This plan is for a fairly large border, 6 metres by 2 metres in size, which backs on to a wall against which espaliered apples can be trained. Alternatively, the apples could be trained along wires, supported by stout posts, to form a division in the garden, as demonstrated in the Beekeeper’s Garden.
Focus
A word about apple varieties first. A couple of things are useful to bear in mind when choosing which ones to grow. First, find out which varieties are best suited to where you live: some will struggle in colder, wetter parts of the country. Second, in order to ensure effective pollination, the varieties you choose have to be in the same pollination group as each other, or at a push, one group removed. Third, you need to decide whether you want a culinary or a dessert apple, or one that doubles up as both. Fourth, find out what rootstock the apple has been grafted on to: the more vigorous the rootstock, the larger the tree, so some rootstocks are not suitable for training into espaliers. And fifth, choose varieties that you know you will like!
If all this sounds complicated, have a look at the website of the National Fruit Collection in Kent, or one of the specialist fruit growers (see Useful Addresses and Websites), where you will find lots of information and advice.
I have chosen two varieties, ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ and ‘James Grieve’, both of which are available already part-trained as espaliers and are therefore on a suitable rootstock, and are of the same pollination group. Planted in the open, they might struggle a little in the north-west of England where I live, but if they are trained against a wall that will provide shelter and a modicum of warmth, they should be fine.
Framework
There are any number of shrubs that I could have included in this plan, but whenever I think of ‘cottage garden’, roses spring to mind. The one I have chosen, ‘Jaquenetta’, is an English rose, bred by David Austin, which is described as having single flowers, although some of them may be semidouble; either way, the stamens are accessible by visiting bees! It has pale pink verging on apricot flowers, which I think will sit very nicely among the pinks, purples and apricots of the summer and autumn blooms.
Flowers
Mixed in with some typical cottage perennials like Geranium, Alcea (hollyhock) and Helenium are herbs that can either be used in the kitchen or left to flower for the bees – or both.
Fillers
As well as tulips to carry the border through spring into summer, I have dotted chives (Allium schoenoprasum) in the gaps and alpine strawberries (Fragaria vesca) between the stepping stones in front of the apple trees. Alpine strawberries seem to flower and fruit for ever and if you have a big enough harvest, they make a luxurious and unbelievably delicious addition to home-made strawberry jam.
Plant families
As always, Primary families, Asteraceae and Lamiaceae, feature strongly in this plan. Some Secondary families (Rosaceae and Scrophulariaceae) make an appearance, with a couple of specimens from Other families.
Plan for a Large Cottage Garden Border (numbers refer to key)