25 Lovely Flowers That Belong in Every Cottage Garden
If you dream of a garden that looks like it belongs in a fairytale, a classic cottage garden might be the perfect style for you.
Filled with beautiful flowers that bloom in a variety of shapes and colors, this garden style brings a touch of old-world charm and elegance to any outdoor space.
These 25 flowers are ideal for creating a cottage garden, with blooms that add color, fragrance, and a natural, carefree look that defines this beloved garden style.
Explore these floral options to start your own enchanting cottage garden.
Pansies
Pansies thrive in cool weather, making them a perfect choice for early spring or fall gardens. Their cheerful, bright faces come in many colors, adding a playful touch to flower beds and containers.
They grow well in partial shade and moist soil, bringing a pop of color that lifts the mood. You might find their charm hard to resist during the cooler months.
Larkspur
Larkspur brings a touch of elegance to any garden with its tall, slender spikes covered in colorful blooms. Growing well from seeds sown in fall, it graces gardens with a burst of blue, pink, or white flowers before the summer heat arrives.
The plant’s delicate appearance makes it ideal for cottage gardens or cut flower arrangements. The soft hues bring a soothing effect to garden landscapes.
Cardinal Flower
Cardinal flower brightens damp areas with its stunning red blooms, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. This native perennial loves moist soil and partial shade, making it a natural choice for waterside plantings.
The dramatic, tall spikes add a bold statement to garden borders. Its vivid color brings life to spaces often overlooked.
Signet Marigold
Signet marigold displays bright yellow or orange blooms with finely-cut foliage, bringing a cheerful look to any garden. Thriving in full sun, this plant tolerates drought well, making it an easy choice for summer.
Its compact size works beautifully in borders or containers, adding a touch of sunshine wherever you plant it. The scent of the foliage adds a fresh, herbal note to the garden.
English Daisy
English daisy brings a touch of classic charm with its bright blooms, featuring yellow centers and white, pink, or red petals. Growing well in full sun to partial shade, it offers a low-maintenance option for borders and lawns.
The small blooms bring a sweet, nostalgic feel to gardens and provide lovely accents in floral arrangements. Its cheerful presence brightens any green space.
English Lavender
English lavender brings a calming presence to any garden with its gray-green foliage and purple blooms. The plant thrives in full sun and well-draining soil, adding a touch of Mediterranean charm.
The fragrant flowers attract bees, supporting pollinators while filling the air with their soothing scent. You’ll find its versatile nature perfect for borders, herb gardens, or dried arrangements.
Phlox
Phlox adds bursts of color with its clusters of flowers that bloom throughout summer, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Thriving in sunny locations, it works well in borders or cottage gardens.
The bright blooms bring a joyful presence to the garden, varying in shades from white to pink to deep red. Its versatility makes it a popular choice for many garden styles.
Fountain Grass
Fountain grass showcases tall, graceful plumes that sway gently in the breeze, bringing movement and texture to the garden. Growing well in sunny spots, it adds year-round interest with its feathery flower heads.
The plant’s versatile nature allows for use in mass plantings, containers, or as an accent. The soft, arching foliage adds a touch of elegance wherever it's planted.
Foxglove
Foxglove stands tall with its towering spikes of bell-shaped flowers, which bloom in a variety of pastel hues. Thriving in light shade and well-drained soil, it adds vertical interest to gardens.
The elegant blooms attract pollinators while offering a fairytale-like appearance that blends well in cottage gardens. You’ll find its charm captivating with every glance.
Osteospermum
Osteospermum showcases daisy-like blooms in vibrant hues, bringing life to sunny borders or containers. The plant thrives in full sun, blooming profusely from summer to fall.
The petals may be smooth or spoon-shaped, adding textural interest to garden designs. You’ll appreciate its versatility and continuous color throughout the warmer months.
Sweet Pea
Sweet pea brings a delicate fragrance and romantic appearance to gardens with its pastel-colored blooms. Preferring cooler temperatures and full sun, it performs well in early spring.
The climbing nature of the plant makes it suitable for trellises or fences, adding vertical interest. The soft hues and gentle scent make it an enduring favorite for floral arrangements.
Climbing Roses
Climbing roses bring classic beauty to fences, trellises, and walls with their cascading blooms. The flowers come in a range of colors, from deep red to pale pink, creating a stunning display.
