 species of honeysuckle. Different varieties are native to north America, northern Europe or Asia.Some honeysuckle varieties may be invasive where you are, so check the name carefully. Some Asian honeysuckles can be very invasive in parts of the USA and Canada, for example. That means that they will spread too quickly, which will crowd out other plants. This can be damaging to biodiversity.However, there will be a honeysuckle for where you live.The honeysuckle fragrance is famous, but not all honeysuckles are scented. Check that too.And some honeysuckles will grow and grow. Unless you’re happy to prune back several times a year, check the eventual height and size.Honeysuckle comes in white, cream, yellow or gold. This yellow honeysuckle is native to North America, but grows well in the UK too.PoppiesThe seed of Common Poppies can survive very cold temperatures, such as minus 50C/minus 60F but they need the weather to warm up before they sprout and flower.  Full sun or partial shade.Poppies are famous for popping up when the soil has been disturbed. If you dig a new bed, turning over the soil for the first time for years, you’re likely to get poppies the following summer.That’s why so many poppies appeared in the fields after World War 1. They germinated where the soil had been turned by tires or dug up in trenches.There are dozens of different types of poppy, all good for a cottage garden. But the best known is the Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), mainly available in scarlet and light purple/pink.They are particularly loved by pollinators. I often find two or three bees sharing one poppy flower.Grow Common Poppies from seed. You can either sow them in trays and plant them out or scatter the seed directly on the ground.Poppies self-seed well. They seem to prefer to self-seed – they want to decide where they will grow! Once you have them in your garden, they will dot themselves around.The common poppy grows every year from seed. The seed heads look good in winter.See this post for more self-seeding plants – all 20 are so pretty and perfect for a cottage garden.Low maintenance perennials for a cottage gardenIf you want low maintenance cottage garden plants, then choose shrubs and perennials. They need less work than annuals and bedding plants.Annuals are plants that grow from seed, flower and die in one year.Perennials are plants that live in your garden for three years or more. See perennials made simple for advice from Rosy Hardy of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants.And here are three top long-flowering, easy-care perennials for cottage gardens.Catmint (Nepeta)Very hardy – down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Drought resistant, deer and slug resistant, easy going, long flowering…this must be one of the easiest plants to grow. It flowers for weeks from mid-summer onwards. If you cut it back when the blooms fade, it will start flowering again. It grows in almost any soil, is loved by pollinators and comes in shades of blue, white or lavender.Nepeta is often recommended as an easier alternative to lavender. Lavender isn’t difficult to grow. However, nepeta will tolerate wet weather and lavender hates getting its feet wet.Catmint (nepeta) in the gardens in the famous West Dean Gardens in Sussex.Globe thistle (Echinops)Hardy down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun.Another easy-growing plant which is drought-resistant, deer and slug resistant and with a long season of interest.The sculptural blue or white globe thistle flowers make this one of the best plants for pollinators. And when the blooms are over, they develop seedheads for the birds.Once established, globe thistle needs almost no care. Once the birds have enjoyed the seeds, the stems will slowly collapse over winter and can be cleared away easily in spring. New foliage will spring from the base.Globe thistle (Echinops) is a magnet for pollinators. And the birds will enjoy the seedheads in winter. A cottage garden plant with a long season of interest.Hardy geraniumsHardiness varies but some hardy down to minus 29C/minus 20F. Full sun, partial shade and some varieties full shade.Don’t be confused by the brightly coloured bedding plants labelled ‘geraniums’ for sale in garden centres in summer. Those are called pelargoniums. They won’t survive any freezing weather outside.But there are nearly 500 different varieties of hardy geranium. Some like full sun, others are perfect woodland ground cover plants. Many are drought resistant once established. Geranium macrorrhizum (Cranesbill) is even good in dry shade and difficult conditions under trees.They flower for months with blooms in pinks, reds, purple or white. They’re deer and rabbit-resistant.The only care hardy geraniums need is to be cut back once a year after flowering. Then they will often flower again.Hardy geraniums, such as ‘Anne Folkard’ can be sprawling plants or you can find low-growing ground cover varieties.When are cottage gardens high maintenance?A cottage garden generally has lots of different plants and flowers in it. This may mean that there are lots of different caring schedules – you’ll be pruning, feeding, watering or dead-heading at different times.Some people enjoy looking after their gardens, so ‘high maintenance’ isn’t always a bad thing. But if you want the cottage garden to be low maintenance, plant perennials, shrubs and trees.Annuals and vegetables are the high maintenance elements in a cottage garden.The following cottage gardens plants are delightfully pretty. But they are ‘high maintenance.’ This doesn’t mean they’re ‘difficult to grow’. It means they will need regular attention.Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus)Annuals (grown from seed every year) so can be grown in most temperate climates. Full sun in cooler climates, light shade in warmer places.Probably the most famous ‘cottage garden plant.’ But also the one that requires the most attention, sadly! The blooms are adorably pretty in colours such as pink , purple, blue or white. The scent is delightful and the fragrance from a vase of sweet peas will fill a room.You’ll need to train sweet peas up a support, water them, dead-head them constantly and protect them from rodents.None of these tasks are difficult, but it isn’t a plant that can be left to its own devices. If you want a low maintenance garden, then don’t plant sweet peas.Everlasting sweet peas are less work and come back every year, but they don’t have the fragrance.I know so few people who grow sweet peas that I only have a photo of them in a vase. They are the most beautiful, fragrant cottage garden plants, but they do need regular attention.LupinsThere are some very cold hardy lupins but many lupins you buy in garden centres won’t come back year after year. Full sun.Some experts suggest treating lupins as an annual or short-lived perennial, although the original cottage garden lupins were both cold hardy and long-lived. But the gorgeous new cultivars are less likely to survive over winter in your garden.In the UK, the milder winters mean that lupins may survive, but gardeners often report disappointment. They are also prone to slug damage.They are stunningly beautiful cottage garden staples in blues, yellows, reds, purples or white.Lupins are classic cottage garden plants. Their spikes add fireworks to any border, but they do need more care than many other border plants.TulipsTulips grow best in areas with cold winters and can survive down to minus 40C/minus 40F. However if you have hot summers and mild winters, then tulips may not grow as well. Full sun or part shade.Tulips have all the gorgeous drama that makes a cottage garden.But in many gardens, they don’t come back year after year. And Head Gardener Neil Miller of Hever Castle says that tulips flower best in their first year. Read his advice on growing tulips here.My garden is full of odd tulips in different sizes and colours. That’s because I planted a group of them in a certain colour scheme, and just one remains. Then I planted a different colour scheme another year. And only one  or two of those survived. It looks pretty and cottagey, but if you want a particular effect, it’s best to grow your tulips from new every year.They’re easy to grow in pots. But they don’t reliably come back in borders. Tulips may get tulip fire after a very wet winter or spring.These mixed tulips in my lawn are pretty, but they are all different sizes and colours. Tulips don’t come back reliably, so these are the remnants of several planting schemes over the years!Delphiniums (sometimes called larkspur, although true larkspur is different)Hardiness varies but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun.Delphinium blooms are vibrant spires in purple, red, blue or white. They are probably the most striking and gorgeous flowers for any cottage or ‘English country’ garden.But they need looking after. They need feeding, staking and protecting from slugs. They don’t want too much competition. They need enough water, but not too much.None of this is difficult but you can’t just plant delphiniums and leave them to get on with it. You need to look after them on an almost daily basis.Any list of cottage garden plants will include delphiniums, such as this blue delphinium at Doddington Place Gardens. They are gorgeous but they are not low maintenance.Best cottage gardens bulbs & tubersDaffodils/narcissiHardy down to minus 20C/minus 4F. Not suitable for climates with hot summers and mild winters. Full sun or partial shade.Daffodils, also called narcissi, are probably the easiest bulbs to grow. Many of them will spread and they come back year after year.Plant them in a lawn for a romantic cottage garden look. But remember that you won’t be able to mow the lawn until six weeks after the flowers have faded.All bulbs need about six weeks of sun on their leaves in order to make their flowers for next year. So if you mow too soon, you will lose next year’s blooms.There’s more about growing and choosing daffodils here.One good place to plant them is under trees and shrubs that lose their leaves in winter. By the time the leaves are back, the daffodil will be almost ready to go dormant again. See where to plant bulbs.Daffodils are the easiest bulbs to grow. They come back reliably year after year and even spread. These were planted over 30 years ago, so I don’t know their name!AlliumsHardiness varies but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or light shade.Alliums have striking blue, white or purple pom-pom blooms. These add punctuation points to a cottage garden border. In some places, they’ll self-seed easily, popping up in unexpected places. Another very popular flower for pollinators.Deer, rabbits, squirrels and voles don’t like the taste of onion. Alliums are the decorative side of the onion family, so pests leave them alone. Super easy and very resilient, alliums flower in early summer. The seed heads offer sculptural interest for several months afterwards. The foliage dies away by mid-summer.Alliums (this is ‘Purple Sensation’) keep their distinctive shapes after the flower colour has gone. So they are a presence in the garden for around three months from early summer.Alstromerias (also known as alstroemerias)Hardiness varies, some down to minus 10C/14F. Full sun or light shade.Easy to grow and long flowering. See alstromeria grower Ben Cross’s advice in how to grow alstromerias for endless flowers. The red and orange blooms are taller – if you want the more delicate shades, they’ll be shorter. Plant in the front of a border.Alstromerias can spread too vigorously in some areas. If they’re invasive in your area, they grow well in pots.They are very good flowers for the vase but always twist and pull the stem out. Never cut an alstromeria!Best cottage garden shrubsLavenderHardiness varies but most ‘English lavender’ hardy down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Full sun.Lavender loves sunlight. It’s a Mediterranean plant but ‘English lavender’ will grow well in colder climates, as long as they are fairly dry. It’s another pollinator magnet and has magnificent fragrance.You can get lavender in several shades of blue and purple, and also white.I had bushes of Lavender ‘Munstead’ in the garden for 15 years. They only needed cutting back once a year, after flowering. Otherwise they were almost maintenance free. I cut my lavender back much harder than many people advise. It keeps it in good shape. See The Absolutely Best Way to Prune Lavender.My lavender ‘Munstead’. It flowers in summer, after which we cut it into neat mounds.RosesHardiness varies but many hardy down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Full sun, partial shade and a few grow in shade.Roses are the most famous cottage garden plant of all. You can grow roses round arches, arbours and pergolas. You can grow them in pots. And you can grow them in a mixed border.Some roses have fragrance and others do not. If the blooms have an open centre, they’re good for pollinators. But the double-flowered ones are less beneficial.There are more than thirty thousand different varieties of roses. You can find roses for very cold climates and roses for hotter climates. But you’ll get the biggest choice of roses if your winters are no colder than minus 28C/minus 20F and your summers average below 30C/100F.Roses can be low maintenance or high maintenance, depending on what you want. If you insist on perfect blooms without black spot on the leaf or aphids, then you will have to keep fussing over them.However, if you accept imperfection, you can enjoy beautiful roses in your garden without too much work. They will need fertilising once or twice a year and will flower best if you deadhead them regularly. See how to grow roses and how to choose roses for an obelisk, arch, fence or pergola.The archetypal cottage garden flower – roses! Here at the Peter Beales rose garden in Norfolk, there are roses on arbours, arches, fences and obelisks, as well as in borders and climbing up walls. Roses mix well with other cottage garden plants, such as foxgloves.HydrangeasHardiness varies, generally down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Also some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Shade or partial shade.Hydrangeas are easy-going plants that grow well in shade. Some varieties are good for pollinators but the ‘mop head’ varieties (with a round flower) don’t offer pollen or nectar. If you want pollinator-friendly hydrangeas, check the variety before buying.Hydrangeas flower from mid to late summer. Then their flowers slowly dry on the stem and turn into autumn shades of brown and cream. Some hydrangeas, such as ‘Annabelle’, stay sculptural all through the winter and look magnificent with frost on them. So these plants offer a long season of interest.See everything you need to know about growing hydrangeas.Hydrangeas are very easy-care. They need watering in dry summers, but otherwise all they need is to be pruned once a year in spring. Not all hydrangeas are wildlife friendly, but this hydrangea flower is called ‘lace-cap’ and offers benefits to pollinators.Best cottage garden perennialsMonarda (bee balm)Hardiness varies, some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Another easy-care, deer resistant plant although it can get some slug and snail damage. Popular with pollinators such as butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. The striking spidery blooms come in brilliant, jewel red, pin or purple and also white.Monardas won’t like long droughts or boggy conditions.The unusual spidery flower of monarda (bee balm) attracts bees and hummingbirds.Verbena bonariensis (tall verbena)If your winters go below minus 17C/0F, then you’ll need to grow verbena bonariensis as an annual. Full sun.Butterflies and bees both adore the purple flowers and birds love the seeds. A tall ‘see-through’ plant with slender stems and blooms which last from mid-late summer to the first frosts. Best planted in clumps – you’ll hardly be able to see just one verbena bonariensis.Verbena bonariensis is generally considered slug-resistant, deer resistant and easy care. You can leave the flowers to turn into winter seed heads for the birds and they look good in frost.Verbena bonariensis is a short-lived perennial. If you have colder winters, you will probably need to grow it as an annual. A clump of verbena bonariensis creates a mass of see-through stems topped by a cloud of purple.Sedum/stonecrop (now hylotelephium)Hardiness varies but some hardy down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or light shadeSedum (now hylotelephium) is one of the 10 resilient plants in 10 beautiful but tough perennials which will survive both too wet and too dry summers.I find Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ to be extra-ordinarily resilient. It can get nibbled by slugs. But I picked up a stem that had been nibbled by a slug and put it into a vase. I forgot about it and two months later, I realised it had grown roots. So I planted it in the soil. It’s grown into a proper plant!And when you look at ‘Autumn Joy’ in bloom, you will see the flowers are crowded with pollinators of lots of different types and sizes, all enjoying the nectar.Sedum (now hylotelephium) ‘Autumn Joy’ is on the bottom right of this photo. A superbly resilient plant for late summer and autumn/fall. Adored by pollinators.Best cottage garden annuals & biennialsAnnuals grow from seed every year so you don’t always need to know about hardiness.Biennials grow from seed, flower, set seed and die over two years.Many people plant their annuals from seed in the autumn/fall so that their plants have a head start the following summer. If you’re doing this, you’ll need to check whether you can plant them outside over the winter.You can also grow the seedlings in a greenhouse or potting shed until spring comes. When temperatures and light levels are low, plants don’t grow much.Annuals and biennials have lots of flowers and come in a wonderful range of colours. They’re perfect for filling gaps or creating a gorgeous display. But they are more work. You have to sow the seed and/or plant the seedlings. Then you may have to support them, feed, water and deadhead them, then clear them away at the end of summer.CosmosFull sun or partial shade.One of the prettiest and most popular cottage garden annuals. I find them easy to grow. One warning, however! Don’t give them extra fertilizer!Most plants flower more if you fertilize them. But cosmos will grow green and bushy, then fail to flower.Cosmos are available in various shades of pink, yellow and cream, along with white. Perfect cottage garden blooms!Hollyhocks (can be annual or biennial)Full sun.A classic cottage garden flower. It’s tall and vigorous with blooms in white, pink or cream. Hollyhocks can sometimes have a mind of their own. Gardeners have often told me that they’ve struggled to grow hollyhocks. Then suddenly hollyhocks start to spring up on their driveway or in the cracks of pavers.You can get single flowered hollyhocks and double-flowered ones. Only the single flowered ones benefit pollinators.They can grow to 6ft/2m tall so may need staking.A hollyhock in the Abbey Physic Garden in Faversham. The soft colours and frilly flowers make it a beautifully romantic cottage garden plant.Cleome (Spider flowers)Full sun or light shadeCleomes aren’t as well known as cosmos or hollyhocks, but they are striking, pollinator-friendly flowers. They have spidery blooms in deep pink, pale pink or white.Although cleomes are tall (3ft/1m), they are upright and don’t usually need supports. It doesn’t need fertilizer and can be very drought-resistant. Resistant to most pests and diseases.Cleomes and salvias in the Savill Garden near Windsor. The cleomes are the taller, spidery flowers. They’re long-lasting and dramatic.Foxgloves (biennial)Partial shadeFoxgloves have spires of flowers in white, pink, purple, white or cream in early summer.They’re toxic to both humans and pets, so if you are worried about either nibbling plants in your garden, then don’t plant them. Most pets know what to nibble though. See how to puppy-proof your garden.Foxgloves often self-seed easily and need very little attention. If you cut the first big spire of flowers off when it is over, you should be rewarded by a spray of smaller spires.Foxgloves are another popular cottage garden plant. The spires add spikes of colour in early summer. They are toxic so be careful around children and pets.Best cottage garden plants for warmer climatesMost of the plants in this post will grow well in warmer climates, but some will not like temperatures that are regularly above 30C/100F or never freeze. If you don’t need a winter coat and spend most of your life in a T shirt instead of a sweater, you probably won’t be able to grow tulips, daffodils, delphiniums or hydrangeas!However, some popular cottage garden plants grow as perennials in warmer climates and are re-planted annually in cooler climates. Mix them with local native plants as Bill Bampton of The Diggers Club does in Cottage Garden Mash-up – how to adapt English cottage garden style to your own climate.SalviaFull sun or partial shadeSalvias come from Mexico and grow well in climates which rarely freeze in winter. They can tolerate hot summers and drought.However, if you see a salvia growing in the UK, you’ll see lots of bees enjoying the nectar. They’re proof that non-native flowers can be valuable to wildlife.There are 900 different types of salvia in a very wide range of different colours. There are some vivid pinks and purples, pastel pinks and creams plus bi-coloured salvias.Read the UK’s top expert on growing salvias here. Those in cooler climates will probably have to replant salvias every year.  But they flower for months at a time. See 18 long flowering perennials that bloom from summer until the first frost.Plants such as rosemary and sage have recently been re-classified as salvias. They are perfect cottage garden herbs.Salvias are quite tender and if your winters freeze regularly you will either have to lift and store them or plant again from new. But they are amongst the longest-flowering perennials and perfect for a cottage garden.Best cottage garden treesEvery cottage garden should have a fruit tree!  You may want to choose something unusual, such as a quince or a medlar tree. A native fruit tree is always a good choice.But a simple apple or crab apple tree will give you flowers in spring and fruit in autumn/fall. You can enjoy this or share it with wildlife by leaving it on the tree.See An Orchard in Your Garden for tips on growing fruit trees in a small garden.Crab apple trees on either side of a vintage gate. These are Malus hupehensis and birds adore the tiny red fruits at the end of summer.Pin to remember the best cottage garden plantsAnd do join us. See here for a free weekly email with more gardening tips, ideas and inspiration.  Source link

