12 garden styles - garden design ideas for your backyard revamp

Whether you're planning a garden makeover, starting a new garden from scratch or just buying some new garden furniture, find your garden style here. It'll stop you making expensive mistakes and will help you create a garden you'll really love.
0:00 Introduction
1:09 Cottage garden style - How to achieve cottage garden style • What is cottage garden...
2:34 Traditional garden style - see more views of the Bath Priory Hotel in Autumn Gardening Tips: • What to do in your gar...
3:32 Formal garden style - see shrubs for creating topiary • Top alternatives to bo... and Creating Small Formal Gardens by Roy Strong: amzn.to/3oWpcai (note affiliate link, see below)
4:20 English Country Garden Style - what it is and how to achieve it: • English country garden... and How To Achieve an Amazing Flower Border: • English country garden... and Doddington Place Gardens: www.doddingtonplacegardens.co.uk/
5:57 Garden inspired by the architecture of your house
7:01 Outdoor room or city/urban garden - see City Garden Tips • City garden tips from ... and 12 Creative Tips for a Stunning Urban Garden: www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.u... Also see Dan Cooper's outdoor kitchen and tips in How to Create a Garden for Entertaining: • How to create a garden... . Dan Cooper's Frustrated Gardener blog: frustratedgardener.com/
8:36 Contemporary or modern garden. See Small Garden Design Inspiration from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show: • Video
Ideas for your Garden from BBC Gardeners World Live: • Ideas for your garden ...
How to Create a Contemporary Garden on a Budget: • Contemporary garden de...
9:28 Dry Garden Style - How to Make a Dry Garden: • How to make a gravel g...
Garden inspiration from two private gardens: • Garden inspiration - 8...
10:34 Coastal garden style - 18 brilliant coastal garden plants: • 18 brilliant coastal g...
How to make a seashell garden path: • A seashell garden path...
National Garden Scheme: ngs.org.uk/
11:56 Exotic/tropical garden style: www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.u...
How to grow cannas: • Canna lilies - everyth...
How to grow dahlias: • Growing dahlias - ever...
Steve Edney and Lou Dowle's Tropical garden in Kent: www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.u...
13:18 Wildlife garden style:
Easy wildlife gardening tips: • Easy, low maintenance ...
14:27 Japanese garden style: Japanese Gardens by Monty Don amzn.to/2YZaSmx
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Whether you love English garden style, cottage gardens or contemporary urban gardening, The Middlesized Garden has gardening advice and garden ideas for you.
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For small and middlesized backyards and gardens....
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More garden ideas on Pinterest:www.pinterest.co.uk/midsizega...
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[@lornalorna4026]

Well, I learned from this that I am creating an English Country middle sized garden. I'd not really thought about it before, so it's useful for me to know this as I can now explore it further for more inspiration, as my fairly new garden develops. It was stripped bare from an overgrown bind weed covered wilderness when I brought the property. I've had to start from scratch. This year it will be in its second season. Thank you. Really excellent and articulate overview of 12 styles in a very short amount of time. Very informative.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@iriscostner9204]

Hi Loma! You should document you journey! Us gardeners love to see the transformation in our garden as well as those of others. What a wonderful journal it will be for you to see how it has transformed.

[@mariefriedmann3203]

Alexandra keeps it really succinct and organized for us!

[@user-ys9sz5ie6c]

Grammar, descriptive words, proper accent, presentation skills! Presenter deserves an award

[@charlesprice925]

A suggestion for house and garden harmony: I have a cape Cod in the US Midwest. I sided the house in a natural red Cedar, on the back, to harmonize with a warm cottage garden, edged by woods, subduing the blues, and finished the cedar siding on the sides, and front, of the house in a Gettysburg Blue to harmonize with a dominantly blue cottage garden. The blue invites the visitors in, the warmth of the back garden entices them to stay.

[@shirleywilson5959]

Wow that went quickly, had to watch it twice to take it in! Maybe a whole series of videos here.......

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@carlapalaniuk3677]

I am cottage gardener I loved your phrase you find a spot and wedge it ha ha that’s what I do.

