English Cottage by Andrew Sankey

English Cottage by Andrew Sankey 

This book came out in 2022, and it is a master guide to cottage-style gardening.

The English Cottage Garden is a delightful invitation into a world of fragrant blooms, rambling roses, and sun-kissed herbs. This charming tome is a must-have for any woman gardener seeking to create a personal sanctuary that is as beautiful as it is functional.

Imagine a garden where lavender wafts through the air, where butterflies flit among vibrant poppies, and where the scent of freshly picked tomatoes fills the air. With The English Cottage Garden, you can turn your dreams into reality. Andrew's expert guidance and stunning photographs offer inspiration and practical advice for gardeners of all levels.

From choosing the perfect plants to designing captivating color schemes, this book covers every aspect of creating an authentic English cottage garden. Learn how to incorporate traditional features like trellises, arbors, and rustic pathways to enhance the charm of your space. Discover the art of companion planting, a technique that not only promotes healthy growth but also adds a touch of whimsy to your garden.

The chapters in this book cover: The History of the Cottage Garden, Creating the "Cottage Garden Style, Cottage Planting Style, Cottage Flowers, Companion Planting, Green Structure, and Traditional Features.

In the Preface, Andrew shares a bit about his background and how he came to master English Cottage Gardening.

My first introduction to the style of the English cottage garden came when I was given a copy of Margery Fish's book, We Made a Garden.

Having been enthralled with the book, I then traveled down to Somerset to see her wonderful cottage garden at East Lambrook Manor. Shortly after this, Geoff Hamilton started to construct his cottage gardens for the BBC Gardeners' World programs and it soon became apparent that this was the style of gardening I myself wished to adopt.

Not long after this, I moved to Lincolnshire and started my own garden design/landscaping business, and I soon realized it was difficult to obtain the more unusual plants required for a number of my garden designs, in particular plants for dry shade positions. This encouraged me to look for a larger garden with the potential to run a small specialist nursery. This resulted in purchasing Grade II listed cottage (built in 1852) with a good-sized old cottage garden. Although the original garden (like many in Lincolnshire) had once been an extremely long strip stretching back to the village pond, the plot that came with the cottage was much reduced.

Nevertheless, at almost half an acre it was more than enough for me to manage. Luckily the garden was pretty much a blank canvas, having a couple of large old fruit trees, a vegetable patch, various outbuildings and a chicken hut; and this afforded me the opportunity to make something special of the garden.

It was here that my love for cottage gardens blossomed. Over time I re-designed the garden, I created different rooms/areas, spring and summer borders, and began experimenting with colour schemes and companion planting. I joined the Cottage Garden Society and then helped form the Lincolnshire branch, eventually becoming chairman. Within a few years I opened the garden under the National Gardens Scheme; I then started writing articles and lecturing on different aspects of the cottage garden.

This book is the culmination of my years working on my own cottage gardens, designing and creating cottage gardens for clients, experimenting with companion planting and lecturing widely on the subject. I very much hope you enjoy it.

The English Cottage Garden is more than just a gardening guide; it's a celebration of the joy and tranquility that can be found in tending to the earth. Andrew's passion for cottage gardens shines through on every page, inspiring readers to embrace the beauty and simplicity of this timeless style.

Whether you have a small city courtyard or a sprawling country estate, The English Cottage Garden offers the tools and inspiration you need to create your own idyllic retreat. So, grab your gardening gloves, and let's embark on a journey to cultivate a garden that is as enchanting as it is productive.

This book is 192 pages of cottage garden style in all its glory, with many lovely and inspiring photographs. 

You can get a copy of English Cottage by Andrew Sankey and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $25.