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Thursday, 17 December 2020

Choosing furniture for an English country garden

The romantic notion of an English country garden is something that attracts huge numbers of visitors to the stately homes of Britain every year, and there are some great open garden events that allow you to explore these to find inspiration for your own garden. The stunning planting scheme that mix flowers and foliage in a riot of delicate colour and texture. The seemingly haphazard flowerbeds that look as though they have been planted completely at random yet are the work of much careful planning, gloriously green, well cared for lawns and of course the carefully placed seating areas – they are something that many aspire to.

Whether you have a large or small garden, are based in the country or even in the heart of a big city there are elements of an English country garden that everyone can achieve in their own home.

What makes an English country garden?

There are two very distinct types of English country garden, the more formal type that is usually found in the grounds of a stately home or castle and the informal English cottage garden which people often imagine as the grounds of a cottage with a thatched roof. Whilst the first usually features carefully sculpted bushes, hedges and ornamental planting, the latter appears to be a much more haphazard arrangement of plants, with a mixture of colours, scents and with an emphasis on planting flowers that bloom throughout the summer offering a continual carpet of colour.

There are some key flowers that are often planted in a cottage garden, things like aquilegias (sometimes referred to as granny’s bonnets) which have an unusual shape and striking colours, Delphiniums and Lupins with their tall and rather heavy looking flower laden heads, honeysuckle and of course Lavender.

The key is to mix the colours, the heights and spread of the flowers and to plant in such a way that as one flower dies back other blooms in its place to offer the longest possible season of colour from your garden.

Enjoying your English country garden

An English country garden is a truly magnificent space to enjoy and this doesn’t simply mean spending time out there gardening. A good garden is a great place to relax and unwind, whether you are great the morning with that all important first cup of coffee sitting on a bench or take a few moments to yourself on a balmy summers evening with a cold glass of something nice. Metal outdoor garden and patio furniture can really make your garden an extension of your home and somewhere to sit in the fresh air.

A rustic garden bench is the perfect type of seating for any English country garden and can look perfect whether you place it close to the wall of your home or underneath a beautiful tree at the bottom of your garden. A bistro style of table and chairs is a great way to add the outdoor dining experience to your garden and, should the Great British weather not let you down, offers a great place to eat some of your meals outdoors, giving you the ideal opportunity to enjoy the garden that you have worked really hard on. This type of furniture works well in any type of garden and is equally at home in a city centre garden, where terracotta pots of all sizes can be used to turn even the smallest courtyard into an English Country Garden.

Whatever style of furniture you select for your garden, the key is to choose something that you will use, that is comfortable and easy to maintain. If you can cover it up in the winter to protect it from the elements. However, metal garden furniture is very forgiving and can easily be made to look as good as new with a good wash in the spring.

Sponsored news item for the HebWeb