Scotts of Thrapston is renowned for its quintessentially English summerhouses, which have been exhibited at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival for decades.
An elegant garden structure, such as our Burghley summerhouse or Sun Ray Garden Room, not only serves a practical purpose but brings an elegance to any garden setting.
But what is an English country garden?
The style emerged in the 18th Century and replaced the more formal, symmetrical style that had dominated Europe throughout the 17th Century.
It presents an idealised view of nature and has an air of romance with free-flowing planting, soft warming hues and the use of architectural features to add to the garden’s interest and allure.
Pretty pathways, garden arbours, trellises festooned with roses and water features can all have their place in your garden design.
Planting is also important with flowers such as peonies, delphiniums, hollyhocks, wisteria, lavender, and hydrangeas all adding glorious colour to the garden in relaxing gentle hues
Of course, the rose must be the most iconic of English planting and choosing wisely can mean that your garden is full of heady scents during the summer.
Height and colour in your borders are important in an English garden, while colourful trailing plants are encouraged to spill out over your pathways.
Other plants are known for attracting wildlife such as buddleias, which are a favourite with butterflies, and sedums which are equally liked by butterflies and bees.
Creating places where you can sit and enjoy your garden is also important in its design and help add to the overall effect. Carefully positioned benches and an inviting summerhouse provide wonderful spots in which to sit back, relax and enjoy all that your garden has to offer.
By combining clever planting and attractive features, you can create a stunning vista which will be enjoyed from your home – a view that also offers an invitation of what delights your garden holds once you step through the door.
The RHS offers great advice on how to design your dream English garden. To gain further inspiration and advice, visit the RHS Garden Design webpage.