An impactful way to add a touch of elegance, classic design and formal design to your landscape is to consider having a French-style garden. They are widely admired for their distinct symmetrical lines, trimmed hedges and shrubs, stone elements and simple colour pallets. And yes, not to forget the use of lavender – well, they’re French after all.
Let’s imagine a classic French garden. The bright lavenders you like to see, calm reflecting pools you love to sit beside and symmetrical boxwoods and shrubs you like to admire – doesn’t it sound all dreamy? Well, it definitely does to us.
Did you know that the French garden design closely borrows from the Italian landscapes as they have similar themes of symmetry? They are also an amalgamation of elements from Mediterranean and English gardens. Also, they are very close to biophilic design gardens – they have nature, sensory stimuli elements, airflow variability, the presence of water and connection with natural systems.
The Basic Elements of a French Garden Design
Whether you want a large or small-scale French-style garden, they all have several key elements that define the true essence of a French garden.
Infrastructure is the Focus
What do you think of when you imagine a traditional French-style Garden? Doesn't a beautiful image of a garden with a stunning house as a backdrop come to your mind?
Well, if you thought exactly that, then you are on the right path. In a traditional French Style Garden, the home or the building infrastructure is always the focal point of the garden having paths that run perpendicular to the structure.
Ideally, for a traditional French Style Garden, stone work or stucco homes or structures are the best. However, other styles of homes and structures can work too if done properly with the help of a professional such as Plantscape Live. You can also consider adding window boxes so that you can further connect the landscape to the structure.
Order and Symmetry
Above everything, symmetry and geometry are the main hallmarks when we talk about French Gardens – imposing order over nature. Having precise and symmetrical lines is vital to a French Style Garden.
One can also go for incorporate boxwoods into the designs to provide them with a traditional touch while enabling you to create and maintain the clean and geometric lines essential to the design.
However, plant maintenance is important as you need to trim boxwoods often to maintain their geometric shape. Further, along with neatly trimmed hedges, the planters and garden beds should also be kept symmetrical, neat and free of debris.
And, never forget to feel free to experiment with other geometrical designs such as semicircles, triangles or diamonds in your French Garden.
Neat and Defined Spaces
We have often heard people saying that there is a place for everything and everything in its place. Have you ever heard that before?
Well, this is a lot true when it comes to French Gardens as they have a neat and tidy Garden design. The main idea there always is to create an overall sense of control and order.
Here, if you might have noticed, small or expansive, these lawns continue the theme of ordered nature and create a niche balance against the most intricate and elegant details. The pathways are often made of gravel with border garden elements like lawns and create avenues to travel throughout the design.
Cool Colour Palette
What colours usually do a French garden has? What colour tones do you think of when you think of French garden designs?
French Gardens usually have a cool colour palate that emphasizes the whites and the greens. You can think of stone gravel and boxwood Pathways to imagine the same. Further, rows of lavender bring in purple with cool blues coming from reflecting pools.
The trees, bushes and topiary always stand out in other ways as they are trimmed in geometric forms. And, introducing a few water features such as pools or fountains can play up with the geometric pattern as they often in rectangular or circular shapes.
Stones Surfaces
A French Garden cannot be complete without having stone elements in it or can it?
The gravel parts and stone steps in a French Garden not only define the walking path but also provide the much-needed drainage required during the rainy season. Moreover, gravel and stone work always helps in keeping the weeds away. This helps in providing balance against the plantings and underpinnings of the entire design.
Also, stone garden elements such as statutes columns or follies can also provide points of interest throughout the garden design.
Water Features
The next thing that is crucial element of the French garden is the water feature. Don’t you think it is an amazing addition to make?
Having fountains, reflecting poles or other water features can provide an elegant look to the traditional French-style gardens. Along with this, other decorative features such as stone planters and urns add an exceptional texture along with the vertical element to your garden. This element is important for adding that cool tine and palate to the garden that you would admire.
And, sitting beside it sipping a hot coffee always sounds good, right?
Relaxing and Hanging-out Spaces
In case you want to feel like you are dining in the French countryside, you can add a bench or a small Bistro set to your garden. And, trust us, it will never fail to amaze you as it will prove to be an exceptionally relaxing space that you have always wanted.
You can also look for simple furniture that can be exposed to the elements where an open-air ceiling is a key.
At Plantscape Live, we have always adored the stunning amalgamation of biomorphism into the magnificent French gardens. In this pursuit, we offer services that have the choicest combination of exceptional biophilic designs for your garden along with sweet after-care – plant care, plant maintenance and whatnot – you just name it.