These hardy climbers enjoy full sun and rich soil, adding timeless elegance to cottage gardens. Their sweet fragrance fills the air, inviting you to linger a little longer outdoors.
Butterfly Bush
Butterfly bush brings life to the garden with its fuchsia, purple, yellow, or white flower spikes that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. This fast-growing shrub blooms from summer to fall, adding color and fragrance to the landscape.
Growing best in full sun, it provides a lively touch to borders or as a standalone focal point. You might find its presence irresistible to wildlife.
Lobularia
Lobularia creates a carpet of tiny white flowers that exude a sweet fragrance, brightening borders or containers. This annual thrives in full sun, adding continuous blooms from spring to fall.
The low-growing habit makes it ideal for edging or as a groundcover. The delicate flowers add a soft, airy texture to garden displays.
Peony
Peony brings joy to the garden year after year with its large, showy blooms in shades of pink, white, and red. The lush, fragrant flowers emerge in late spring, providing an eye-catching focal point.
These hardy perennials grow best in full sun and well-drained soil. Their classic beauty adds a touch of luxury to garden borders.
Beard Tongue
Beard tongue features tubular flowers in pink, purple, or white, offering a striking look to sunny borders. The blooms bring in hummingbirds and other pollinators, adding vitality to gardens.
Growing easily in full sun, it fits perfectly in rock gardens or as a complement to other perennials. The bright colors and unique shape catch the eye effortlessly.
Heliotrope
Heliotrope adds a touch of romance to the garden with its clusters of deep blue, purple, or white flowers that emit a sweet fragrance. This annual blooms in full to partial sun, providing a pop of color from spring through summer.
The plant’s attractive foliage and aromatic blooms make it perfect for garden borders or containers. Its scent invites you to enjoy the outdoors more often.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea brings bold clusters of blooms that vary in color depending on soil pH, ranging from blue to pink. Thriving in partial shade and well-drained soil, it brightens up shady spots in cottage gardens.
The large, round flower heads make a dramatic statement in borders or as cut flowers. The plant’s ability to change color adds a unique touch to garden designs.
Columbine
Columbine graces gardens with its unique, spurred blooms that come in a range of colors. This perennial grows well in partial shade, adding a touch of wildflower beauty to borders.
The elegant flowers attract pollinators, blending seamlessly into naturalistic or cottage garden settings. The intricate petals and bright hues create a captivating effect.
Hollyhock
Hollyhock stands out with its tall, sturdy stalks reaching up to 8 feet, covered in blooms from top to bottom. Growing well in sunny spots, it brings a touch of old-world charm to gardens.
The large, colorful flowers attract pollinators, adding life and movement to your outdoor space. You might enjoy how its towering presence makes a bold statement.
Scabiosa
Scabiosa adds a playful touch with its pincushion-like blooms that appear in shades of pink, blue, or white. Preferring full sun, this drought-tolerant perennial flowers until the first frost.
The unique flower shape brings an interesting texture to garden borders or containers. Its compact size and long blooming season make it a garden favorite.
Daylily
Daylily blooms profusely in midsummer, showcasing its trumpet-shaped flowers that last for a single day. This low-maintenance perennial tolerates poor soil and adapts well to various garden conditions.
The wide range of colors, from gold to deep red, brightens any garden space. Growing daylilies brings effortless beauty to sunny borders and mass plantings.
Forget-Me-Not
Forget-me-not blooms in clusters of tiny blue flowers, bringing a delicate charm to shady corners or woodland gardens. The dainty blooms appear in spring, adding a splash of color to early garden displays.
Thriving in moist, well-drained soil, it adds a natural touch to cottage gardens. The soft blue hues create a calming effect in the landscape.
Iris
Iris stands tall with its sword-like leaves and dramatic flowers in shades of blue, purple, yellow, and white. Growing well in both full sun and partial shade, it adds elegance to borders and water features.
The blooms attract pollinators, bringing a natural balance to the garden. Each variety adds a unique touch, from bearded to Siberian types, ensuring a lasting impact.
Flowering Tobacco
Flowering tobacco brings a fragrant touch to gardens with its long, tubular blooms in pink, white, red, or green. Preferring sun to part shade, it attracts hummingbirds and adds an old-fashioned charm.
The flowers emit a sweet fragrance, especially in the evening. Growing this plant brings a touch of classic elegance to any garden.