[@forexercises]

I think of mine as a woodland garden. A bit like the jungle/exotic garden with it's layers, but with different plant materials... and definitely all with wildlife in mind. Lots and lots of color near the house, and fun paths that cut between large evergreens and shrubs so that you feel as if you're on a hiking holiday every so briefly.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That sounds wonderful.

[@lydiasalerno2320]

Would love to see this ❤

[@kerryjean2223]

Another brilliant video. Thank you. My very small 26' x 26' garden is kind of Cottagie with a rather large amount of pots ranging from tiny Bonsai pots to very large pots up to around 250 litres of potting mix. My preferred pot colour is Aqua through to Teal x 💜🙏😇🇦🇺

[@dougkelley2781]

Thank you for this, Alexandra. Having moved around the U.S., and inheriting the gardening or maybe farming gene, I’ve attempted many types of gardens. Now that I am settled back in New England, I am able to indulge in my favorite, which is what you’d term a version of the English country garden. It has lawns, perennial borders, old roses covering the shed and fences, some spots of formality, and the woodland is covered by the trees and shrubs tumbling down to the cove in back. It suits me and the place. What I think is interesting is my dearest friend, who lives a few houses away through the wood on the same water, has a totally different style which suits her equally well. She tucks what she loves all higgledypiggledy together in the lee of her house and framed by an ancient, huge box and a gnarled dogwood. There are every sort of colorful flower along the old stone walls, and fruit trees and a vegetable patch speak of the farm her land used to be. It is as loose and wonderful and charming as can be. Very different approaches and beautifully different, I think.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yours sounds beautifully English country, and hers might be considered cottage garden style?

[@dougkelley2781]

The Middle-Sized Garden Hello, Alexandra. Yes, though I am working in the tradition of the Victorian garden that was here when my parents bought the house, I’ve consciously echoed the elements I’ve always loved from English gardens. My place is modest in scale - about an acre - but it can take some much reduced quotations from Tintinhull or Sissinghurst or even Powis. Kim’s place is definitely a version of cottage garden, even though she has more land. One of the wonderful things is a ravine in the woods to one side of her house that leads down to the water. We’ve cleared as we can and have added rhododendrons and azaleas to the native Mountain Laurels (Kalmias) as an understory. It’s our version of the “Happy Valley” from “Rebecca.”

[@nancyk5203]

How beautifully described!!

[@Marjory51]

Brilliant, Alexandra. I appreciate all the work involved in collating this because I'm trying to restyle my garden and this is wonderful. I've been combing books and trawling the internet for ideas, yet somehow you managed to condense a wealth of inspiration in one video! You are my favourite youtube channel.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@ginadavis174]

This is a marvellous video with inspirational descriptions of all these styles. Thank you for making such informative content!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You are so welcome!

[@penelopehammerton2907]

Most enjoyable video. Thank you for the time and effort you take in making them. Its like having a neighbour drop round for coffee and a chat about gardening :)

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, that's lovely!

[@zoesolanki961]

As a complete novice who is terrified of gardening, this was so so helpful. Thank you

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@laurenwellman2516]

I’ve never really contemplated my garden style or how many different styles there are, so thank you so much for putting all of this together. Very informative and helpful 💝

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@moecopiak9168]

This was a great help in helping us to identify our garden style; schizophrenic with some bipolar tendencies

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You're not the only ones!

[@janereel1903]

I agree with many commenters about how helpful and interesting this video is. I'm helping a friend rework her garden and this gives me more things to think about for the upcoming spring. I'm in zone 5 U.S. so we have snow now!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! Unusually, just now, we have snow too.

[@JeriLandersofHopalongHollow]

A mix of Cottage gardens and English country gardens is my style. We love many meandering paths and all manner of fruits, roses,herbs and flowers all mixed together in harmonious confusion.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That is a lovely style, I agree.

[@shirleysenkler781]

I went with cottage garden style several years ago and love it. The variety of color and leaf structure suits me perfectly.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It's a lovely style.

[@SMElder-od5cl]

My favorite style, learned from these videos, is a small cottage garden where every plant is known individually and something I love.

[@anndarigan8766]

Really enjoyed this video while having my morning coffee.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@colly7963]

What a feast for the eyes, thank you!

