Country-style flowers

You don’t need a big home to create a garden and interior reminiscent of large country houses. The style tends to be a mixture of classical and modern, with flowers, trees and shrubs taking up any available space around the paths.

Which flowers to choose

Hydrangeas – These colourful plants produce huge blooms and the climbing varieties are great for walled gardens. They’ll even grow quite happily up north and east-facing walls, unlike a lot of other plants.

Rhododendrons – These hardy plants were favoured by Victorian landowners, who used them as cover for game birds.

Peonies – It’s not difficult to get British-grown peonies and they’re perfect for the country home.

Roses – These endlessly popular flowers often had gardens dedicated to them, many of which can still be visited.

Sweet peas – Simple to grow flowers that can be cut and popped into vases around the house for a truly country scent.

How to achieve the look

Inspirational – Before you start take a look at some of our wonderful National Trust gardens, such as Nymans – it’s a horticulturalist’s dream.

Mix and match – If you are buying a lot of bouquets or cutting flowers from your garden then you’ll need something to display them in. Try small glass bottles, vintage china, elegant vases or jugs.

To dry for – To display around the home, you can dry most types of flower although some do work better than others.

Handmade – Country style is all about accessories that look casually thrown together. If you want fresh flowers in your home then look for bouquets that have a lot of natural foliage and a mix of different flowers.

Use your garden – If you are growing rhododendrons then you’ll need to keep an eye on them so they don’t take over your entire garden. Cut them back every so often and use the greenery with your cut flowers.

Did you know?

It was in Victorian times that large country house gardens opening to the public became popular.
Sir Issac Newton’s apple tree at the National Trust’s Woolsthorpe Manor garden is said to be the very one that inspired him to think about gravity when an apple fell from its branches.
Sissinghurst Castle Garden is the most visited garden in England. It hosts a mix of rare and exotic flowers as well as those you’d traditionally find in a country garden.

References
http://www.countrylife.co.uk/gardens/gardening/article/141738/Growing-hydrangeas.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/plants/8930502/The-rhododendrons-road-to-redemption.html
http://www.myweddingflowerideas.co.uk/summer-wedding-flowers.html
http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/Advanced.asp?PageId=1912
http://www.boho-weddings.com/2011/05/27/inspiration-friday-country-style-flowers-and-what-to-put-them-in/
http://sewinglady09.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Make-Flower-Arrangement-In-Country-Style-Houses
http://www.designstyleguide.net/Europe-Inspired-Style.php
http://www.britainexpress.com/History/english-gardens.htm
http://gouk.about.com/od/ukgardensandgardening/tp/gardens-to-visit-england.htm
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/what-we-do/who-we-are/fascinating-facts-and-figures/