Cottage garden shrubs

There is something profoundly joyful about a cottage garden. It’s a space that celebrates life at its most abundant, vibrant, and carefree. Walking through one feels like a warm hug from nature - a place where colour spills over walkways, butterflies dance on the breeze, and every single corner holds a delightful surprise.

While the whimsical flowers capture your eye, cottage garden shrubs are the secret to keeping that magic alive year-round. They are the generous, living backdrop that makes everything else shine, giving your garden a sense of lush fullness, structure, and comforting permanence.

  • Climbing Hydrangea | Hydrangea petiolaris Climbing Plants
    From £30
    From £30

    Climbing Hydrangea | Hydrangea petiolaris

    A climbing woodland classic

    • Giant, fluffy, white lacecap blooms
    • Gold and chartreuse hues in autumn
    • Prefers partial shade (tolerates full sun)
    • Flowers from May to July

    3 options available

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  • Hydrangea arborescens 'Strong Annabelle' Shrubs
    From £65
    From £65

    Hydrangea arborescens 'Strong Annabelle'

    Scarcely believable blooms!

    • Tough, strong and bushy shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 1.5m
    • White flower balls up to 30cm across
    • Absolutely huge blooms!

    1 option available

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  • Hydrangea paniculata 'Candlelight' Shrubs
    From £220
    From £220

    Hydrangea paniculata 'Candlelight'

    Stunning pink pyramidal blooms

    • Upright and vigorous shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 1.5m
    • Punchy flower cones turn from cream to pink
    • A particularly vigorous variety

    1 option available

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  • Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' Shrubs
    From £15
    From £15

    Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

    Snowy, oh-so showy blooms

    • Profusely-packed, bushy shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 2.5m
    • Linen white, large, spherical blooms
    • RHS Award of Garden Merit winner

    2 options available

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  • Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' Shrubs
    From £20
    From £20

    Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'

    Award-winning scene stealer

    • Upright and airy shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 2m
    • Rounded cones of green, white and pink blooms
    • RHS Award of Garden Merit winner

    3 options available

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  • Hydrangea macrophylla 'Expression' Shrubs
    £20
    £20

    Hydrangea macrophylla 'Expression'

    Talk about flower power...

    • A relatively compact, bushy shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 1.5m
    • Incredible double pink blooms
    • Easy to grow and fully hardy

    1 option available

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  • Hydrangea arborescens 'Pink Annabelle' Shrubs
    From £30
    From £30

    Hydrangea arborescens 'Pink Annabelle'

    Billowing pink blooms

    • Dense, bushy and vigorous shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 1.5m
    • Pastel pink, pompom-like blooms
    • Makes a fantastic flowering hedge

    2 options available

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  • Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bouquet Rose' Shrubs
    From £18
    £20 From £18

    Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bouquet Rose'

    Your new favourite cut flower

    • Bushy shrub with arching flower stems
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 1.25m
    • Domed pink-to-purple flowers
    • First grown over a century ago

    1 option available

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  • Hydrangea paniculata Vanille Fraise Shrubs
    From £25
    From £25

    Hydrangea paniculata 'Vanille Fraise'

    Fluffy ice-cream blooms!

    • Delightfully bushy shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 2.5m
    • Pyramidal panicles turn from cream to pink
    • Great for cut flower gardens

    2 options available

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  • Lilac | Syringa 'Bloomerang Dark Purple' Shrubs
    From £30
    From £30

    Lilac | Syringa 'Bloomerang Dark Purple'

    So nice it flowers twice!

    • Upright, bushy shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 1.8m
    • Intense magenta blooms with superb fragrance
    • Typically has two flowering flushes

    2 options available

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  • Hydrangea macrophylla 'Little Pink' Shrubs
    £50
    £50

    Hydrangea macrophylla 'Little Pink'

    Small in stature, big on impact!

    • Dwarf shrub with bushy growth
    • Small shrub - grows up to 0.75m
    • Hot pink flower domes and lush foliage
    • Ideal for container growing

    1 option available

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  • Lilac | Syringa 'Josée' Shrubs
    From £20
    £30 From £20

    Lilac | Syringa 'Josée'

    Perfect for the patio

    • Rounded, bushy shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 1.5m
    • Delicate blush pink, scented blooms
    • Often repeat flowers through summer!

    1 option available

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  • Hydrangea paniculata 'Phantom' Shrubs
    From £20
    From £20

    Hydrangea paniculata 'Phantom'

    Blooms worth haunting for...

    • Vigorous, spreading shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 2.5m
    • Wonderful white flower cones, green foliage
    • RHS Award of Garden Merit winner

    4 options available

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  • Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile' Shrubs
    From £15
    From £15

    Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile'

    Utterly sublime fragrance

    • Dense, columnar columnar tree
    • Low-growing plant - achieves 1-1.5m
    • Deciduous foliage with radiant flowers
    • Provides a spectacular late-season display

    1 option available

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  • Lilac | Syringa 'Red Pixie' Shrubs
    From £22
    £30 From £22

    Lilac | Syringa 'Red Pixie'

    Superb scent, fabulous flowers

    • Spreading, bushy shrub
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 1.5m
    • Fragrant pink flowers, deciduous foliage
    • Compact enough for large containers

    1 option available

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  • Lilac 'Primrose' | Syringa vulgaris Shrubs
    £20
    £20