[shelyold]

November 10th, 2024 Posted In: Garden Style & Living The best cottage garden plants have pretty blooms. They flower for a long time and are often fragrant. And above all, they are plants which grow well in your climate and soil.But there are no rules in cottage garden style. You can adopt a colour theme as Tim Pilgrim has in this contemporary cottage garden.Or you can grow a glorious patchwork of different flowers together.You can plan a cottage garden, but you don’t have to. You can let it evolve, experimenting over time. If you love to buy plants on impulse, then this style is perfect for you.So this is a list of the best cottage garden plants, with their pros and cons. They all have charming flowers, some are sweetly scented and they’re all perfect for pollinators. That’s not just bees but butterflies, moths and other insects.These plants grow in a wide range of climates and zones, so you’re likely to have a variety available to you.Firstly, decide whether you want a low maintenance cottage garden, a romantic ‘cottagecore’ haven or you’re prepared to spend time and effort on creating a classic cottage garden.What makes a garden a cottage garden?Cottage garden style is colourful and relaxed. It has informal plantings of flowers, fruit and vegetables. See what is cottage garden style and how to achieve it?The name derives from the idea that workers in cottages would use plants they could grow cheaply and easily. This can mean choosing native plants. It certainly means using plants that grow easily.Cottage gardens don’t need defined areas. Whereas English country garden style will have lawns, herbaceous borders and a separate ‘veg patch’, everything can be grown together in a cottage garden.A cottage garden doesn’t look designed. It evolves slowly, with vintage finds and thrifty hand-me-downs. Paths, pots, troughs, arches and other landscaping elements are recycled or upcycled. See A Rustic Cottage Garden on A Budget , Recycled Garden Ideas from RHS Chelsea and Eco-Friendly Garden Design for ideas.You could also use natural materials, such as stone or wood, for furniture and hardscaping elements.Recycled zinc bins and pavers with thrifty vintage garden furniture in Arit Anderson’s peat-free show garden at RHS Hampton CourtWhat are the most ‘cottagecore’ flowers?‘Cottagecore’ is a social media term. It stands for a simple, rustic life where you grow your own food, bake your own bread and make home-made clothes. It’s a lifestyle ideal around simplicity, sustainability and biodiversity.The hashtag #cottagecore on social media is  associated with pretty cottages, romantic floral dresses and other picturesque rural elements such as keeping hens or ducks.All the plants in this post have charming ‘cottagecore’ flowers. But if you want to emphasize the ‘cottagecore’ ethos, combine flowers and veg growing and make sure your garden supports biodiversity.Find out which plants are native to your area, too, as these will support your local wildlife best.However, non-native plants can also support biodiversity, especially when weather patterns are unexpected. For example, some non-native plants flower earlier or later than your native plants. This helps pollinators if there is warm weather earlier or later than usual.So ‘grow native plants’ isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ rule.Old bricks, a pretty gate and ducks – elements of ‘cottagecore’ style.Asters (asters & symphyotrichum)Hardiness varies, but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Asters are daisy-like flowers in blue, pink, red, white or purple, perfect for the cottage garden look. Botanists have recently re-classified them into several different, unrelated species. But the common name for them all is still asters.‘Symphyotrichum’ asters are native to many parts of the Americas. Plants with the botanic name of ‘Aster’ are European, UK and Asian natives. There are other species too.If you want to focus on native plants, look up the asters that are native you where you are. Otherwise, both asters and symphyotrichum are pretty, easy-grow plants that flower for a long period from summer to the first frosts.They’re a good flower for pollinators at the end of the season when many other flowers are over.Aster amellus ‘King George’ has pretty blue flowers. It starts flowering in summer and goes on flowering until the first frosts.HoneysuckleHardiness varies, some down to minus 29C/minus 20F. Dappled or partial shade.A classic cottage garden climbing plant, but do your research before planting one! There are nearly 200 species of honeysuckle. Different varieties are native to north America, northern Europe or Asia.Some honeysuckle varieties may be invasive where you are, so check the name carefully. Some Asian honeysuckles can be very invasive in parts of the USA and Canada, for example. That means that they will spread too quickly, which will crowd out other plants. This can be damaging to biodiversity.However, there will be a honeysuckle for where you live.The honeysuckle fragrance is famous, but not all honeysuckles are scented. Check that too.And some honeysuckles will grow and grow. Unless you’re happy to prune back several times a year, check the eventual height and size.Honeysuckle comes in white, cream, yellow or gold. This yellow honeysuckle is native to North America, but grows well in the UK too.PoppiesThe seed of Common Poppies can survive very cold temperatures, such as minus 50C/minus 60F but they need the weather to warm up before they sprout and flower.  Full sun or partial shade.Poppies are famous for popping up when the soil has been disturbed. If you dig a new bed, turning over the soil for the first time for years, you’re likely to get poppies the following summer.That’s why so many poppies appeared in the fields after World War 1. They germinated where the soil had been turned by tires or dug up in trenches.There are dozens of different types of poppy, all good for a cottage garden. But the best known is the Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), mainly available in scarlet and light purple/pink.They are particularly loved by pollinators. I often find two or three bees sharing one poppy flower.Grow Common Poppies from seed. You can either sow them in trays and plant them out or scatter the seed directly on the ground.Poppies self-seed well. They seem to prefer to self-seed – they want to decide where they will grow! Once you have them in your garden, they will dot themselves around.The common poppy grows every year from seed. The seed heads look good in winter.See this post for more self-seeding plants – all 20 are so pretty and perfect for a cottage garden.Low maintenance perennials for a cottage gardenIf you want low maintenance cottage garden plants, then choose shrubs and perennials. They need less work than annuals and bedding plants.Annuals are plants that grow from seed, flower and die in one year.Perennials are plants that live in your garden for three years or more. See perennials made simple for advice from Rosy Hardy of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants.And here are three top long-flowering, easy-care perennials for cottage gardens.Catmint (Nepeta)Very hardy – down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Drought resistant, deer and slug resistant, easy going, long flowering…this must be one of the easiest plants to grow. It flowers for weeks from mid-summer onwards. If you cut it back when the blooms fade, it will start flowering again. It grows in almost any soil, is loved by pollinators and comes in shades of blue, white or lavender.Nepeta is often recommended as an easier alternative to lavender. Lavender isn’t difficult to grow. However, nepeta will tolerate wet weather and lavender hates getting its feet wet.Catmint (nepeta) in the gardens in the famous West Dean Gardens in Sussex.Globe thistle (Echinops)Hardy down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun.Another easy-growing plant which is drought-resistant, deer and slug resistant and with a long season of interest.The sculptural blue or white globe thistle flowers make this one of the best plants for pollinators. And when the blooms are over, they develop seedheads for the birds.Once established, globe thistle needs almost no care. Once the birds have enjoyed the seeds, the stems will slowly collapse over winter and can be cleared away easily in spring. New foliage will spring from the base.Globe thistle (Echinops) is a magnet for pollinators. And the birds will enjoy the seedheads in winter. A cottage garden plant with a long season of interest.Hardy geraniumsHardiness varies but some hardy down to minus 29C/minus 20F. Full sun, partial shade and some varieties full shade.Don’t be confused by the brightly coloured bedding plants labelled ‘geraniums’ for sale in garden centres in summer. Those are called pelargoniums. They won’t survive any freezing weather outside.But there are nearly 500 different varieties of hardy geranium. Some like full sun, others are perfect woodland ground cover plants. Many are drought resistant once established. Geranium macrorrhizum (Cranesbill) is even good in dry shade and difficult conditions under trees.They flower for months with blooms in pinks, reds, purple or white. They’re deer and rabbit-resistant.The only care hardy geraniums need is to be cut back once a year after flowering. Then they will often flower again.Hardy geraniums, such as ‘Anne Folkard’ can be sprawling plants or you can find low-growing ground cover varieties.When are cottage gardens high maintenance?A cottage garden generally has lots of different plants and flowers in it. This may mean that there are lots of different caring schedules – you’ll be pruning, feeding, watering or dead-heading at different times.Some people enjoy looking after their gardens, so ‘high maintenance’ isn’t always a bad thing. But if you want the cottage garden to be low maintenance, plant perennials, shrubs and trees.Annuals and vegetables are the high maintenance elements in a cottage garden.The following cottage gardens plants are delightfully pretty. But they are ‘high maintenance.’ This doesn’t mean they’re ‘difficult to grow’. It means they will need regular attention.Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus)Annuals (grown from seed every year) so can be grown in most temperate climates. Full sun in cooler climates, light shade in warmer places.Probably the most famous ‘cottage garden plant.’ But also the one that requires the most attention, sadly! The blooms are adorably pretty in colours such as pink , purple, blue or white. The scent is delightful and the fragrance from a vase of sweet peas will fill a room.You’ll need to train sweet peas up a support, water them, dead-head them constantly and protect them from rodents.None of these tasks are difficult, but it isn’t a plant that can be left to its own devices. If you want a low maintenance garden, then don’t plant sweet peas.Everlasting sweet peas are less work and come back every year, but they don’t have the fragrance.I know so few people who grow sweet peas that I only have a photo of them in a vase. They are the most beautiful, fragrant cottage garden plants, but they do need regular attention.LupinsThere are some very cold hardy lupins but many lupins you buy in garden centres won’t come back year after year. Full sun.Some experts suggest treating lupins as an annual or short-lived perennial, although the original cottage garden lupins were both cold hardy and long-lived. But the gorgeous new cultivars are less likely to survive over winter in your garden.In the UK, the milder winters mean that lupins may survive, but gardeners often report disappointment. They are also prone to slug damage.They are stunningly beautiful cottage garden staples in blues, yellows, reds, purples or white.Lupins are classic cottage garden plants. Their spikes add fireworks to any border, but they do need more care than many other border plants.TulipsTulips grow best in areas with cold winters and can survive down to minus 40C/minus 40F. However if you have hot summers and mild winters, then tulips may not grow as well. Full sun or part shade.Tulips have all the gorgeous drama that makes a cottage garden.But in many gardens, they don’t come back year after year. And Head Gardener Neil Miller of Hever Castle says that tulips flower best in their first year. Read his advice on growing tulips here.My garden is full of odd tulips in different sizes and colours. That’s because I planted a group of them in a certain colour scheme, and just one remains. Then I planted a different colour scheme another year. And only one  or two of those survived. It looks pretty and cottagey, but if you want a particular effect, it’s best to grow your tulips from new every year.They’re easy to grow in pots. But they don’t reliably come back in borders. Tulips may get tulip fire after a very wet winter or spring.These mixed tulips in my lawn are pretty, but they are all different sizes and colours. Tulips don’t come back reliably, so these are the remnants of several planting schemes over the years!Delphiniums (sometimes called larkspur, although true larkspur is different)Hardiness varies but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun.Delphinium blooms are vibrant spires in purple, red, blue or white. They are probably the most striking and gorgeous flowers for any cottage or ‘English country’ garden.But they need looking after. They need feeding, staking and protecting from slugs. They don’t want too much competition. They need enough water, but not too much.None of this is difficult but you can’t just plant delphiniums and leave them to get on with it. You need to look after them on an almost daily basis.Any list of