Cottage garden style is often described as gardening in a way that uses informal design, traditional materials, dense plantings, and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. For me it is the easiest, cheapest and most forgiving way to make a beautiful and diverse garden.

Cottage garden plants are valued for their versatility – they may be edible, repeat flowering or scented, and will attract pollinating insects, birds and other wildlife into the garden.

In my own cottage garden I grow informal climbers, bulbs, spreading perennials and self-seeding annuals amongst trees and shrubs for all year round colour and interest.

My vegetable beds are planted with annual flowers to attract pollinators and in the borders spaces will always be found for new additions, leaving little or no room for weeds.

Another feature of my cottage garden is the use of recycled materials. Anything goes – we cottage gardeners enjoy being thrifty and creative by turning everyday objects into useful and decorative additions to our gardens.

My greenhouse and sheds are full of old kitchen and household items and car boot finds that will find new a life here with either a decorative or practical use outdoors – more of which I will show you later. For more about cottage gardening, please go to the website of The Cottage Garden Society: www.thecgs.org.uk