Celebrating the French Country Garden

By J. A. Young

Geographically speaking, France is likely the most diverse country in Europe with varied landscapes that stretch from east to west, and from north to south. Throughout history France has been revered for its picturesque countryside and its both quaint and illustrious gardens. Gardeners and landscapers today can borrow much from historic and contemporary French gardens in the way of design, plant choice and various features, allowing anyone to install a French country garden with all the beauty and charm inherent there.

It would appear that variety is at the center of French gardening ideals. France, which is noted for its six hundred wines and four hundreds cheeses, likes to boast that it contains roughly six hundred differing physical and cultural landscapes as well. This gives today's French-inspired gardeners the luxury of choice when it comes to working with their own landscape. Whether intimate or large in scale, a garden employing French sensibilities is bound to be a delight to all.

When dreaming about the romance so inherit in the French garden, one might think of Monet's garden at Giverny - soft, lush and almost nostalgic for a lost paradise. The French, a characteristically passionate people, infuse their gardens with this passion as well, which is readily seen in its wide array of plants, its abundance of growth and the marvelous splashes of color born out of the dark green beds of foliage. But one might wax poetic about the joys of French gardens for days. To bring a touch of France to your own garden, consider some of the following suggestions.

When planning your own garden, it may be helpful to consider a particular part of France that is well-known and suggestive of distinct styles. Think of Normandy, Alsace, the Riviera, or Poitiers and the winemaking region of Burgundy. Incorporating French style will not shout "France!" the way a pagoda style roof or paper lantern will scream the Orient, but taken together, your collective features and design scheme, your plantings will suggestively paint an unmistakable French picture.

Elements of the French Garden

First of all, your French country garden should be a blended garden. Your beds may run into each other, your plantings need not be neat and organized in rows and your growth should be profuse - up the walls of your house, winding around the property, filling up all the space. A simple gravel or mulch path will be sufficient to provide a trail through it all, but stone will add the characteristic old-world charm that is reminiscent of European gardens. Of course, your planting scheme may appear to be overgrown and wild, but underneath it all is the gardener's knowing hand, which will create nooks and corners, romantic overhangs and shady recesses perfumed by heavy-scented blooms.

Architectural variety and can add considerable charm to any garden. A pleached pathway may open up to a garden pond spanned by a stone or rustic wooden bridge. A small gazebo may be set within a shady nook and a patio of cobblestones might fan out from the rear of the house itself. Arbors, trellises, window boxes and simple arches defined by healthy plant growth are ideal symbols of the French country garden.

Such gardens are not complete without quiet recesses for people to enjoy the scenery. Wrought iron chairs painted white along with a matching table can be placed anywhere in the landscape. Shaded by trees and surrounded by ornamental grasses, lavender and Oriental poppies conjure up a perfect setting for an evening glass of merlot. Avoid straight lines and modern features if you can, as these are not evident in French gardens.

When choosing your plantings, consider a wealth of green foliage plants in varying shapes and sizes. From low-growing groundcovers and tall broadleaf plants to small shrubs, tall hedges and wide-spreading trees, your French garden should be a green world punctuated with splashes of color from annual and perennial blooms. These foliage plants may be everywhere throughout your landscape, but they should be well-kept. While French gardens are profuse, they are not wild. It takes careful maintenance to keep up this abundant growth.

What kinds of plants in your French garden? Consider both useful and decorative plantings. Herbs, vegetables and riotous flowers should all be incorporated into your garden plan. One type of example might be something like this: cobblestone patio bordered by grapevine; side of the house lined with a small orchard of fruit and nut bearing trees; front of house designed with flagstone path, arch with climbing roses, ivy-covered walls, window box, container plants on porch, a few trees, ornamental grasses and various flowerbeds flowing one into another; other side of the house defined by a small vegetable garden, rear of the house defined herb garden, small pond, profuse growth of trees, flowerbeds and herb garden, etc.

By incorporating old-world features and luxuriant plant growth, you can adapt any landscape into a French vision. With the help of a few books about French landscape, you can draw from pictures what will work on your own property. As romantic landscapes and gardens go, a French garden is the epitome of beauty and romance.

© Doityourself.com 2006