Coldwell Banker Realty - Sudbury
Vera Oliveira, Coldwell Banker Realty - SudburyPhone: (617) 620-5658
Email: [email protected]

French gardens: Key design elements

by Vera Oliveira 04/15/2024

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

Vera Oliveira

I am focused, self motivated, dream big and am committed to act in the best interest of my clients!

  

As an incredibly driven and self-motivated Realtor®, my utmost passion lies in serving your best interests and guiding you through one of life's most significant decisions. With a deep understanding of the importance of a comfortable and nurturing home environment, I strive to help families create lasting memories in their ideal living spaces. My clients are my top priority, and I am committed to providing a seamless, stress-free experience from start to closing.
Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I have called Massachusetts home since 1988, immersing myself in the region's rich natural beauty and historical heritage. Over the years, I have cultivated strong relationships within the community and acquired an intimate knowledge of the local residential markets. This unique combination enables me to offer invaluable insights and act as a dependable resource, skillfully matching clients with properties that perfectly suit their needs.
With over 22 years of experience in real estate and a background of 30 years in sales, I bring a wealth of expertise to the table. I approach each transaction with meticulous attention to detail, taking the time to listen and truly understand my clients' goals. By employing a contemporary marketing approach, leveraging strong negotiation skills, and maintaining constant communication, I provide a high-end service that ensures buyers find their dream homes within their budgets and sellers effectively market their properties for optimal returns. Witnessing the overwhelming joy of clients at a successful closing is immensely rewarding to me.
My dedication to personalized service and strict adherence to confidentiality are the cornerstones of my professional competency. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned seller, my warm and caring approach makes me the perfect agent to guide you through the process. As a testament to my track record of results, I have proudly achieved recognition as an award-winning Realtor, ranking among the top producers year after year.
Beyond real estate, I have a profound love for travel, enjoy golfing and participating in fitness classes. I am actively involved in volunteering with organizations such as "We all Volunteer", JFS, and I passionately support the life-saving work of St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Additionally, I nurture a deep interest in studying architectural characteristics during my travels.
It brings me tremendous joy to know that I am positively impacting people's lives through the life-changing decision of homeownership. Whether you are seeking to buy or sell your home, I am genuinely thrilled and honored to guide you along the journey and contribute to your success story.