Creating a Cottage-Garden Bed

Top Tip: Staking

Many perennials, such as delphiniums and Achillea, become top-heavy and require support. If you provide supports early in the season, plants will grow through and disguise them, and they will still look natural and attractive. Plants staked at a later date, once they have already flopped, tend to always look trussed up.

Use short stakes to support tall flowers, such as delphiniums (Image 1). Plants with moundlike growth will grow through and be supported by twiggy sticks put in place in spring (Image 2). Linked metal stakes serve a similar purpose (Image 3).