cottage garden plants will include delphiniums, such as this blue delphinium at Doddington Place Gardens. They are gorgeous but they are not low maintenance.Best cottage gardens bulbs & tubersDaffodils/narcissiHardy down to minus 20C/minus 4F. Not suitable for climates with hot summers and mild winters. Full sun or partial shade.Daffodils, also called narcissi, are probably the easiest bulbs to grow. Many of them will spread and they come back year after year.Plant them in a lawn for a romantic cottage garden look. But remember that you won’t be able to mow the lawn until six weeks after the flowers have faded.All bulbs need about six weeks of sun on their leaves in order to make their flowers for next year. So if you mow too soon, you will lose next year’s blooms.There’s more about growing and choosing daffodils here.One good place to plant them is under trees and shrubs that lose their leaves in winter. By the time the leaves are back, the daffodil will be almost ready to go dormant again. See where to plant bulbs.Daffodils are the easiest bulbs to grow. They come back reliably year after year and even spread. These were planted over 30 years ago, so I don’t know their name!AlliumsHardiness varies but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or light shade.Alliums have striking blue, white or purple pom-pom blooms. These add punctuation points to a cottage garden border. In some places, they’ll self-seed easily, popping up in unexpected places. Another very popular flower for pollinators.Deer, rabbits, squirrels and voles don’t like the taste of onion. Alliums are the decorative side of the onion family, so pests leave them alone. Super easy and very resilient, alliums flower in early summer. The seed heads offer sculptural interest for several months afterwards. The foliage dies away by mid-summer.Alliums (this is ‘Purple Sensation’) keep their distinctive shapes after the flower colour has gone. So they are a presence in the garden for around three months from early summer.Alstromerias (also known as alstroemerias)Hardiness varies, some down to minus 10C/14F. Full sun or light shade.Easy to grow and long flowering. See alstromeria grower Ben Cross’s advice in how to grow alstromerias for endless flowers. The red and orange blooms are taller – if you want the more delicate shades, they’ll be shorter. Plant in the front of a border.Alstromerias can spread too vigorously in some areas. If they’re invasive in your area, they grow well in pots.They are very good flowers for the vase but always twist and pull the stem out. Never cut an alstromeria!Best cottage garden shrubsLavenderHardiness varies but most ‘English lavender’ hardy down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Full sun.Lavender loves sunlight. It’s a Mediterranean plant but ‘English lavender’ will grow well in colder climates, as long as they are fairly dry. It’s another pollinator magnet and has magnificent fragrance.You can get lavender in several shades of blue and purple, and also white.I had bushes of Lavender ‘Munstead’ in the garden for 15 years. They only needed cutting back once a year, after flowering. Otherwise they were almost maintenance free. I cut my lavender back much harder than many people advise. It keeps it in good shape. See The Absolutely Best Way to Prune Lavender.My lavender ‘Munstead’. It flowers in summer, after which we cut it into neat mounds.RosesHardiness varies but many hardy down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Full sun, partial shade and a few grow in shade.Roses are the most famous cottage garden plant of all. You can grow roses round arches, arbours and pergolas. You can grow them in pots. And you can grow them in a mixed border.Some roses have fragrance and others do not. If the blooms have an open centre, they’re good for pollinators. But the double-flowered ones are less beneficial.There are more than thirty thousand different varieties of roses. You can find roses for very cold climates and roses for hotter climates. But you’ll get the biggest choice of roses if your winters are no colder than minus 28C/minus 20F and your summers average below 30C/100F.Roses can be low maintenance or high maintenance, depending on what you want. If you insist on perfect blooms without black spot on the leaf or aphids, then you will have to keep fussing over them.However, if you accept imperfection, you can enjoy beautiful roses in your garden without too much work. They will need fertilising once or twice a year and will flower best if you deadhead them regularly. See how to grow roses and how to choose roses for an obelisk, arch, fence or pergola.The archetypal cottage garden flower – roses! Here at the Peter Beales rose garden in Norfolk, there are roses on arbours, arches, fences and obelisks, as well as in borders and climbing up walls. Roses mix well with other cottage garden plants, such as foxgloves.HydrangeasHardiness varies, generally down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Also some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Shade or partial shade.Hydrangeas are easy-going plants that grow well in shade. Some varieties are good for pollinators but the ‘mop head’ varieties (with a round flower) don’t offer pollen or nectar. If you want pollinator-friendly hydrangeas, check the variety before buying.Hydrangeas flower from mid to late summer. Then their flowers slowly dry on the stem and turn into autumn shades of brown and cream. Some hydrangeas, such as ‘Annabelle’, stay sculptural all through the winter and look magnificent with frost on them. So these plants offer a long season of interest.See everything you need to know about growing hydrangeas.Hydrangeas are very easy-care. They need watering in dry summers, but otherwise all they need is to be pruned once a year in spring. Not all hydrangeas are wildlife friendly, but this hydrangea flower is called ‘lace-cap’ and offers benefits to pollinators.Best cottage garden perennialsMonarda (bee balm)Hardiness varies, some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Another easy-care, deer resistant plant although it can get some slug and snail damage. Popular with pollinators such as butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. The striking spidery blooms come in brilliant, jewel red, pin or purple and also white.Monardas won’t like long droughts or boggy conditions.The unusual spidery flower of monarda (bee balm) attracts bees and hummingbirds.Verbena bonariensis (tall verbena)If your winters go below minus 17C/0F, then you’ll need to grow verbena bonariensis as an annual. Full sun.Butterflies and bees both adore the purple flowers and birds love the seeds. A tall ‘see-through’ plant with slender stems and blooms which last from mid-late summer to the first frosts. Best planted in clumps – you’ll hardly be able to see just one verbena bonariensis.Verbena bonariensis is generally considered slug-resistant, deer resistant and easy care. You can leave the flowers to turn into winter seed heads for the birds and they look good in frost.Verbena bonariensis is a short-lived perennial. If you have colder winters, you will probably need to grow it as an annual. A clump of verbena bonariensis creates a mass of see-through stems topped by a cloud of purple.Sedum/stonecrop (now hylotelephium)Hardiness varies but some hardy down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or light shadeSedum (now hylotelephium) is one of the 10 resilient plants in 10 beautiful but tough perennials which will survive both too wet and too dry summers.I find Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ to be extra-ordinarily resilient. It can get nibbled by slugs. But I picked up a stem that had been nibbled by a slug and put it into a vase. I forgot about it and two months later, I realised it had grown roots. So I planted it in the soil. It’s grown into a proper plant!And when you look at ‘Autumn Joy’ in bloom, you will see the flowers are crowded with pollinators of lots of different types and sizes, all enjoying the nectar.Sedum (now hylotelephium) ‘Autumn Joy’ is on the bottom right of this photo. A superbly resilient plant for late summer and autumn/fall. Adored by pollinators.Best cottage garden annuals & biennialsAnnuals grow from seed every year so you don’t always need to know about hardiness.Biennials grow from seed, flower, set seed and die over two years.Many people plant their annuals from seed in the autumn/fall so that their plants have a head start the following summer. If you’re doing this, you’ll need to check whether you can plant them outside over the winter.You can also grow the seedlings in a greenhouse or potting shed until spring comes. When temperatures and light levels are low, plants don’t grow much.Annuals and biennials have lots of flowers and come in a wonderful range of colours. They’re perfect for filling gaps or creating a gorgeous display. But they are more work. You have to sow the seed and/or plant the seedlings. Then you may have to support them, feed, water and deadhead them, then clear them away at the end of summer.CosmosFull sun or partial shade.One of the prettiest and most popular cottage garden annuals. I find them easy to grow. One warning, however! Don’t give them extra fertilizer!Most plants flower more if you fertilize them. But cosmos will grow green and bushy, then fail to flower.Cosmos are available in various shades of pink, yellow and cream, along with white. Perfect cottage garden blooms!Hollyhocks (can be annual or biennial)Full sun.A classic cottage garden flower. It’s tall and vigorous with blooms in white, pink or cream. Hollyhocks can sometimes have a mind of their own. Gardeners have often told me that they’ve struggled to grow hollyhocks. Then suddenly hollyhocks start to spring up on their driveway or in the cracks of pavers.You can get single flowered hollyhocks and double-flowered ones. Only the single flowered ones benefit pollinators.They can grow to 6ft/2m tall so may need staking.A hollyhock in the Abbey Physic Garden in Faversham. The soft colours and frilly flowers make it a beautifully romantic cottage garden plant.Cleome (Spider flowers)Full sun or light shadeCleomes aren’t as well known as cosmos or hollyhocks, but they are striking, pollinator-friendly flowers. They have spidery blooms in deep pink, pale pink or white.Although cleomes are tall (3ft/1m), they are upright and don’t usually need supports. It doesn’t need fertilizer and can be very drought-resistant. Resistant to most pests and diseases.Cleomes and salvias in the Savill Garden near Windsor. The cleomes are the taller, spidery flowers. They’re long-lasting and dramatic.Foxgloves (biennial)Partial shadeFoxgloves have spires of flowers in white, pink, purple, white or cream in early summer.They’re toxic to both humans and pets, so if you are worried about either nibbling plants in your garden, then don’t plant them. Most pets know what to nibble though. See how to puppy-proof your garden.Foxgloves often self-seed easily and need very little attention. If you cut the first big spire of flowers off when it is over, you should be rewarded by a spray of smaller spires.Foxgloves are another popular cottage garden plant. The spires add spikes of colour in early summer. They are toxic so be careful around children and pets.Best cottage garden plants for warmer climatesMost of the plants in this post will grow well in warmer climates, but some will not like temperatures that are regularly above 30C/100F or never freeze. If you don’t need a winter coat and spend most of your life in a T shirt instead of a sweater, you probably won’t be able to grow tulips, daffodils, delphiniums or hydrangeas!However, some popular cottage garden plants grow as perennials in warmer climates and are re-planted annually in cooler climates. Mix them with local native plants as Bill Bampton of The Diggers Club does in Cottage Garden Mash-up – how to adapt English cottage garden style to your own climate.SalviaFull sun or partial shadeSalvias come from Mexico and grow well in climates which rarely freeze in winter. They can tolerate hot summers and drought.However, if you see a salvia growing in the UK, you’ll see lots of bees enjoying the nectar. They’re proof that non-native flowers can be valuable to wildlife.There are 900 different types of salvia in a very wide range of different colours. There are some vivid pinks and purples, pastel pinks and creams plus bi-coloured salvias.Read the UK’s top expert on growing salvias here. Those in cooler climates will probably have to replant salvias every year.  But they flower for months at a time. See 18 long flowering perennials that bloom from summer until the first frost.Plants such as rosemary and sage have recently been re-classified as salvias. They are perfect cottage garden herbs.Salvias are quite tender and if your winters freeze regularly you will either have to lift and store them or plant again from new. But they are amongst the longest-flowering perennials and perfect for a cottage garden.Best cottage garden treesEvery cottage garden should have a fruit tree!  You may want to choose something unusual, such as a quince or a medlar tree. A native fruit tree is always a good choice.But a simple apple or crab apple tree will give you flowers in spring and fruit in autumn/fall. You can enjoy this or share it with wildlife by leaving it on the tree.See An Orchard in Your Garden for tips on growing fruit trees in a small garden.Crab apple trees on either side of a vintage gate. These are Malus hupehensis and birds adore the tiny red fruits at the end of summer.Pin to remember the best cottage garden plantsAnd do join us. See here for a free weekly email with more gardening tips, ideas and inspiration.  Source link

