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14 cottage gardens that make us want to move to the countryside

Let's escape to the country.
Purpletop vervain flowers gathered by the cottage.
Photography: Simon Griffiths

There’s something undeniably charming about a cottage garden. The wild growing blooms, flowering shrubs and storybook potting sheds feel a world away from the pared-back and practical suburban Australian backyards that so many of us grew up with.

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If you’re thinking about turning your outdoor space into a cottage-style garden, selecting the right plants is key. Cottage gardens typically feature old-fashioned flowering plants such as poppies, daisies and sweet peas which, luckily, will still thrive in many Australian climates. If you have the space, vegetable patches, herb gardens, chicken coops and potting sheds are also lovely additions to these gardens.

  • Roses
  • Lavender
  • Daisies
  • Delphinium
  • Poppies
  • Pansies
  • Snapdragon
  • Sweet peas
  • Calendula
  • Flannel flower
  • Hydrangea
  • Larkspur
  • Hollyhocks
Cottage garden plants

With the right cottage garden plants, you can just as easily create a beautiful garden in a small courtyard as you can with a big block of land — and these 14 cottage gardens show us how.

14 inspiring cottage gardens

Pink Sedum flowers and lawn with pencil pines and gum trees.
(Photography: Simon Griffiths)

The luxury of time allowed this sprawling garden to become practically perfect.

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A cubby house and garden designed by Ashley James.
(Photography: Allie Aszodi)

This garden makeover saw a new cubby house created with romantic plantings to complement its pretty palette.

A country garden with a white weatherboard cottage and a dog sitting on a path.
(Photography: Martina Gemmola)

An ever-changing palette of flowers and foliage invites one to dive deeper into this cottage garden.

Pink roses in baskets under the wisteria covered pergola.
(Photography: Karl Rogers)

An overgrown garden found a new lease on life with a formal layout of ‘garden rooms’ that maximise views of the vineyards beyond.

English style country garden sweet peas and foxgloves.
(Photography: Claire Takacs)

Take a tour of this English-style country garden bursting with blooms.

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Timber bridge in garden
(Credits: Angus McRitchie)

Set in a picture-perfect spot, this garden’s rustic outdoor area makes even the chilliest of nights a toasty treat.

(Photography: Marcus Aucur)

Rambling roses and rustic arbours set the scene at this beautiful country house in Victoria.

An outdoor seating area surrounded by seasonal blooms and grasses.
(Photography: Martina Gemmola)

Wildflower meadows and water features complement this charming property.

stone cottage garden catmint
(Photography: Brigid Arnott)

Faced with an empty nest, two avid green thumbs made the move to a remote country property to create the garden of their dreams.

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Sandstone homestead in the Blue Mountains with a lush garden in the foreground featuring calla lilies, hydrangeas, acanthus and hippeastrum.
(Photography: Sue Stubbs)

Secluded walkways and secret spaces define this gorgeous garden.

(Photography: Abbie Melle)

Time, patience and a passion for overseas gardens inspire a magnificent Southern Highlands patch that has grown in tandem with its owners.

hobart-century-old-home-garden-hydrangeas
(Photography: Anjie Blair)

The restoration of this historic Hobart garden ensures it matches the home in spirit and style.

A white country cottage with an outdoor seating area.
(Photography: The Contented Nest)

A row of dilapidated cottages has become the most idyllic space for a designer to live and work.

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View of purple flowering plants in front of a white picket fence.
(Photographer: Jody D’Arcy)

A tranquil outdoor haven that brims with colour and romance.

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