Fabulous French Gardens

Garden à la Française is an ornamental garden expressing the social pleasantries of a civilized life. A French garden is part of the Baroque period when the style of clothes, architecture and paintings were conspicuous and showy. Louis XIV was king and his head gardener, Andre Le Notre, became famous after creating Versailles, Louis‘ palace.

The French were inspired by the work of the Italian Renaissance (14th and 15th centuries ) and copied their style in a big way. The French made everything bigger to show man’s dominance and manipulation over nature. The French garden represented authority, wealth and power.

Renee Descartes, the founder of analytical geometry, was another influence on the Garden à la Française. Descartes objectified the world in straight lines. You can see the mathematical coordinate system in the layout of the French garden.

The French were experts in controlling nature and contriving prim, angular gardens. You can do the same by adding fountains and a wild animal exhibit. If you really want a challenge, create a flower bed in a detailed, geometrical shape. Have chains of one color flower intertwining with chains of another color flower. Low growing plants like germander, boxwood, hyssop or lavender are perfect for this design.

The French garden shows a love for innovation and harmonizing architecture with its environment. Notre’s idea of a huge garden with intricate, symmetrical designs transformed the natural environment into a work of art. The Garden à la Française symbolized the power of the master of the house.