Ignite FB Tracking Pixel4 Keys to designing French gardens - Brenda K. Love
Fathom Realty

4 Keys to designing French gardens

by Brenda K. Love 09/03/2023

To add classic elegance to your home’s exterior, consider taking inspiration from French gardens. French garden design has a legacy of precise, formal and beautiful landscaping, making it the perfect style for homeowners wanting to dress up their outdoor space.

While a French garden can be more maintenance than other garden styles due to the emphasis on clean edges and pristine shapes, understanding the fundamentals will help you achieve the same aesthetic at home.

To help, here is a basic guide to the key elements of French garden design:

The home as a focal point

Traditional French gardens highlight the home or residence as the focal point of the landscape. Garden designs typically include pathways directing visitors to the front door, often oriented perpendicular to the facade.

While Stucco and stonework homes are classic French focal points, any style of home can use this same design scheme.

Symmetry

Symmetrical lines are essential to French garden design. When creating pathways, planting or arranging shrubs, it’s crucial to keep everything precise and even on both sides. Boxwood shrubs are a popular way to create symmetry by growing them into easily trimmed hedge rows. Geometric shapes like diamonds, triangles and semicircles are all worth exploring in your design, as long as the overall aesthetic maintains its symmetry.

Fountains & water features

Water features like stone garden fountains, reflecting pools and carefully manicured ponds are important elements in French gardens. Traditional French garden fountains come in several varieties, including free-standing fountains and fountains built into walls. Multi-tiered and highly ornamental designs are perfect options to incorporate water into your formal French garden.

Simple color palettes

Formal gardens tend to stick to simple color palettes. Cool colors are especially popular for French style gardens, so when choosing plants or flowers, err on the side of gray, white, blue and purple. Lavender is the traditional choice for French garden style, and easy to grow either in decorative containers or in carefully manicured planting beds.

While these are some key elements of French garden design, they are only guidelines to inspire you. Using this design scheme, you can add custom creativity and create a French style garden all your own.

About the Author
Author

Brenda K. Love

With over 10 years experience serving the Dallas and metro area, I am dedicated to providing my clients with outstanding customer service and to earning the referral business of my clients. I focus on family values and customer service. I have made a lot of friends in this business. Constant communication is a big part of my success. Proven professional who brings knowledge, skill and care to every transaction. I would love to be your realtor and if you know of anyone who is thinking about buying or selling a home or would just like additional information about property values in my area then call, text or email me today. If you or someone you know are a veteran, firefighter, policeman, teacher, doctor, nurse contact me about special incentives. If you or someone you know has a blemish on your credit report and is not in active bankruptcy contact me about a new company that can help you get into a home. If you need a reputable credit repair company that will give you help to get back on the right track then I have a great company. If you want to purchase a home but still don't have enough saved there are still available funds to help you with that. Are you or someone you know relocating to the Dallas area? I have helped families relocate here. I understand your family's needs. Certifications: New Home Construction, Senior Designation, American Warrior, First Time Home Buyer, EPRO,Relocation