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November 10th, 2024 Posted In: Garden Style & Living The best cottage garden plants have pretty blooms. They flower for a long time and are often fragrant. And above all, they are plants which grow well in your climate and soil.But there are no rules in cottage garden style. You can adopt a colour theme as Tim Pilgrim has in this contemporary cottage garden.Or you can grow a glorious patchwork of different flowers together.You can plan a cottage garden, but you don’t have to. You can let it evolve, experimenting over time. If you love to buy plants on impulse, then this style is perfect for you.So this is a list of the best cottage garden plants, with their pros and cons. They all have charming flowers, some are sweetly scented and they’re all perfect for pollinators. That’s not just bees but butterflies, moths and other insects.These plants grow in a wide range of climates and zones, so you’re likely to have a variety available to you.Firstly, decide whether you want a low maintenance cottage garden, a romantic ‘cottagecore’ haven or you’re prepared to spend time and effort on creating a classic cottage garden.What makes a garden a cottage garden?Cottage garden style is colourful and relaxed. It has informal plantings of flowers, fruit and vegetables. See what is cottage garden style and how to achieve it?The name derives from the idea that workers in cottages would use plants they could grow cheaply and easily. This can mean choosing native plants. It certainly means using plants that grow easily.Cottage gardens don’t need defined areas. Whereas English country garden style will have lawns, herbaceous borders and a separate ‘veg patch’, everything can be grown together in a cottage garden.A cottage garden doesn’t look designed. It evolves slowly, with vintage finds and thrifty hand-me-downs. Paths, pots, troughs, arches and other landscaping elements are recycled or upcycled. See A Rustic Cottage Garden on A Budget , Recycled Garden Ideas from RHS Chelsea and Eco-Friendly Garden Design for ideas.You could also use natural materials, such as stone or wood, for furniture and hardscaping elements.Recycled zinc bins and pavers with thrifty vintage garden furniture in Arit Anderson’s peat-free show garden at RHS Hampton CourtWhat are the most ‘cottagecore’ flowers?‘Cottagecore’ is a social media term. It stands for a simple, rustic life where you grow your own food, bake your own bread and make home-made clothes. It’s a lifestyle ideal around simplicity, sustainability and biodiversity.The hashtag #cottagecore on social media is  associated with pretty cottages, romantic floral dresses and other picturesque rural elements such as keeping hens or ducks.All the plants in this post have charming ‘cottagecore’ flowers. But if you want to emphasize the ‘cottagecore’ ethos, combine flowers and veg growing and make sure your garden supports biodiversity.Find out which plants are native to your area, too, as these will support your local wildlife best.However, non-native plants can also support biodiversity, especially when weather patterns are unexpected. For example, some non-native plants flower earlier or later than your native plants. This helps pollinators if there is warm weather earlier or later than usual.So ‘grow native plants’ isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ rule.Old bricks, a pretty gate and ducks – elements of ‘cottagecore’ style.Asters (asters & symphyotrichum)Hardiness varies, but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Asters are daisy-like flowers in blue, pink, red, white or purple, perfect for the cottage garden look. Botanists have recently re-classified them into several different, unrelated species. But the common name for them all is still asters.‘Symphyotrichum’ asters are native to many parts of the Americas. Plants with the botanic name of ‘Aster’ are European, UK and Asian natives. There are other species too.If you want to focus on native plants, look up the asters that are native you where you are. Otherwise, both asters and symphyotrichum are pretty, easy-grow plants that flower for a long period from summer to the first frosts.They’re a good flower for pollinators at the end of the season when many other flowers are over.Aster amellus ‘King George’ has pretty blue flowers. It starts flowering in summer and goes on flowering until the first frosts.HoneysuckleHardiness varies, some down to minus 29C/minus 20F. Dappled or partial shade.A classic cottage garden climbing plant, but do your research before planting one! There are nearly 200 species of honeysuckle. Different varieties are native to north America, northern Europe or Asia.Some honeysuckle varieties may be invasive where you are, so check the name carefully. Some Asian honeysuckles can be very invasive in parts of the USA and Canada, for example. That means that they will spread too quickly, which will crowd out other plants. This can be damaging to biodiversity.However, there will be a honeysuckle for where you live.The honeysuckle fragrance is famous, but not all honeysuckles are scented. Check that too.And some honeysuckles will grow and grow. Unless you’re happy to prune back several times a year, check the eventual height and size.Honeysuckle comes in white, cream, yellow or gold. This yellow honeysuckle is native to North America, but grows well in the UK too.PoppiesThe seed of Common Poppies can survive very cold temperatures, such as minus 50C/minus 60F but they need the weather to warm up before they sprout and flower.  Full sun or partial shade.Poppies are famous for popping up when the soil has been disturbed. If you dig a new bed, turning over the soil for the first time for years, you’re likely to get poppies the following summer.That’s why so many poppies appeared in the fields after World War 1. They germinated where the soil had been turned by tires or dug up in trenches.There are dozens of different types of poppy, all good for a cottage garden. But the best known is the Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), mainly available in scarlet and light purple/pink.They are particularly loved by pollinators. I often find two or three bees sharing one poppy flower.Grow Common Poppies from seed. You can either sow them in trays and plant them out or scatter the seed directly on the ground.Poppies self-seed well. They seem to prefer to self-seed – they want to decide where they will grow! Once you have them in your garden, they will dot themselves around.The common poppy grows every year from seed. The seed heads look good in winter.See this post for more self-seeding plants – all 20 are so pretty and perfect for a cottage garden.Low maintenance perennials for a cottage gardenIf you want low maintenance cottage garden plants, then choose shrubs and perennials. They need less work than annuals and bedding plants.Annuals are plants that grow from seed, flower and die in one year.Perennials are plants that live in your garden for three years or more. See perennials made simple for advice from Rosy Hardy of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants.And here are three top long-flowering, easy-care perennials for cottage gardens.Catmint (Nepeta)Very hardy – down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Drought resistant, deer and slug resistant, easy going, long flowering…this must be one of the easiest plants to grow. It flowers for weeks from mid-summer onwards. If you cut it back when the blooms fade, it will start flowering again. It grows in almost any soil, is loved by pollinators and comes in shades of blue, white or lavender.Nepeta is often recommended as an easier alternative to lavender. Lavender isn’t difficult to grow. However, nepeta will tolerate wet weather and lavender hates getting its feet wet.Catmint (nepeta) in the gardens in the famous West Dean Gardens in Sussex.Globe thistle (Echinops)Hardy down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun.Another easy-growing plant which is drought-resistant, deer and slug resistant and with a long season of interest.The sculptural blue or white globe thistle flowers make this one of the best plants for pollinators. And when the blooms are over, they develop seedheads for the birds.Once established, globe thistle needs almost no care. Once the birds have enjoyed the seeds, the stems will slowly collapse over winter and can be cleared away easily in spring. New foliage will spring from the base.Globe thistle (Echinops) is a magnet for pollinators. And the birds will enjoy the seedheads in winter. A cottage garden plant with a long season of interest.Hardy geraniumsHardiness varies but some hardy down to minus 29C/minus 20F. Full sun, partial shade and some varieties full shade.Don’t be confused by the brightly coloured bedding plants labelled ‘geraniums’ for sale in garden centres in summer. Those are called pelargoniums. They won’t survive any freezing weather outside.But there are nearly 500 different varieties of hardy geranium. Some like full sun, others are perfect woodland ground cover plants. Many are drought resistant once established. Geranium macrorrhizum (Cranesbill) is even good in dry shade and difficult conditions under trees.They flower for months with blooms in pinks, reds, purple or white. They’re deer and rabbit-resistant.The only care hardy geraniums need is to be cut back once a year after flowering. Then they will often flower again.Hardy geraniums, such as ‘Anne Folkard’ can be sprawling plants or you can find low-growing ground cover varieties.When are cottage gardens high maintenance?A cottage garden generally has lots of different plants and flowers in it. This may mean that there are lots of different caring schedules – you’ll be pruning, feeding, watering or dead-heading at different times.Some people enjoy looking after their gardens, so ‘high maintenance’ isn’t always a bad thing. But if you want the cottage garden to be low maintenance, plant perennials, shrubs and trees.Annuals and vegetables are the high maintenance elements in a cottage garden.The following cottage gardens plants are delightfully pretty. But they are ‘high maintenance.’ This doesn’t mean they’re ‘difficult to grow’. It means they will need regular attention.Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus)Annuals (grown from seed every year) so can be grown in most temperate climates. Full sun in cooler climates, light shade in warmer places.Probably the most famous ‘cottage garden plant.’ But also the one that requires the most attention, sadly! The blooms are adorably pretty in colours such as pink , purple, blue or white. The scent is delightful and the fragrance from a vase of sweet peas will fill a room.You’ll need to train sweet peas up a support, water them, dead-head them constantly and protect them from rodents.None of these tasks are difficult, but it isn’t a plant that can be left to its own devices. If you want a low maintenance garden, then don’t plant sweet peas.Everlasting sweet peas are less work and come back every year, but they don’t have the fragrance.I know so few people who grow sweet peas that I only have a photo of them in a vase. They are the most beautiful, fragrant cottage garden plants, but they do need regular attention.LupinsThere are some very cold hardy lupins but many lupins you buy in garden centres won’t come back year after year. Full sun.Some experts suggest treating lupins as an annual or short-lived perennial, although the original cottage garden lupins were both cold hardy and long-lived. But the gorgeous new cultivars are less likely to survive over winter in your garden.In the UK, the milder winters mean that lupins may survive, but gardeners often report disappointment. They are also prone to slug damage.They are stunningly beautiful cottage garden staples in blues, yellows, reds, purples or white.Lupins are classic cottage garden plants. Their spikes add fireworks to any border, but they do need more care than many other border plants.TulipsTulips grow best in areas with cold winters and can survive down to minus 40C/minus 40F. However if you have hot summers and mild winters, then tulips may not grow as well. Full sun or part shade.Tulips have all the gorgeous drama that makes a cottage garden.But in many gardens, they don’t come back year after year. And Head Gardener Neil Miller of Hever Castle says that tulips flower best in their first year. Read his advice on growing tulips here.My garden is full of odd tulips in different sizes and colours. That’s because I planted a group of them in a certain colour scheme, and just one remains. Then I planted a different colour scheme another year. And only one  or two of those survived. It looks pretty and cottagey, but if you want a particular effect, it’s best to grow your tulips from new every year.They’re easy to grow in pots. But they don’t reliably come back in borders. Tulips may get tulip fire after a very wet winter or spring.These mixed tulips in my lawn are pretty, but they are all different sizes and colours. Tulips don’t come back reliably, so these are the remnants of several planting schemes over the years!Delphiniums (sometimes called larkspur, although true larkspur is different)Hardiness varies but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun.Delphinium blooms are vibrant spires in purple, red, blue or white. They are probably the most striking and gorgeous flowers for any cottage or ‘English country’ garden.But they need looking after. They need feeding, staking and protecting from slugs. They don’t want too much competition. They need enough water, but not too much.None of this is difficult but you can’t just plant delphiniums and leave them to get on with it. You need to look after them on an almost daily basis.Any list of cottage garden plants will include delphiniums, such as this blue delphinium at Doddington Place Gardens. They are gorgeous but they are not low maintenance.Best cottage gardens bulbs & tubersDaffodils/narcissiHardy down to minus 20C/minus 4F. Not suitable for climates with hot summers and mild winters. Full sun or partial shade.Daffodils, also called narcissi, are probably the easiest bulbs to grow. Many of them will spread and they come back year after year.Plant them in a lawn for a romantic cottage garden look. But remember that you won’t be able to mow the lawn until six weeks after the flowers have faded.All bulbs need about six weeks of sun on their leaves in order to make their flowers for next year. So if you mow too soon, you will lose next year’s blooms.There’s more about growing and choosing daffodils here.One good place to plant them is under trees and shrubs that lose their leaves in winter. By the time the leaves are back, the daffodil will be almost ready to go dormant again. See where to plant bulbs.Daffodils are the easiest bulbs to grow. They come back reliably year after year and even spread. These were planted over 30 years ago, so I don’t know their name!AlliumsHardiness varies but some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or light shade.Alliums have striking blue, white or purple pom-pom blooms. These add punctuation points to a cottage garden border. In some places, they’ll self-seed easily, popping up in unexpected places. Another very popular flower for pollinators.Deer, rabbits, squirrels and voles don’t like the taste of onion. Alliums are the decorative side of the onion family, so pests leave them alone. Super easy and very resilient, alliums flower in early summer. The seed heads offer sculptural interest for several months afterwards. The foliage dies away by mid-summer.Alliums (this is ‘Purple Sensation’) keep their distinctive shapes after the flower colour has gone. So they are a presence in the garden for around three months from early summer.Alstromerias (also known as alstroemerias)Hardiness varies, some down to minus 10C/14F. Full sun or light shade.Easy to grow and long flowering. See alstromeria grower Ben Cross’s advice in how to grow alstromerias for endless flowers. The red and orange blooms are taller – if you want the more delicate shades, they’ll be shorter. Plant in the front of a border.Alstromerias can spread too vigorously in some areas. If they’re invasive in your area, they grow well in pots.They are very good flowers for the vase but always twist and pull the stem out. Never cut an alstromeria!Best cottage garden shrubsLavenderHardiness varies but most ‘English lavender’ hardy down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Full sun.Lavender loves sunlight. It’s a Mediterranean plant but ‘English lavender’ will grow well in colder climates, as long as they are fairly dry. It’s another pollinator magnet and has magnificent fragrance.You can get lavender in several shades of blue and purple, and also white.I had bushes of Lavender ‘Munstead’ in the garden for 15 years. They only needed cutting back once a year, after flowering. Otherwise they were almost maintenance free. I cut my lavender back much harder than many people advise. It keeps it in good shape. See The Absolutely Best Way to Prune Lavender.My lavender ‘Munstead’. It flowers in summer, after which we cut it into neat mounds.RosesHardiness varies but many hardy down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Full sun, partial shade and a few grow in shade.Roses are the most famous cottage garden plant of all. You can grow roses round arches, arbours and pergolas. You can grow them in pots. And you can grow them in a mixed border.Some roses have fragrance and others do not. If the blooms have an open centre, they’re good for pollinators. But the double-flowered ones are less beneficial.There are more than thirty thousand different varieties of roses. You can find roses for very cold climates and roses for hotter climates. But you’ll get the biggest choice of roses if your winters are no colder than minus 28C/minus 20F and your summers average below 30C/100F.Roses can be low maintenance or high maintenance, depending on what you want. If you insist on perfect blooms without black spot on the leaf or aphids, then you will have to keep fussing over them.However, if you accept imperfection, you can enjoy beautiful roses in your garden without too much work. They will need fertilising once or twice a year and will flower best if you deadhead them regularly. See how