The Seven Secrets of a Romantic Garden

As we’ve had Valentine’s day this week, I thought I’d looks at the ingredients which make up a romantic garden.

Now I should say right now, this is only my opinion. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so, our ideas of romance might vary. For instance, while a trip to Paris or a Michelin starred candlelit dinner for two are no doubt lovely, I would find a country walk together or a shared cup of coffee tucked away on a table in a quiet cafe, more romantic. But as usual, I’m digressing.

So, I’m sharing here the things ‘I think’ make a garden romantic.

1.Romantic Garden Planting

To my eye a romantic garden has lots of plants, not too formally planted, spilling over the edge of borders. Billowing, blowsy, beautiful. Think loose and generous rather than neat and formal.

Now that’s not to say there’s no structure at all. While the planting in a romantic garden may be informal, there will be some structure to counter-balance things. Otherwise what sets out to be romantic in reality just looks a mess!

For instance I’ve tried to create a romantic look and feel to my semi-shaded border at the far right of my garden (in the two pictures above). So there are lots of soft Tiarellas (Emerald Ellie) and Nepetas (Walkers Low) running the length of the curving edge of the bed, softening the line. But notice how the Allium Purple Sensation with their globe-shaped heads rise-up majestically above all this planting.

They contrast nicely with the colour scheme, providing a bit of punch, and the Alliums’ shape fits with the voluptuous look of the border. But more importantly, their pressence means all the other softness has more impact. If you mentally remove the Alliums from the scene the border isn’t half as effective. Indeed that’s why for me, once the Alliums have gone I really struggle with this border. I instantly think ‘mmmm it’s looking a bit of a mess.’

2. Romantic Garden Plants

I think, if planted in the right design, almost any plant could be considered romantic. But there are undoubtedly some which have a natural predisposition to romance. To my mind these plants are often quite old-fashioned such as roses, hydrangeas, lavenders, wisteria.

The rose covered cottage below seems to have all the elements of romance – a gorgeous very healthy rose, old-fashioned window and even a frilly curtain. However, lovely though this is, to me it’s almost too much – too ‘chocolate-box sickly’ to be romantic. I think a paler, softer pink rose would work much better than this hot colour.

So this leads me to conclude that it’s not just the type of plant but the colour which matters. Soft pinks, whites, mauves, creams, perhaps apricots and peach tones. For instance the soft white-pink of Erigeron on my patio below, is a very romantic look.

Wisteria is also a romantic plant. To appreciate its romantic power you only need to look at this picture below. There is absolutely nothing romantic about the layout of this public space. It has a railed off walkway, marshalling you in a certain direction. The railing itself is functional. Yes, the path curves but not out of view, so there’s no sense of romantic mystery or privacy. All in all it’s absolutely nothing special.

However, this staggeringly beautiful Wisteria is so drippingly, achingly lovely that it singlehandedly rescues the whole scene. Imagine what effect a wisteria like this could create in a garden where romance has actually been intentionally designed in. It would become a mecca for proposals!

3. Romantic Garden Paths & Privacy

A romantic garden has a sense of privacy. That’s why a pathway which gently curves, suggesting it’s taking you to a private secluded spot is such a successful design feature in romantic gardens.

Like the wisteria photo above, the picture below features a municipal space. However, the path actually curves out of view. Combine this with generous planting and the impact is much more private and therefore romantic.

In the picture below, they’re really trying to push the romantic buttons. The curving pathway is combined with an arbour. There’s also a seating area nestling in plants just in view. This is all well and good but I feel the patch of grass in view slightly shatters the romance of this spot. Simply put, despite all the features it doesn’t feel private.

I’d be tempted to have a small tree or a large pot with a clematis or rose climbing an obelisk exactly where that grass is in view. This would complete the sense of privacy and therefore romance.

4. Seating

Romantic gardens often have somewhere calm and secluded to sit. Even if the rest of a garden isn’t very romantic, and doesn’t want to be, it’s rather lovely having a quiet, slightly romantic place to sit and reflect.

With its generous, billowing planting, seclusion and roses, the seating area above is an absolutely classic example. It can be found in the gorgeous garden of Diane and Michael Schultz who live in my village. Their garden is among those I featured a while ago when talking about Langford’s open garden scheme. It’s stunning.

5. Metalwork

The additions of metalwork features can instantly add a sense of romance too. For instance this metal plant support below, which is in the garden of my neighbours, Denise and Richard Kemp, cleverly features a frothy wisteria climbing through it. The curves of the metal and soft lines of the plant are perfect together and sooooo romantic!

Such metalwork elements don’t need to be large. I think this curvaceous, rustic birdfeeder below is a brilliant addition to a romantic garden. And it’s doing the important job of helping to attract wild birds into the garden. What’s not to love!

Gateways into gardens can also add an important element of romance. Our gate (designed by Mr F-W) is I think quite magical. Though I have to admit the two sheds at the bottom of our garden are real passion killers! They’re screened when the trees are in leaf, but as this photo taken a moment ago shows, right now there’s no hiding them. Thankfully Mr F-W is currently building a shed tucked away which will replace these two monstrocities. So, this time next year, the view will hopefully be very different!

6. Climbing Structures

Metal obeliks, wigwams of sweet peas, arbours with climbing roses, I feel structures for plants to climb through add a sense of romance immediately.

This combination in my border of a purple clematis clambering through an obelisk, next to a curvaceious Echinacea adds just such a touch.

7. Lighting

The final tip from me for injecting va va voom into a romantic garden is through lighting. A cheap string of solar-powered lights across a seating area plus a few candles, make an incredible amount of difference.

Even if you’ve only a small patio area, the combination of lighting, and planting on the verticals all around you can create a wonderfully romantic look.