Absolute treasure trove of information. I've always loved cottage gardens and this book brings together so much information on the history, the plants needed and how to best make and maintain your very own cottage garden.

The pictures are gorgeous too, so whether you want to give this as a present to a lover of coffee table books or use it as a manual to do some gardening, I don't think you'll ever get bored of leafing through this wonderful book.

I enjoyed the seasonal photos and the check list of things to do in each season. Everything is low maintenance gardening.

A charming book with beautiful pictures and plenty of information about creating cottage gardens with modern sensibilities. It includes plenty of information on plants for a year-round garden and lots of information on container gardens.

Because the author gardens in England, the emphasis is on plants that will grow in temperate climates with year-round rain. This makes the book far less useful for those gardening in dry or mediterranean climates.

When I first picked up this book, I did not think I would like this book. I have a large garden in the cottage garden tradition, but as I read through this book and devoured the photographs, including virtual visits to exsisting garden in this book, I found a nice flow, with ease of gardening in these spaces that fit into this modern world without the loss of the old world style.
The book starts with the history of the cottage garden, evolves into a modern interpretation with grasses and seed heads and low maintenance plants to achieve a beautiful cohesive design. Even with a small garden, the use of potted plants come into their own. The garden wanders through the seasons and introduces plants to suit.
A great book.

The cottage garden was popularized in the late 1800s by William Robinson and Gertrude Jekyll. Characterized by dense plantings of perennials and annuals in herbaceous borders, it provided maximum color and dramatic plant combinations. The “modern” version of the cottage garden maintains the same principles with some minor changes. Instead of rigid straight lines like the ones used in borders, the modern style advocates flowing lines. Pockets of color from perennials are punctuated by ornamental grasses popularized by Piet Oudolf. Particular attention is given to the use of containers, gardening in small spaces and ideals for plant combinations. Each season is highlighted with a summary of the best plants of the season and tips for caring for them. An A-Z listing of fifty essential plants showcases popular varieties. This is an attractively designed book with sections sprinkled throughout that showcase particular gardens in the UK. Although focused on the UK, the principles discusses can easily be applied here in the U.S. as well.

Like many gardening books, The Modern Cottage Garden shines in its photography over text. While some of the chapters are a bit too wordy, the chapters on container gardening, planning a garden to enjoy throughout all four seasons, and the A-Z guide of essential cottage garden plants were very enjoyable. Overall, an enjoyable book to spend a few hours with, dreaming of nice weather and tinkering in the garden.

Inspirational dive into the crossroads of the classic cottage garden and the modern perennial garden. Loades clearly has lots of knowledge, which he presents passionately in this book. I loved the photographs, and I especially loved the section at the back outlining some plant candidates (I wanted MORE of that).

Don’t we all daydream about big dreamy witchy cottage gardens, but who has the time to tend to large swaths of borders? In ‘The Modern CottageGarden’ Greg Loades shows us how to get the look even for small spacers. This is a gorgeous photographic account of English garden design that can be utilised in the Southern Hemisphere too. Please be aware that some of the’ essential’ plants listed are invasive weeds outside of the Uk, so check your own zone first.

*Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the RC

Modern Cottage Garden is well organized resource for gardeners who are curious about fusing new with old. Guidance is provided for adding modern plants, potted plants, herbs into the traditional, I think of as, wispy cottage plantings. The seasonal to-do list and the 50 important plants guide are useful references at the gardener’s fingertips.

Beautiful photos. A great exploration of the history of the cottage garden style and an even greater guide to making a more modern version. Good coffee table book and also as a guide book. There’s even a section on downsizing it to a smaller scale for those who want the look but don’t have the space to have a classic cottage garden.

This is a beautiful, richly illustrated book with lots of great information on Loades' modern approach to cottage gardens. That said, it wasn't a perfect fit for me. I love cottage gardens and it's a style I use in my own gardens. There were things I liked about this book and some areas that fell short for me. Goodreads says 3 stars represents "liked it," which is where I fall.

The goods -- Gorgeous photos are used throughout. The author talks about container gardens, small gardens and other variations. He gives lots of tips and a nice history of cottage gardens. The section on 50 must-have plants was nice with photos and profiles. He focuses on the garden in the off seasons too, like winter. He modernizes the idea in a way that will speak to many.

The not so good -- Most of the gardens featured seemed like massive, full time jobs to tend. The aesthetic didn't really strike me as cottage garden anymore, with lots of succulents and nontraditional plants. He tends to recommend having many different modern perennials so you always have flowers, but the end result felt overwhelming to me as a gardener. My garden is a small part of a really busy life as a homesteading, work at home, homeschooling mother of five with large vegetable gardens and quite a lot of household tasks and projects that take up my time. There are also no garden zones given for the recommended plants, which left me not knowing if any of the plants would survive my zone 4 Minnesota garden other than the ones I already grow. The gardens all looked rather well manicured and were mostly just modern hybrid flowers, even though he points out that original cottage gardens were working gardens with a wonderful mix of veggies, herbs, roses and flowers. Also, I just missed the look of the cottage gardens I love -- hollyhocks, shrub roses, elderflowers, etc. with that old fashioned charm.

I'm sure this will be a well loved book by many gardeners. It wasn't very helpful for me, but it will be especially helpful for British gardeners and those with the time and money to create this kind of beautiful garden.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

The Modern Cottage Garden: A Fresh Approach to a Classic Style by Greg Loades is a colorful and informative guide to help eager gardeners each season of the year! The list of plant combinations for home gardens is extensive. I especially enjoyed the section for container planting. The choices for small areas and larger lawn and yards are interesting and dramatic. The new perennial garden has straight lines and will flow with movement during light winds. Thank you so much for the section for the fifty essential plants. This takes the guesswork out of my shopping as I visit my garden center this spring!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this beautifully illustrated book.
Publication Date: July 7, 2020