to grow roses and how to choose roses for an obelisk, arch, fence or pergola.The archetypal cottage garden flower – roses! Here at the Peter Beales rose garden in Norfolk, there are roses on arbours, arches, fences and obelisks, as well as in borders and climbing up walls. Roses mix well with other cottage garden plants, such as foxgloves.HydrangeasHardiness varies, generally down to minus 28C/minus 20F. Also some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Shade or partial shade.Hydrangeas are easy-going plants that grow well in shade. Some varieties are good for pollinators but the ‘mop head’ varieties (with a round flower) don’t offer pollen or nectar. If you want pollinator-friendly hydrangeas, check the variety before buying.Hydrangeas flower from mid to late summer. Then their flowers slowly dry on the stem and turn into autumn shades of brown and cream. Some hydrangeas, such as ‘Annabelle’, stay sculptural all through the winter and look magnificent with frost on them. So these plants offer a long season of interest.See everything you need to know about growing hydrangeas.Hydrangeas are very easy-care. They need watering in dry summers, but otherwise all they need is to be pruned once a year in spring. Not all hydrangeas are wildlife friendly, but this hydrangea flower is called ‘lace-cap’ and offers benefits to pollinators.Best cottage garden perennialsMonarda (bee balm)Hardiness varies, some down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or partial shade.Another easy-care, deer resistant plant although it can get some slug and snail damage. Popular with pollinators such as butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. The striking spidery blooms come in brilliant, jewel red, pin or purple and also white.Monardas won’t like long droughts or boggy conditions.The unusual spidery flower of monarda (bee balm) attracts bees and hummingbirds.Verbena bonariensis (tall verbena)If your winters go below minus 17C/0F, then you’ll need to grow verbena bonariensis as an annual. Full sun.Butterflies and bees both adore the purple flowers and birds love the seeds. A tall ‘see-through’ plant with slender stems and blooms which last from mid-late summer to the first frosts. Best planted in clumps – you’ll hardly be able to see just one verbena bonariensis.Verbena bonariensis is generally considered slug-resistant, deer resistant and easy care. You can leave the flowers to turn into winter seed heads for the birds and they look good in frost.Verbena bonariensis is a short-lived perennial. If you have colder winters, you will probably need to grow it as an annual. A clump of verbena bonariensis creates a mass of see-through stems topped by a cloud of purple.Sedum/stonecrop (now hylotelephium)Hardiness varies but some hardy down to minus 40C/minus 40F. Full sun or light shadeSedum (now hylotelephium) is one of the 10 resilient plants in 10 beautiful but tough perennials which will survive both too wet and too dry summers.I find Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ to be extra-ordinarily resilient. It can get nibbled by slugs. But I picked up a stem that had been nibbled by a slug and put it into a vase. I forgot about it and two months later, I realised it had grown roots. So I planted it in the soil. It’s grown into a proper plant!And when you look at ‘Autumn Joy’ in bloom, you will see the flowers are crowded with pollinators of lots of different types and sizes, all enjoying the nectar.Sedum (now hylotelephium) ‘Autumn Joy’ is on the bottom right of this photo. A superbly resilient plant for late summer and autumn/fall. Adored by pollinators.Best cottage garden annuals & biennialsAnnuals grow from seed every year so you don’t always need to know about hardiness.Biennials grow from seed, flower, set seed and die over two years.Many people plant their annuals from seed in the autumn/fall so that their plants have a head start the following summer. If you’re doing this, you’ll need to check whether you can plant them outside over the winter.You can also grow the seedlings in a greenhouse or potting shed until spring comes. When temperatures and light levels are low, plants don’t grow much.Annuals and biennials have lots of flowers and come in a wonderful range of colours. They’re perfect for filling gaps or creating a gorgeous display. But they are more work. You have to sow the seed and/or plant the seedlings. Then you may have to support them, feed, water and deadhead them, then clear them away at the end of summer.CosmosFull sun or partial shade.One of the prettiest and most popular cottage garden annuals. I find them easy to grow. One warning, however! Don’t give them extra fertilizer!Most plants flower more if you fertilize them. But cosmos will grow green and bushy, then fail to flower.Cosmos are available in various shades of pink, yellow and cream, along with white. Perfect cottage garden blooms!Hollyhocks (can be annual or biennial)Full sun.A classic cottage garden flower. It’s tall and vigorous with blooms in white, pink or cream. Hollyhocks can sometimes have a mind of their own. Gardeners have often told me that they’ve struggled to grow hollyhocks. Then suddenly hollyhocks start to spring up on their driveway or in the cracks of pavers.You can get single flowered hollyhocks and double-flowered ones. Only the single flowered ones benefit pollinators.They can grow to 6ft/2m tall so may need staking.A hollyhock in the Abbey Physic Garden in Faversham. The soft colours and frilly flowers make it a beautifully romantic cottage garden plant.Cleome (Spider flowers)Full sun or light shadeCleomes aren’t as well known as cosmos or hollyhocks, but they are striking, pollinator-friendly flowers. They have spidery blooms in deep pink, pale pink or white.Although cleomes are tall (3ft/1m), they are upright and don’t usually need supports. It doesn’t need fertilizer and can be very drought-resistant. Resistant to most pests and diseases.Cleomes and salvias in the Savill Garden near Windsor. The cleomes are the taller, spidery flowers. They’re long-lasting and dramatic.Foxgloves (biennial)Partial shadeFoxgloves have spires of flowers in white, pink, purple, white or cream in early summer.They’re toxic to both humans and pets, so if you are worried about either nibbling plants in your garden, then don’t plant them. Most pets know what to nibble though. See how to puppy-proof your garden.Foxgloves often self-seed easily and need very little attention. If you cut the first big spire of flowers off when it is over, you should be rewarded by a spray of smaller spires.Foxgloves are another popular cottage garden plant. The spires add spikes of colour in early summer. They are toxic so be careful around children and pets.Best cottage garden plants for warmer climatesMost of the plants in this post will grow well in warmer climates, but some will not like temperatures that are regularly above 30C/100F or never freeze. If you don’t need a winter coat and spend most of your life in a T shirt instead of a sweater, you probably won’t be able to grow tulips, daffodils, delphiniums or hydrangeas!However, some popular cottage garden plants grow as perennials in warmer climates and are re-planted annually in cooler climates. Mix them with local native plants as Bill Bampton of The Diggers Club does in Cottage Garden Mash-up – how to adapt English cottage garden style to your own climate.SalviaFull sun or partial shadeSalvias come from Mexico and grow well in climates which rarely freeze in winter. They can tolerate hot summers and drought.However, if you see a salvia growing in the UK, you’ll see lots of bees enjoying the nectar. They’re proof that non-native flowers can be valuable to wildlife.There are 900 different types of salvia in a very wide range of different colours. There are some vivid pinks and purples, pastel pinks and creams plus bi-coloured salvias.Read the UK’s top expert on growing salvias here. Those in cooler climates will probably have to replant salvias every year.  But they flower for months at a time. See 18 long flowering perennials that bloom from summer until the first frost.Plants such as rosemary and sage have recently been re-classified as salvias. They are perfect cottage garden herbs.Salvias are quite tender and if your winters freeze regularly you will either have to lift and store them or plant again from new. But they are amongst the longest-flowering perennials and perfect for a cottage garden.Best cottage garden treesEvery cottage garden should have a fruit tree!  You may want to choose something unusual, such as a quince or a medlar tree. A native fruit tree is always a good choice.But a simple apple or crab apple tree will give you flowers in spring and fruit in autumn/fall. You can enjoy this or share it with wildlife by leaving it on the tree.See An Orchard in Your Garden for tips on growing fruit trees in a small garden.Crab apple trees on either side of a vintage gate. These are Malus hupehensis and birds adore the tiny red fruits at the end of summer.Pin to remember the best cottage garden plantsAnd do join us. See here for a free weekly email with more gardening tips, ideas and inspiration.  Source link

