Le chanvre

The tendency of informal gardens is to transform and evolve a wild garden. The designer’s classic scheme is to try to reproduce nature with free and airy shapes. Having as a focal point only a bench or an arrangement of rocks, this garden offers many design ideas even if for some people it may seem like a unkempt garden. Such gardens are very well suited to rustic and traditional homes and give them a very nice charm.

What characterizes these gardens is that it is composed of a sunny space with wildflowers and herbs like a clearing accompanied by small wooded areas. The furniture is rustic and matches the houses, with natural materials reminiscent of the forms of nature.

For plant composition, the English garden is full of perennials and flowers of different species that flow freely in arches over walkways or planted on both sides of a winding alley. There are also flowers of shade at the foot of the trees and roses which is the favorite flower of the English.

English gardens are ecological because they give way to nature and its development. There is also more animal biodiversity like squirrels or hedgehogs because they find places to shelter.

In addition, the informal garden is not very demanding, and you can always postpone watering or maintenance program because its main features is the wild aspect.

Formal garden or French garden, is a painstakingly landscaped garden whose aesthetic effect is the main element. It is inspired by gardens like Versailles and he must represent the greatness of the king.

The plans for organizing such gardens are rigorous and contain geometric elements arranged symmetrically creating a real artistic motif. We can see on some areas, the intensive use of hedges of different forms forming a beautiful topiary art and also the use of alleys filled with statues and fountains. We can also find large aerated areas with herbs or grass.

The round and rectangular shapes create a beautiful shape movement and make the walk fun as in a maze.

This type of garden requires a lot of patience, imagination and constant work because everything is controlled. Plants such as boxwood are pruned very regularly and the flowers changed periodically (twice a year).

This maintenance of plants and materials sometimes requires the use of chemicals and requires significant water consumption.  

They are not ecological gardens because they do not allow time for biodiversity to develop.

It is complicated to have a French garden for small rustic houses but possible by playing with perspectives and materials. They are above all gardens to create a historic atmosphere.

For my opinion, I prefer the aesthetics of French gardens because it represents a real art by their composition. But I prefer for my garden or to walk the English gardens because they are more relaxing and airier. We feel freer.