Inspired | English Gardens
English gardens have always been a major source of inspiration for me. The seeming wildness is deceptive; there is a huge amount of intention and planning that goes into a well-executed English (or “cottage-style”) border. I learned that first-hand last summer during the month I spent at Great Dixter. The challenge is to take the spirit of the abundantly blooming, effervescent English garden and translate it to something that is both possible climate and plant palette-wise, and not so incredibly high maintenance as to require full-time gardening staff (a thing that those gardens and historic houses all have!) Here are some practical ways to incorporate the aesthetic, even in a very different climate like the Southeastern US!
ONE | Hedges. A hedge is essentially a green wall. It defines an outdoor space, making it feel like a room. English gardens use a lot of hedges to contain lush planting, and they act like a frame for the wildness inside.
TWO | Fences & Gates. These go hand in hand with hedges. Again, fences create boundaries and gates are opportunities for beautiful vignettes.
THREE | Paths: overflowing planting on one or both sides. The English love their herbaceous borders, and in the middle of summer there’s almost nothing prettier. To make this look manageable, choose a small portion to spend time on and really invest in making that small piece beautiful. Sure, we’re not going to be able to use the same exact plant combinations as an English garden (and if you try, you’ll be disappointed!) but there are so many things that can be grown wherever you are that the overflowing effect can still be achieved.
FOUR | Arches: frame the view. Framing the view can be done with a literal arch, framed plantings, or a pathway that disappears to a point - the end of that point is your destination, or view. Most of us don’t have expansive views out to the countryside, but we can all still make the most of any point in the distance that happens to be a destination. Maybe there’s a garden shed in the far side of the yard, or a pathway around the house. It can be simple and still make an effective framed view.
FIVE | Climbers: train plants to climb up your house. This is both very English and very French, and there are so many things that can be trained to climb, from solid green covers like creeping fig and Boston ivy to gloriously flowering vines like wisteria, climbing hydrangea, and roses.