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How to Properly Manage Waste: 10 Effective Ways to Protect Our Environment

 Waste management is a critical issue facing our planet today. Improper disposal of waste not only leads to pollution but also wastes valuable resources. The good news is that each of us can make a big difference by adopting simple yet effective waste management practices in our daily lives. Here are 10 ways to properly manage waste and reduce your environmental impact:

1.Reduce Waste at the Source: Reducing waste begins with mindful purchasing and consumption. Choose products with minimal packaging or buy in bulk to decrease plastic waste. Avoid single-use items like straws, plastic cutlery, and bottled drinks whenever possible.

2. Practice Recycling: Separate recyclables like paper, glass, and plastic, follow local recycling guidelines, and clean items necessary to avoid contamination.

3. Composting Organic Waste; Compost organic waste like food scraps and yard trimmings to create nutrient-rich soil and reduce methane emissions. Use a small compost bin or Join community composting programs if you don't have a garden.

4. Avoid Disposable Products: Reduce waste by using reusable items like cloth napkins, towels, and travel mugs instead of disposables like paper towels and plastic cups.

5. Donate Unwanted Items: Donate unwanted clothes, electronics, or furniture to reduce waste and help others. Many organizations offer pick-up services for larger items.

6. Repurpose and Upcycle: Turn old items like jars or clothes into new, useful things to reduce waste and spark creativity.

7. Buy Sustainable Products: Choose eco-friendly products made from recycled materials and support ethical brands.

8. Educate on Waste Management: Share tips and facts about proper waste disposal to raise awareness and promote collective action.

9. Reduce E-Waste: Recycle or donate old electronics to prevent toxic waste and reduce environmental harm.

10. Buy Less, Choose Wisely: Avoid impulse purchases by opting for durable, high-quality items that reduce waste.