Anthony Ellis, Anthony & Barbara's Cottage Garden (PL26)

Styles: Allotment or vegetable plot, English cottage, Rural, Water, Wildflower, Wildlife

Soil types: Clay

Soil drainage: Boggy damp conditions, Moist but well-drained, Pond/In water, Well-drained

Soil pH: Acid

Light: Full Shade, Full Sun, Partial Shade

Aspect: West

Exposure: Exposed, Sheltered

Hardiness: Hardy (H4)

We live in a very pretty Cornish cob cottage. Three years ago we started to transform a very neglected lost garden, which sloped steeply away from the cottage. Months of hard work and aching backs have rewarded us with a very pretty, tranquil and romantic garden. Adorning several arches are fragrant roses, jasmine, honeysuckle and passion flowers. A mix of herbs and herbaceous plants pack the beds. Spires of gladioli, tumbling geraniums and swaying delphiniums add their own drama. As well as a fairy garden including roses, lilies and veronicas, our wild life pond is home to all. The herbery, as well as being productive, is a haven for birds, bees, butterflies and slow worms. The cutting garden is invaluable in producing an abundance of flowers throughout the seasons. Our potting shed and greenhouse are essential in propagating our own cuttings and seeds.