English Formal Garden

What is the intent of the English formal garden?
Its purpose is to present an idealized view of Nature. This style originated in England during the 18th Century. Its inspiration came from the panoramic landscape paintings of that time. It sought to create in microcosm the aesthetic equivalents of groves trees, lakes, rolling lawns, and pastoral vistas.

What geometry characterizes this style of gardening?
An English formal garden is built around a central dividing line that runs the entirety of its length. On either side of this line, plant materials and inorganic forms are equally balanced, giving the garden a sense of symmetry and order. Elements are typically arranged in interlocking geometric shapes. These can be squares, triangles, or rectangles. In the very center of a garden, a focal point is placed.

What focal points do English gardens use?
A variety of elements can be used as focal points. The exception to this is sculpture. English gardens are slightly less formal than their French and Italian equivalents and as such deviate intentionally from the practice of using sculpture as a centering device for garden design. Topiaries are often used, however, to add vertical impact and form to the scene. Another technique is to use a water feature as the focal point. In some English styles, a lush flower bed can also be used to center the design with color.

What types of vegetation are used in an English formal garden?
Climbing plants are often used to cover fences or boundary walls with greenery. Shrubs and trees often populate the interior designs and spill over slightly into the bed edges. This creates the sense of relaxed formality this style is known form. Herbs are often very popular elements to use in creating the rich geometry English design is known for. The interlocking patterns of the style are derivative of ancient Celtic art which is easily duplicated by plantings of colorful flowering herbs throughout the interior segments. Flower beds can also be used for this effect, or, as we have already mentioned, as focal points in the center of the garden. Common species include Columbines, Aster, Carnations, Cornflowers, and Black-Eyed Susans.

What types of inorganic elements are featured in an English formal garden?
Inorganic forms are found in three primary places: the central dividing line, the focal point (if a non-organic element is chosen), and in boundary fences or walls. Walls are intended to reflect the English love of containment and privacy. Masonry walls are often used for this effect. In traditional Tudor gardens, stone walls were often used, but in America, fences have been substituted in many cases.

The central path is usually either made of red brick or gravel, lined with small trees or shrubs that edge into the hardscape in order to create a sense of loose formality that is neat, but never stiff, per se. Because the path is more than decorative, but also a thoroughfare as well, people need to walk through and feel as though they are surrounded by vitality and life in a comforting and personable manner.

Larger English formal gardens may also use topiaries to create the equivalent of an arbor or pergola, although these terms do not strictly apply in the sense of the typical outdoor buildings we associate with these names. The intent is to create a shaded area (or two) where a small bench can be placed so people can sit and survey the garden from a comfortable position within its interior.

How important is water to the English formal garden?
Water is not an absolute must for this design, but it never fails to make a positive aesthetic impact. Because the first English gardens were inspired by sweeping landscapes with lakes, any number of water features can be used to emulate the presence of water in a natural setting. A small rectangular reflecting pool can compliment both garden form and home architecture. A birdbath or fountain can add vertical impact, or a natural pond can be placed in the center simply to lend a sense of tranquility to the moment.