[@tieniestoffberg8597]

It's about time I watched this video. My small garden started off as a formal garden but I added some fun items. Loved your reference to natural gardens as we try to be 100 percent organic. NO insecticide or weed killer of any kind except for what I refer to as my garlic concoctions. I wish I could show you a video of my wifes face whenever we see a frog in our garden. (Which is often) I'll have to watch the video again in order to try and determine my garden style. In the meantime I'll refer to it as a Formal Cross Breed. Regards from South Arfica.

[@NatureShy]

Rock gardens, native gardens, and alpine gardens, some of my absolute favorites. And they can have a lot of overlap, like a native alpine rock garden.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Absolutely1

[@YalisCommunity]

I learned I am a mix between cottage garden, English county and formal. I just love them all! Thanks for sharing!

[@Lovelygreens]

Enjoyed this immensely, Alexandra. I have aspects of a couple styles, but of course in more of a practical garden.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! It was quite a monster to put together....I went through thousands of photos and kept finding just one more garden style I had to include.

[@emmalavenham]

This is well-done and extremely helpful even for those who have been gardening for many years.

[@suegoetz1221]

i now know that i have a wildlife garden. Yay. I love it.

[@joannmicik1924]

I somehow missed this when it was originally posted. I'm so glad i saw it now! Thank you for the wonderful insights and ideas. I'm heading off to a garden show this afternoon, and I will be looking for style types and inspiration because of this video.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You are so welcome!

[@stralenmax1384]

Thank you! Very much appreciated and useful for beginner gardeners.

[@sofielys5452]

So much inspiration! Thank you!

[@melba135]

Thanks for responding. Really enjoy your videos. Never miss one !

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@barbaracole4314]

I love the cottage gardens the best, they are so fascinating and beautiful to look at , I want to do my front yard that way.

[@imamonstr]

This was absolutely lovely and so helpful. Thank you !

[@franciscanoe1522]

Thanks for your videos. I enjoy them a lot !!! I live in Chile, in the mid north area with little rain... my garden style would be something like "the forest garden " letting the native trees grow , showing lots of trunks and brunches below the canopies.

[@iriscostner9204]

Its funny, I really did not considered the style of my garden as much as expanding my love for flowers/gardening. I am also a bit of a nontraditional gardener, kind of. LOL Once, you fall in love with gardening and how to plant things more effectively for your zone and landscape, you glean ideas from others. It makes since that there are "styles" of gardens when you consider there are styles of home architecture (ranch, long cabin ect.). I can appreciate that your garden can/should complement you home while highlighting your preferences. Thank you for this informative video.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! I have since wondered whether I should also have included 'plantsman's/woman's garden' for those for whom the plants come first.

[@caroleh7093]

Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom; I am new to your channel and finding useful pearls everywhere. I especially appreciate you taking the time to add other links within each style so that we can dive deeper into the style we are leaning.

[@HaploBartow]

What a lovely video! Thankful that KZbin recommended it to me 🙂

[@RoseMary-vs3io]

Always enjoy your videos, thank you, Alexandra👍

[@reyhosein2533]

How absolutely lovely.

[@audreyputtemans7342]

Lovely video. I always thought I was going for a "cottage garden" look but you have helped me realize that my style is more English Country garden, here in Switzerland. Thanks for helping me gain some clarity, I love your channel!

[@seedrootsprouts2290]

Such a well thought out and informative video. Thank you!

[@kellyd6619]

Well this makes me feel better about the hodgepodge messy parts of my yard/garden. I can say I'm going for the cottage/wild-life friendly garden style. :) Other styles maybe - food forest, permaculture, and hugelkultur. Thanks again for another lovely video!! Best to you and all.

[@feeonaghchambers7403]

WOW! This is such a wonderfully informative video. Really well put together and covers so much ground- one to be watched over & over again. Thank you Alexandra.

[@lindaeaton228]

I so enjoyed this video. Now Im dreaming of what I will plant this coming spring!

[@TheEmbrio]

I love all the styles !

[@sylviahunt3575]

I appreciate all the great information you give in your videos and the sharing fro the experts!💕

[@shivermetimber6738]

Our garden is quite large, overwhelming so. We have a long way to go but I love the idea of creating’ ‘rooms’. This will help me to work on one room at a time.

