A cottage garden border is less about following strict rules and more about arranging plants the way nature might if left to her own devices — generous, layered and slightly informal. The trick is to build it in tiers. Tall plants form the backdrop, medium growers fill the heart of the border, and low, soft plants tumble over the front edge. Get that structure right and the planting will look relaxed rather than regimented, while giving you colour from early spring through to the first frosts.

Begin with the Tall Plants at the Back

The back of the border sets the scene, so choose plants that will reach roughly 1.2m to 1.8m without collapsing. Classic cottage favourites include delphiniums in blues and whites, hollyhocks in soft pinks and apricots, and lupins, which sit at the shorter end of this group but still read as structure. For something airier, try Verbena bonariensis or Thalictrum delavayi — both have see-through stems that let you glimpse the planting behind rather than blocking it.

Avoid planting a single solid rank of tall growers. Instead, place them in groups of three or five, then leave a gap and repeat. This rhythm stops the border feeling like a wall and gives every plant room to breathe. If your border sits against a fence or hedge, push the tallest plants right back against it, and let the medium ones creep forward. Light falls from the front, so the tallest heads will catch the sun and glow in the late afternoon.

• Delphiniums, hollyhocks and foxgloves for vertical drama
• Verbena bonariensis and thalictrum for a light, airy screen
• Crocosmia and verbascum for mid-to-late summer colour

Fill the Middle with Colour and Continuity

The middle layer, roughly 60cm to 90cm high, is where the border earns its keep. This is your chance to weave colour through the planting rather than dotting it about. Pick two or three main shades — soft pinks, purples and whites work beautifully together, or go bolder with crimson, orange and deep blue — and repeat each one in three places across the border. That repetition knits everything together and stops the eye from jumping about.

Hardy geraniums are the backbone of any cottage border. Geranium 'Rozanne' flowers for months on end, while Geranium psilostemon brings startling magenta. Add nepeta for a haze of blue, salvia and penstemon for late colour, and astrantia for its quiet, papery flowers. Peonies and phlox give you bulk and scent in early and midsummer, while echinacea, helenium and achillea carry the border into autumn. Plant in generous drifts rather than single specimens — three of one plant will always look better than one of three.

Bring the Front Forward with Low, Soft Plants

The front of the border should feel as though it is spilling onto the path. Choose plants that sit between 20cm and 50cm and don't mind being brushed past. Alchemilla mollis is invaluable here, its chartreuse froth catching light and softening hard edges. Lamb's ears, with their silver, velvety leaves, contrast beautifully with darker foliage, and low-growing dianthus and thyme release scent when you brush against them.

Leave room for hardy annuals too. Nigella, calendula, sweet alyssum and violas can be sown directly into gaps in spring and will flower within weeks, filling the border while slower perennials establish. Tuck spring bulbs — snowdrops, crocus and low tulips — between the crowns of perennials in autumn. They will flower and fade before the herbaceous plants need the space.

Prepare the Ground and Space Plants Properly

Cottage planting looks effortless, but it only works on ground that has been properly prepared. Fork over the border to a spade's depth and dig out every trace of couch grass, bindweed and ground elder — these will be far harder to remove once plants are in. Spread a 5cm to 8cm layer of well-rotted manure or garden compost over the surface and work it into the top layer. On heavy clay, add grit to improve drainage.

• Space tall perennials around 60cm apart, medium ones 40cm to 45cm, and low growers 25cm to 30cm
• Plant in autumn or early spring, when the soil is warm and moist
• Water thoroughly after planting and mulch with 5cm of bark or compost, keeping it clear of stems

If you want the border to look full in its first year, plant closer and fill the gaps with annuals, then thin the perennials out as they mature.

Keep the Border Going Through the Seasons

A well-planned cottage border never has a bare moment. Snowdrops and hellebores open the year, followed by alliums, aquilegias and lupins in late spring. Midsummer belongs to delphiniums, peonies and phlox, while helenium, crocosmia and dahlias take over in late summer. Autumn brings the Michaelmas daisies and sedums, whose seedheads then stand through winter, frosted and architectural.

Stake tall plants in May, before they need it, using pea sticks or grow-through grids — propping up collapsed stems afterwards rarely looks good. Deadhead regularly to keep flowers coming, but leave a few seedheads for the birds and for winter structure. Lift and divide congested clumps every three years in autumn or spring, and cut everything back in late winter rather than autumn, leaving stems standing for wildlife until early March. Do that, and your border will reward you for years.