Posted by Caroline Maurer
on September 22, 2025
Cottage gardens have a timeless appeal that captures the essence of nature’s wild beauty. They are a harmonious blend of color, texture, and fragrance, reminiscent of a bygone era when life was simpler. Among the many plants that grace these idyllic gardens, several stand out as classic favorites. Here are our favorite cottage garden plants.
The Top Cottage Garden Plants for Cottage Gardeners
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
The elegant spires of Foxglove lend a fairytale charm to any cottage garden. They’re our absolute favorite! Known for their distinctive trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, and yellow, Foxgloves attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making them an eco-friendly choice.
This plant is a biennial, meaning it grows for two seasons and then dies. Typically, it works on roots the first season, and you rarely see blooms. The second year, the plant flowers and then goes to seed. They’re prolific self seeders and will spread if left to do so. We love these flowers because they bloom for weeks and weeks and come in so many lovely shades of apricot, white, pink, and purple. Add these beautiful cottage garden plants for zone 7 to your garden this season!
Climbing Roses
Looking for cottage garden plants for zone 7? Climbing roses are an absolutely staple! Climbing roses embody romance and nostalgia, and they are the epitome of classic cottage garden plants. Their enchanting blooms cascade over arches, trellises, and walls, creating a breathtaking display of color. From vibrant reds to soft pastels, climbing roses offer a wide range of hues to suit any garden theme. You’ll need sun to part sun to grow climbing roses.
Hydrangea
The large, luscious blooms of Hydrangeas add a touch of elegance and grace to cottage gardens. These deciduous shrubs come in various colors, including blue, pink, white, and purple, depending on the soil’s pH. Hydrangeas thrive in shade to partial shade and appreciate moist, well-drained soil. However, panicle hydrangeas are adapted to thrive in full sun, so there is a hydrangea for every part of the yard! And lucky for you, hydrangeas are some of the cottage garden plants for zone 7 you can grow in Maryland.
Tall Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Tall Phlox is a showstopper with its billowing clusters of fragrant, star-shaped flowers. These plants come in an array of hues, from soft pinks and lavenders to vibrant magentas and whites. Their extended blooming season ensures a delightful and long-lasting display of colors in the garden. You’ll see lots of hummingbirds and hummingbird moths on your phlox.
Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea)
Hollyhocks are a quintessential cottage garden favorite, with their towering spikes of saucer-shaped flowers that can reach up to eight feet tall. These biennial plants come in various shades, including deep maroons, pinks, and whites. Their old-fashioned charm and vertical presence make them a cherished addition to any garden.
You can choose between short 18″ varieties of hollyhocks to those that tower over you at 10 feet! Leave spent bloom stalks in the garden to self seed and come back year after year!
Daisies
Daisies are simple yet captivating flowers that evoke feelings of purity and innocence. Bellis perennis, commonly known as English daisies, offer delicate blooms in shades of pink and white, while Leucanthemum spp., or Shasta daisies, boast large white flowers with golden centers. Both varieties are easy to grow and maintain, making them perfect for cottage gardens.
We love daisies because they bloom all season long! And as Meg Ryan says in one of our favorite movies of all time (You’ve Got Mail), “Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flower?” We do!
Echinacea
Echinacea, also known as coneflowers, are sturdy and resilient plants that add a touch of prairie charm to cottage gardens. Their daisy-like flowers feature prominent cones in the center, which add architectural interest. Echinacea blooms come in various shades of pink, purple, and white and attract butterflies, goldfinches, and bees.
8. Lamb’s Ear Helen Von Stein
Lamb’s Ear is a unique and texturally fascinating plant that adds a soft, silvery touch to cottage gardens. Its velvety leaves create a delightful contrast against the vibrant flowers of other plants. Lamb’s Ear is drought-tolerant and easy to care for, making it a great choice for low-maintenance gardens. Plus, it creeps and spreads over time and provides beautiful foliage for bouquets.
9. Bearded Iris
With their striking, sword-like foliage and exquisite blooms, Irises are an enchanting addition to any cottage garden. They come in myriad colors, including blue, purple, yellow, and white. Irises prefer well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight, making them ideal for sunny corners of the garden. Plant these bulbs in fall or spring and enjoy watching them multiple over the years!
10. Lilies
Lilies are synonymous with beauty and elegance, and they are beloved for their captivating fragrance and exquisite blooms. From Asiatic and Oriental lilies to Tiger and Trumpet lilies, these plants offer an impressive range of shapes, colors, and sizes, ensuring a delightful floral display throughout the summer. We love the strawberry hued varieties. They’re unexpected and lovely.
Creating a cottage garden is an opportunity to embrace the timeless beauty of nature, improve foraging habitat for insects and birds, and add value and charm to your property. Of course, we’d be remiss to leave out Giant Allium, Catmint, Salvia, Veronica, and bush roses. See? We knew we couldn’t keep our list to just 10 favorite cottage garden plants.
