THEME gardens are very popular nowadays, and none more so than when associated with romance. So what makes a romantic garden? Is it a secret garden with a winding path leading to an arbor, an evening garden with a moon-gazing pool, or a wildflower meadow reminiscent of Shakespeare’s flowery meads?
Shakespeare wove herbs and wild flowers into many of his plays and sonnets. Thyme was associated with sweetness; oxlip, taller but similar in shape and colour to the primrose, was an emblem of youth; honeysuckle represented affection and faithfulness; while roses were associated with love.
Many of the roses known to Shakespeare are vigorous growers and have only a brief, once-a-year flowering season. English roses bred by David Austin have all the charm, fragrance and colours of old varieties, but are not nearly as rampant, and have the advantage of re-blooming.
A meadow style garden
The modern gardener can take inspiration from Shakespeare and create a flowering meadow. A combination of grasses and perennials is now frequently seen at major international flowers shows. This is romance at its simple best, with a rustic bench set amidst randomly planted grasses, perennials, annuals and “see-through” plants, such as the indigenous foxglove, Ceratotheca triloba, gaura, lace flower and bronze fennel, and visited by butterflies, bees, insects and birds.
Plant non-invasive grasses and flowers of different heights and shapes – spires of agastache, penstemon and salvia among scabiosa, achillea and daisies of all types: felicia, euryops, Shasta, bidens, gaillardia, cosmos and sunflower.
A secret garden
In Victorian times, gardens were designed with winding paths screened by shrubs that led to rose and vine-covered arbors, the perfect meeting place for lovers. In your romantic garden, a gently curving pathway could lead through a mini orchard or woodland to an arbor, a summerhouse, gazebo, or even a simple latticework trellis that becomes a private place, a hideaway.
The “sweetheart” rose, Cecile Brunner, has sprays of tiny pink, perfectly formed roses produced freely for most of the year that can be trained over an arbor, gazebo or trellis. Include a garden seat and you have set the scene for a romantic rendezvous.
A moon garden
A twilight garden need not be large. It can be part of the main garden, or situated near a patio. It is best if the design is kept simple and uncluttered, with well-lit paths constructed of light coloured paving. White and stone urns, statues and benches are more visible.
A pool lit by moonlight is the essence of a romantic garden. Soft lighting will add to the romantic mood with solar products, low-energy bulbs and candles. This is a place where white and pale coloured plants take on an iridescent beauty, and where strong colours darken, adding a mysterious quality.
Flowers for the summer garden include agapanthus, arum, hydrangea, lilium, Nicotiana sylvestris, roses, dahlia, alstroemeria, galtonia, marguerite daisy, Shasta daisy and frothy gypsophila. White and green variegated foliage show up well, as does the silver and grey foliage of Artemisia “Powis Castle”, Festuca glauca “Silver Eyecatch”, Helichrysum petiolare, lamb’s ears (stachys), Lamium maculatum“Beacon Silver” and santolina.
Valentine flowers
A charming tradition would be to include flowers with sentimental meanings, and the plants that Shakespeare knew, in your garden to recall the history, tradition and romance of yesteryear.
Scented flowers and flowers with sentimental meanings for your romantic garden could include agapanthus (love letters), alyssum (worthy beyond beauty), arum (magnificent beauty), dahlia (forever thine), daisy (measure of love), dianthus (pure affection), fern (fascination), gardenia (you are lovely), heliotrope (devotion), honeysuckle (dost thou love me), lavender (sweet memories), cabbage rose (ambassador of love) and china rose (beauty always new).
Flowers need not be large and showy. Indeed, the modest violet has long been associated with love and was grown in ancient Athens and worn in garlands at weddings. They were the favourite flower of Queen Victoria and Queen Alexandra of England. French Emperor Napoleon gave his bride Josephine violets on their wedding day and on every anniversary, and when she died, violets were planted on her grave.
To enhance a romantic mood, greenery in a romantic style garden should be soft and flowing.
A Victorian posy
The original tussie-mussie was an aromatic, petite posy of herbs used in medieval days to ward off evil smells and the plague. In Victorian times, flowers associated with sentimental meanings were included in these sweet-smelling nosegays, and a language of flowers evolved.
The number of flowers on a stem could indicate the hour of a rendezvous, secret flower messages might appear on embroidery, and young ladies portrayed messages of love in watercolours.
Not all flowers conveyed meanings that were favourable for romance, however. Beware the lover who sent snapdragons (chatterbox), yellow roses (a decline of love), yellow carnations (rejection), and petunia (anger).