A cottage garden is a charming, informal style of garden filled with colorful, often fragrant, and sometimes edible plants. These romantic and whimsical spaces evolved in England from the practical needs of their owners. Originally, they consisted of many useful plants, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and medicinal plants. 

Over time, cottage gardens have leaned in the direction of ornamentals, with a bounty of flowers for aesthetic appeal. Now, many gardeners still incorporate plants that are useful, with a mixture of those that are beautiful. Adding plants that deter pests, others that provide food, and those purely for pleasure is now the standard. 

The foundation of an enchanting cottage garden lies in its perennials. These are the plants that thrive year after year. They form a naturalistic bedrock for vegetables and other useful annuals. Here are some classic and nostalgic perennials to add to your cottage garden. 

Lavender

Attracts pollinators and repels some garden pests naturally.

With its soft gray-green foliage and purple flowers, lavender is an excellent cottage garden perennial. It offers a timeless, classic look that complements other traditional cottage plants. Its fine foliage and upright growth add structure among fuller, looser plants like roses and hydrangeas. 

Pollinators appreciate garden phlox for its ample nectar supply, especially in late summer. The blooms are sweetly fragrant and make excellent cut flowers if you like to bring your blooms indoors. This cold-hardy plant has the flowering power of an annual, with the staying power of a perennial. 

Hydrangea

Tolerates partial shade and pairs well with fruit trees.

You’ll never regret planting a hydrangea in your garden. These are staples and provide an intense amount of color to your space. They’re great for making a space feel enclosed and creating an impression of fullness. In dreamy shades of pink, purple, blue, and white, hydrangeas are cottage garden perennial perfection. 

Many hydrangeas tolerate partial shade, so they are flexible about location. If you need to fill in some space around a delicious fruit tree, this is great for the task. As an anchor plant or in the back of the border, hydrangeas add structure, softness, and a vintage vibe that suits your garden. 

Foxglove

Tall flower spikes provide food for bumblebees all summer.

Foxgloves are an iconic choice for a cottage garden perennial. Their tall, graceful spikes add height, movement, and structure. They pair wonderfully with softer, shrubbier plants like salvia. They have a timeless and whimsical look that lends to a traditional cottage aesthetic. 

I have a soft spot for bumblebees, and bumblebees adore foxgloves. Their bloom time crosses over from spring to summer, proving to be a valuable food source. While some are technically biennials, they self-sow nicely. Others are short-lived perennials, but these also self-sow. Be careful when working with these; they are poisonous. 

Yarrow

Adds airy texture while resisting deer and rabbits.

Yarrow is a beautiful and practical cottage garden perennial. Its soft, ferny foliage adds texture and airiness to borders. It mingles well with rounded blooms and taller flower spikes. It also creates a lovely naturalistic appearance. 

In addition to its ornamental value, yarrow is a pollinator magnet. It has a long blooming season, and once established, it’s almost invincible. Deer and rabbits won’t bother it due to its pungent aroma. As an herb, this perennial comes in handy as an anti-inflammatory and astringent. 

Catmint

Blooms in flushes all summer with soft blue flowers.

Catmint is an outstanding choice for a cottage garden perennial. It has an untamed beauty that embodies the romantic vibe of this garden style. With soft, billowy gray-green foliage and airy lavender-blue flower spikes, it feels like it came straight from a meadow. 

If you want a great pollinator attractor that blooms in flushes throughout the summer, catmint is perfection. The cool blue tones of its flowers complement pinks and yellows, and mingle wonderfully with roses and peonies. It’s incredibly low-maintenance and easy-going about its surroundings.

Woodland Salvia

Spiky flowers bloom from late spring to fall with little effort.

Woodland salvia is an excellent garden addition. It has a similar appearance to catmint. It’s a great pollinator plant and offers color and structure with little effort from the gardener. The spiky flowers add vertical interest to softer, rounded plants. 

The range of flower colors for perennial salvia includes red, pink, blue, purple, and white. If you consistently deadhead your salvia, it will bloom from late spring right up to the first frost. This member of the mint family has aromatic foliage that is unappealing to pests. 

Bee Balm

Thrives in sun but may get powdery mildew in shade.

Bee balm is an ideal cottage garden perennial that checks all the boxes. They have a wild and romantic charm, gorgeous, unique flowers, and tons of pollinator appeal. The unique, crown-like flowers and serrated foliage add a ton of texture to your borders. 

Bee balm is both practical and ornamental. As a member of the mint family, it has aromatic foliage that repels some pests, as well as deer and rabbits. Make sure to keep this plant in the sun, as it’s prone to powdery mildew if it gets too much shade. 

Foam Flower

Lobed leaves vary from green to bronze or burgundy hues.

Do you have some shaded areas in your garden where you’d like to plant some flowering perennials? Foam flower will be a lovely addition to your space. This perennial has a soft, delicate appearance that complements the layered, whimsical aesthetic of a cottage garden. 

The white, fluffy flower spikes are what earn foam flower its name. These pretty, airy blooms can also have a pink tint. It also has lobed, maple-like leaves that are sometimes variegated, while others are bronze or burgundy-tinted. They’re also good for pollinators and hold an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. 

Rose

Timeless, fragrant blooms perfect for climbing or cut flowers.

You absolutely must plant roses in your garden! These perennials are the quintessential cottage garden plant. Roses are classic and romantic with a timelessness that few flowers can capture. They embody every quality that aligns with this aesthetic. 

You can throw coneflowers into any open space, and they will work with their neighbors. They have a long bloom season, making them a wonderful nectar source for pollinators. Their seed heads are a source of nutrition for birds and other small animals in fall and winter. 

Peony

Needs space to avoid fungal problems and may need support.

Peonies have lush, romantic blooms and foliage, which makes them an ideal cottage garden perennial. They live for a long time, so they are excellent for building a flowering foundation. Their large, often fragrant blooms are wonderful for cutting and using in floral arrangements.

Though their bloom time is short, it is spectacular. The foliage is large and dramatic, and the shrubs can live for decades with proper care. Give them some space to grow; crowding can lead to fungal diseases. For double or heavy-blooming varieties, support is sometimes necessary.

Astilbe

Prefers moist shade and rewards with feathery summer plumes.

For those shaded spaces, astilbe is an excellent cottage garden perennial. It prefers moist soil, and rewards you with stunning, feathery plumes in late spring and early summer. Adding vintage charm, depth, and texture, astilbe is a perfect match for coral bells and other partial shade lovers. 

Astilbe isn’t appealing to deer and rabbits, but pollinators appreciate it. The flowers are colorful and showy, and the foliage is fernlike. Both contribute a ton of texture and personality.

Beardtongue

Tall flower spikes add height and last from spring to summer.

Beardtongues offer the perfect blend of beauty, resilience, and pollinator value. This makes them an excellent cottage garden perennial. They complement the layered and flower-filled style that defines this type of space. Tall, vertical flower spikes are long-lasting and add height and structure. 

Beardtongues look far more high-maintenance than they are. Once established, they are drought-tolerant and thrive in well-drained, sunny garden spaces. They can bloom from late spring until midsummer, depending on the variety. 

Delphinium

Loved by bees and butterflies, they are great for cutting gardens.

Delphiniums are an iconic perennial that belongs in any classic cottage garden. Their towering, romantic flower spikes in blues, purples, pinks, and whites add height and vertical interest. Their structure and height make them perfect for the background or a focal point in a layered space. 

These plants are as traditional in the English cottage garden as roses and foxgloves. They make incredible cut flowers, and bees and butterflies adore them. Keep in mind that tall varieties may require staking or support.