[@HighPriest1776]

Thank you, Love your work, lots of great information and beautiful gardens.

[@patament4520]

Permaculture garden with a mix of edibles plants, herbs, soil amending plants, and plants for pollinators and wildlife is very important as are gardens of native plantings. We should all be very concerned about global warming and stop burning things and instead we should be composting and carbon sequestering I love your blog! Thank you for much inspiration ❣️

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you and good point!

[@wujwama]

I can't get over that echium in the cottage garden.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It's fab, isn't it?

[@TheSpottedBoot]

My favorite, as always, is the magical cottage garden 😍 but I could live in any of them. Beautiful

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@Lulu-ue2lj]

I appreciate this video. Very thorough! Thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@meganblasco2]

Excellent information. Thank you for sharing this!

[@pennywilkendorf2925]

Beautifully done as always. I love your thoughtfulness in including as many areas of the world as you can. Now to figure out what type of garden mine is!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! And I think many of us don't fit exactly into a category.

[@tinafehr8394]

I’m so glad I came across your video. You explained the garden styles well. Thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@catrinahiggins6442]

Such a great video. Thank you Alexandra.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You are so welcome!

[@trevorlanghm3465]

Fabulous-practical

[@adz5bneweng589]

Thank you for this video. Very helpful!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@utivphipps8598]

I absolutely love your show. Its such a treat and I am so looking forward to using your suggestions this summer. Thank you

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@julianna_maluje]

Great video with loads of information!

[@chachadodds5860]

Well done. Lots to think about.

[@yvonnehall544]

That's some great tree planting tips...Time and patience seems to be the winner and of course knowledge ..learnt something new..thanks

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@kusumlakshmipathy9069]

Many thanks for this information….. loved and enjoyed every bit of knowledge 💐

[@LittleJordanFarm]

Thank you this was wonderful...ideally I'm trying to establish a English Country Garden with a Permaculture set up as well. Blessings thank you

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sibylc2908]

Thank you for this excellent video! While I love and appreciate all the garden styles you highlight, I find I am naturally drawn to the cottage style garden in my own yard. I love the casual charm of it and feel most comfortable and relaxed in a cottage garden.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Cottage garden is always such a delight.

[@sibylc2908]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Indeed! I love the informality and wild exuberance of it. 😊

[@laurieanne9712]

Always a well researched fount of information and ideas! Thank you, Alexandra!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@monawolfe]

Wonderful video, thank you for the education. I didn’t set out for a particular design 18 years ago when I started my current garden but I seem to have a mix between a Traditional & English Country garden by just flowing with the style of my house. Very interesting!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That sounds delightful.

[@anyawiedenhoff5783]

Wow!!! I love this video!! I am going to watch this several times 😃 The visual explanation is exactly what I needed to figure out my gardening style 🌸 ❤️

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nutsfornatives]

Excellent overview! Thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@FrancescaLuppino]

This was so helpful - thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@flowerpixel]

Fantastic list and great idea for a video

[@leelastarsky]

Fabulous and helpful video, Alexandra! I have a Permaculture garden in suburban Melbourne, Australia, which has many of the elements you've mentioned. I have chooks and ducks, and native wildlife is very important to me. I love Edna Walling style gardens, which is a sort of mixture of cottage, wildlife, and Australian natives, and aspire to that with my own. I have also created a woodland garden in the 'non-productive' south-east facing garden. It's full of tree ferns and beautiful Autumn colour trees, and is an absolute haven during our hot Summer.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you and that sounds like a beautiful garden. And I hope you're enjoying being freer from restrictions now.

[@noratruong7816]

Thanks for your information. 💖

[@melaniemulhall2277]

I've just discovered you! What a helpful video. I'm a longtime gardener, but I haven't known much about most of these styles. Thank you. (And yes, I subscribed.)

[@ABeastOfAGod]

Very informative and all such beautiful gardens. It's winter as I write this but I purchased a new garden shovel as I wait for spring.

[@sunnywang8877]

I found it’s very informative and your voice soothing. Thanks for putting this together and sharing with us.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@barbll000]

Love this video. All the styles are lovely. My favourite is the cottage style.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@susanlemenchick2935]

What a fabulous and succinct video; I have learned soooo much! Thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You are so welcome!

