Native English Cottage Garden in Elkins Park, PA

Project Overview

Keystone Permaculture took this landscape, which started as a typical zoysia lawn with no ecological value or curb appeal, and replaced it with a variety of native plants designed to create the lush, layered look of a traditional cottage garden. We also added to the existing garden along the front of the house and planted a Sweetbay Magnolia in the treeless space.

To keep the Zoysia from creeping back in, we installed Corten steel edging around the garden, giving it a clean edge. This garden now provides a habitat for birds, pollinators, and wildlife with its beautiful blooms throughout the growing seasons.

Keystone Permaculture Native Cottage Garden in PA

The Challenge

Zoysia grass is aggressive and difficult to fully remove, and the existing turf needed to be controlled before the new garden could establish. The yard also provided little ecological value with the existing outdated plants, which limited habitat for pollinators and wildlife. We also needed to select native plants that weren't affected by deer pressure.

With this large of a lawn, Keystone Permaculture needed to be intentional and thoughtful with the spacing and design. The garden needed to look intentional while still providing strong ecological value.

The Goal

Replace the open lawn with native landscaping
Improve curb appeal
Create an English cottage-garden appearance
Increase ecological value
Support pollinators, birds, and wildlife
Provide multiple bloom periods throughout the growing season
Choose native plants that perform well under local conditions
Reduce long-term maintenance
Account for ongoing deer pressure

The Solution

Removed the existing Zoysia lawn
Installed Corten steel edging around the garden, which will weather intentionally over time, bringing in a warm, earthy tone.
Designed a native cottage-style garden
Installed native perennial flowers and pollinator plants that bloom in every growing season
Thoughtful planting to create a lush English cottage-garden appearance
Selected plant varieties with deer pressure in mind
Balanced traditional cottage-garden aesthetics with ecological function

This client was exceptionally happy with how the design was executed. The native plants provided great curb appeal and ecological benefits. Wildlife, pollinators, and birds quickly began visiting. The three-season blooms are filling in the space nicely and will continue to develop and provide more ecological value as time goes on.

Ecological Benefits

Replacing lawn significantly increases the ecological value of the property
Native plants provide food and habitat for pollinators
The native cottage garden provides resources for birds and other wildlife
Multiple bloom periods provide food sources across the growing seasons
Native plant diversity supports beneficial insects
Native plants are better adapted to local growing conditions
Reduced lawn area decreases the amount of low-value turf on the property

First-Year Results

Plant selections performed well and matched the intended garden style
Major improvement in curb appeal
Native plants established successfully
Wildlife began using the garden quickly
Increased pollinator and bird activity
Spring, summer, and fall bloom periods built into the design
Garden developed a lush English cottage-style appearance
Lower-maintenance landscape compared to the previous yard
Client was especially happy with the detailed execution of the design

Create a Native English Cottage Garden at Your Home

Interested in bringing your dream garden to life? Let's transform part of your yard into a beautiful landscape that supports birds and pollinators.

Contact Keystone Permaculture to create a beautiful, low maintenance native garden.

Book my free consultation