After all fashion in the garden is as changeable as the clothing fashion; each year you can see various influences and changes. But regardless of trends and tastes there are two basic styles in garden designs namely “formal style garden” or “French Garden” and “informal style garden” or “English garden”.
However, the truth is that very few gardens fully respect the rules of each style, most gardens representing a more or less successful combination of the both styles.
Formal (French) Garden: Formal garden, sometimes called French garden is a miniature, faithful and painstakingly arranged garden after the reference garden, namely the Versailles Gardens. Organizational plans of such gardens are rigorous aesthetic effect being the main element. It can be noticed the intensive use of hedges with different shapes and also the use of perfectly symmetrical alleys filled with statues and fountains.
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A traditional formal garden contains geometric elements arranged symmetrically, so layers are round or rectangular and herbs and plants are changed at least 2 times a year. Alleys and paths are converging and there are many areas with herbs or grass.
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This type of garden requires a lot of patience, professionalism and imagination. The maintenance of these gardens requires constant work, lawn and Buxus must always embellish, as well as flowers arranged or changed periodically, not to mention the maintaining of walkways and fountains.
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There is the preconceived idea that such garden is suitable only for large homes and huge properties. It is totally wrong, it’s all about scale and materials. After all, even small rustic houses may have a formal garden with well defined and maintained layers of plants to which you can access on small, cobbled and symmetrical alleys.
Informal (English) Garden: The tendency of informal gardens is to transform and evolve into a wild garden. Having as a focal point only a bench or an arrangement of rocks, this garden offers many design ideas. English garden is full of perennials, and flowers that flow freely in arches over walkways. However, roses are among the favorite flowers in these gardens.
Informal garden is not very demanding, and you can always postpone watering or maintenance program because its main feature is the wild look. Such gardens are very well suited to rustic and traditional homes.
The simplest informal garden consists only of sunny space with wild flowers and herbs. For some people this garden may seem an unkempt garden.
Small areas with trees are also considered a type of informal garden. In fact, if you plant shade-loving flowers under trees, place a wooden bench and make a small gravel driveway, you can have a perfect informal garden.
The most common scheme of English Garden is where flowers of different species are planted on both sides of a winding alley.
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 Garden vs. Informal (English) Garden){kind=link}