Vital bits at the end of cottage garden paths (8)
I believe the answer is:
entrails
'vital bits' is the definition.
The definition suggests a plural noun which matches the answer.
'the end of cottage garden paths' is the wordplay.
'the end of' suggests the final letters.
'paths' becomes 'trails' (trail is a kind of path).
The final letters of 'cottage garden' are 'en'.
'en'+'trails'='ENTRAILS'
'at' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for entrails that I've seen before include "Intestines found in latrines" , "Intestines, guts" , "Bowels or intestines" , "Intestines of animals" , "Internal parts of animals" .)