    Lilac 'Primrose' | Syringa vulgaris

    Buff yellow, scented cone blooms

    • Radiant blush pink rosette flowers
    • Small bush - will reach 1-1.5m
    • Pale primrose-yellow blooms, deciduous shrub
    • A sensational addition to any patio display

    1 option available

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  • Lilac | Syringa vulgaris 'Andenken an Ludwig Späth' Shrubs
    From £69
    From £69

    Lilac | Syringa vulgaris 'Andenken an Ludwig Späth'

    Sumptuously-scented pink trusses

    • Grows well in both sun and part shade
    • A lovely choice for cottage gardens
    • Fragrant flower cones and heart-shaped leaves
    • RHS Award of Garden Merit

    1 option available

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  • Hydrangea macrophylla 'Little Blue' Shrubs
    £45
    £45

    Hydrangea macrophylla 'Little Blue'

    Brilliant blue patio blooms

    • Compact, densely-packed shrub
    • Small shrub - grows up to 0.75m
    • Myriad baby-blue flower spheres in summer
    • Perfect for patio pots

    Currently out of stock

  • Clair Renaissance®' Shrub Rose Shrubs
    £20
    £22 £20

    'Clair Renaissance®' Shrub Rose

    An old romantic

    • Ruffled apricot flowers
    • Classic Old Rose fragrance
    • Repeat flowering: May to October
    • Thrives in a sunny border

    Currently out of stock

  • Hydrangea paniculata 'Little Spooky' Shrubs
    £25
    £25

    Hydrangea paniculata 'Little Spooky'

    Scared? Of these blooms?

    • Robust and diminutive dwarf shrub
    • Small shrub - grows up to 0.75m
    • Conical, chartreuse-flushed white flowers
    • Lovely autumn shades!

    Currently out of stock

  • Phoenix' Floribunda Rose Shrubs
    From £23
    £26 From £23

    'Phoenix' Floribunda Rose

    Fiery orange floribunda rose

    • Flame toned orange blooms
    • Mild, honeyed fragrance
    • Repeat flowering: May to October
    • High disease resistance

    Currently out of stock

  • Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blue Expression' Shrubs
    £18
    £18

    Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blue Expression'

    Feeling blue? Not anymore!

    • A bushy shrub, equally elegant and striking
    • Medium shrub - grows up to 1.5m
    • Blooms take on different hues according to pH
    • Can be grown in a large container

    Currently out of stock

  • Hydrangea macrophylla 'Little Purple' Shrubs
    From £36
    From £36

    Hydrangea macrophylla 'Little Purple'

    The purple patio sensation

    • A bushy, compact and well-proportioned plant
    • Small shrub - grows up to 0.75m
    • Lavender-coloured, dome-shaped blooms
    • Long-lasting blooms for added impact

    Currently out of stock

  • Athena®' Hybrid Tea Rose | Bouquet Rose
    £20
    £22 £20

    'Athena®' Hybrid Tea Rose | Bouquet Rose

    Fill your vases with fragrance

    • Cream-coloured roses with crinkled pink edges
    • Delightful, lingering fragrance
    • Repeat flowering: June to October
    • Grow in borders, beds and large containers

    Currently out of stock

  • Hydrangea macrophylla 'Little White' Shrubs
    From £36
    From £36

    Hydrangea macrophylla 'Little White'

    Snowballs on the terrace

    • Sturdy and compact dwarf shrub
    • Small shrub - grows up to 0.75m
    • Abundant white, snowball-like blooms
    • Particularly free-flowering

    Currently out of stock

  • 'Ingrid Bergman™' Hybrid Tea Rose | Bouquet Rose Shrubs
    £20
    £20

    'Ingrid Bergman™' Hybrid Tea Rose | Bouquet Rose

    A touch of Hollywood glamour

    • Deep red double roses
    • Spicy fragrance
    • Repeat flowering: June to October
    • RHS Award of Garden Merit

    Currently out of stock

  • 'Birthday Girl' Bush Rose Shrubs
    £16
    £18 £16

    'Birthday Girl' Bush Rose

    A perfect cream and pink gift

    • Creamy blooms with carmine pink edges
    • Lightly scented
    • Repeat flowering: June to October
    • Striking bi-colour blooms - great for gifts

    Currently out of stock

Happy plants make happy customers

Trustpilot
Ornamental Colour Collection Pond Plants
five star rating on Trustpilot

Plants arrived in great condition and very promptly. Well established - much better than the ones I got at my local garden centre.

Monica Spence

| 24 May
Star Jasmine | Trachelospermum jasminoides Climbing Plants
five star rating on Trustpilot

Yet again this company delivered good healthy plants, exactly as shown in photos, well packaged and within delivery time quoted. Recommend!

Jacqueline Burgess

| 2 Jun
five star rating on Trustpilot

I continue to be so impressed with Roots. Their customer care, knowledge of their subject: from planting hedges to pruning roses and more, has been a great support.

Judy Lane

| 23 Oct
E 'Black Hamburgh' Indoor Grape Vine Soft Fruit
five star rating on Trustpilot

The plant arrived looking vigorously healthy, which brings a smile to your face, extremely well protected in its packaging.

Martyn Hill

| 5 Jul
E 'Braeburn Hillwell' Apple Tree Fruit Trees
five star rating on Trustpilot

As a non-gardener, I found my whole experience brilliant. Great information & advice available on the website, great range of products & prices are brilliant.

John-Paul

| 22 May
five star rating on Trustpilot

Wonderful plants and great customer service... really surprised to find that the plants are better than those you would get at your local garden centre.

Gavin Wilcock

| 8 Nov

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