[@Jpatmeadowbrook]

Great gardens for inspiration or just enjoyment. Thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@maryanna6302]

Lovely overview of styles and great video choices! I look forward to your videos every weekend. I really enjoy seeing how home gardeners overcome challenges such as north facing, space, slope, size, climate extremes and other. Of course you do this already but I find that type of video most inspirational! I recall a video last year of a professional explaining how to plant on a slope and that was so helpful. 🍃💚

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@heavenluvsrain]

Thank you so much! This was so helpful !

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@relaxingnaturesounds2339]

Thank you for this video

[@eaulaosolidaritea363]

I have just discovered your channel and I love it. Thank you for your time and content which must help thousands of people. I have just taken over an abandoned garden and am overwhelmed by the work. But your channel has calmed and inspired me. Mille mercis de la France.

[@NewMindGarden]

Awesome sharing

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@pamelacallaway3922]

It was very interesting to see all of these beautiful garden styles. Thank you for the guided tours and wonderful explanations of the ingredients.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@barbarahenn-pander5872]

Excellent overview. Thank you so much. Time well spent. I would like one of each, please! Of course, visuals are the dominant features, but I would like to hear a bit about the soundscape, masking traffic noise, or even working appropriate music into landscapes. 😊

[@samarajarosh1038]

As always I learn so much from your videos.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thankyou!

[@dulceportillo4061]

Great informative video. Thank you

[@norinenagle6730]

Thanks!

[@outdoors459]

Another great vlog, thank you

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@laurelsayer7557]

A very useful, thought provoking Vlig this werk, thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lifeofwill7794]

did not know that what i have always wanted is a coastal garden!

[@7Annamallover7]

This was sooooo helpful!!!!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you

[@mlgorey1331]

Very informative loved the video thank you very much

[@busarafirestone1180]

I am a garden designer in Northern California and I found this video very insightful and helpful. I am going to rewatch it and take notes!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@AnnMarieKing]

Alexandra, congrats on 50K subs! I saved this video to enjoy when I had time ... such a treat this morning. My garden style is quite eclectic: Tropical (Barbados), cottage (love flowers) flowing to English country (huge lawn). Thanks also for tips on furniture to match each style. Great video!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much - and I'm delighted to have reached 50K. Tropical/cottage/English country sounds a delightful mix.

[@conniekeshet]

Hm. A food garden style! Beautiful video! Seeing such amazing pictures inspiring!!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You're so right! How could I miss that one? Thank you.

[@emmalavenham]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden It seems to me that foodscaping does not necessarily need to be its own style. It could be an approach to expand your plant palette while providing organic ways to reduce pest pressure in your space. We are currently exploring the use of garlic to deter pests which when planted en masse in borders blends in beautifully... But it also seems to me, salad greens - particularly decorative heirloom and heritage plants increasingly re-entering the seed trade - could also provide interest in terms of their foliage much like heucheras and heucherellas but in much sunnier spaces.

[@lalahaha5313]

Wow!!! That was useful information and I learned that I'm just winging it... My gardening style is "eclectic", just like my interior decorating style. Thank you!!!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@realestateunplugged6129]

Disneyland is a great place to enjoy a variety of garden styles actually. Inspired me in my youth to appreciate such great variety of styles and to be open to imagination.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Interesting.

[@caroleprete2367]

I love how you take gardening up to the level above the plants and horticultural techniques. Your channel has helped me immensely in understanding the overall style, design and fundamentals that are necessary for any garden to feel cohesive and pleasing. I’m so glad I found your channel. Be well.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Fabulous round up and breakdown of the elements of various styles. I see some of my garden (which I’ve never really tried to define other than in the most general terms) in the English country style. I love dry gardens because they are so plant-centric but that would be very hard to pull off in my area.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Interesting! Yes, I think your garden has many ingredients of English Country. Monty Don tried to answer the question 'is there an American garden style'? But your climate and terrain is so diverse and so extensive that I think he decided there wasn't. I love dry gardens too, and here is very dry, but it would definitely look odd in an English walled town garden unless very cleverly done.

[@birds-and-blooms]

I never realized, but you are right. It is like “builder grade finishes” in the home. Builder grade landscaping too.