English country garden design is incredibly romantic. It’s whimsical and charming, and it can make you feel as though you’re living out your very own Jane Austen fantasy.
Is it easy to pull off?
It totally can be as long as you know what you’re doing. It’s an iconic look that, with a bit of space, proper planning, and the right amount of boldness on your part, can transform your garden into something special, timeless, and lush.
So join Lazy Susan as we take a look at a few tips and sources of inspiration for your very own English country garden design.
Don’t be scared of mixing things up
When it comes to English country gardens, the trick is to mix things up. By this, we mean combining taller plants with shorter ones, red flowers with green ones - that sort of thing.
When everything is uniform and too similar, it looks too plain — and that isn’t what an English country garden is all about.
Our suggestion is that you don’t get bogged down with overthinking things too much. Be a bit carefree and daring with your decision-making. Let your imagination run wild and see what you can come up with.
Don’t forget the meandering path!
English country garden design hinges on a bit of eccentricity mixed with forward-thinking and lots of tradition
And one of the biggest traditional aspects of an English country garden is the meandering path.
A meandering path is easier to pull off if you have a fairly large garden, of course. But even if your garden doesn’t appear to be too large, you can still make a meandering path work.
Just remember that your path should take you on a tour of sorts around your different flowers and shrubs so that anytime you go to water your plants, it’s always lots of fun.
Go for a garden gate
Another hallmark of an English country garden is the gate. You can use a gateway to create a “secret garden” look or you can be a bit more down to earth with it.
Whatever you decide to do, a gate can help to give your garden a bit of magic dust. It makes things that bit more enchanting.
What’s more, there are different kinds of gates you can go for, including stone arches, fretwork panels — or the traditional wooden gate.
You could even create a gateway without a gate! It’s entirely up to you.
Don’t forget a whimsical slate sign, of course.
Create a garden bed
A garden bed is the raison d’être for an English country garden. It brings your garden to life, adding colour, vitality, and lots of different scents.
Plus, a bed can attract honeybees, which are always a delight on those hot summer days.
The denser and richer your garden bed is, the better. But what flowers should you choose?
For English country gardens, it’s typical to add the likes of roses, lavenders, poppies, foxgloves, and tulips.
Peony is a good option, too, as is the hydrangea.
The thing with a garden bed is that no decision ever needs to be final. Even once you’ve created it, you can still edit it until you’ve got the right look that screams “Englishness” to you.
Invest in garden furniture
If you’re planning to entertain in your garden, as well as spend some time relaxing by yourself or with your partner, you’ll need to choose the right tables and chairs that suit your tastes — and which also fit an English country garden.
You can make a bold statement with metal outdoor furniture or you could choose to take a more subtle approach with wicker furniture. You could go for something cosy or something a bit more outrageous.
What’s more, you have a few different choices, including the high-grade cast aluminium furniture handmade by us at Lazy Susan that doesn’t rust or rot, and which is weather and UV-resistant.
You can also opt for natural rattan furniture, although you’ll need to spend more time maintaining it while making sure it doesn’t get left outside in inclement weather.
Wood furniture is another option for English country gardens but one of its biggest disadvantages is that even high-quality wood furniture, such as teak or white oak, isn’t UV-resistant. This means that the sun’s rays can cause discolouration over time.
Use hedges to create separate areas
Another traditional aspect of English country gardens is tall, large bushes. You can use this to complement your meandering paths, as well as create different areas in your garden.
For example, you could set a bench against a large bush and create an entertaining space behind it.
Hedges work especially well as walls, which allow you to divide up your garden and properly plan each section. Just make sure you trim them regularly so as to maintain the right look.
Final Thoughts...
These are some tips and inspirational ideas for your English country garden design. We hope you have lots of fun planning it and let your imagination run wild.
Our other advice to you is that you shouldn’t hold back. Be a bit lavish with your colour combos to create a striking look that gives your garden some pizzazz.
And roses — don’t forget the roses!