The Victorian Garden: Let’s Bring Back Victorian Landscape Design

Victorian gardens are one of the most beautiful landscape designs. If you know anything about the Victorian era, you know that they loved beauty! Romance was the name of the game. A Victorian garden definitely looked romantic and beautiful! Let’s take a close-up look at Victorian garden elements, and how you can incorporate them into your own garden.

You don’t have to have a Victorian style home to have a Victorian garden. These gardens are known mainly for colorful flowers, sweeping lawns, and garden paths. Symmetrical garden beds, fencing, and ornamental elements all have a place in a Victorian garden.

There is a whole range of plants that can be grown in a Victorian garden. Here is a look at the some of the most popular varieties:

• Azaleas, forsythia and barberry were prized in a Victorian garden, as well as honeysuckle and holly.
• Rose bushes, lilacs and wisteria are some of the most popular choices.
• Vines such as clematis, ivy and morning glory all have a place in a Victorian garden.

Victorian green thumbs collected ferns as a popular pastime. So you can’t go wrong if you include outdoor ferns in your Victorian garden. Flowers during that era also had special meanings! Here is a sampling:

• If you gave a bouquet of pansies from your garden, you were considered very thoughtful.
• Victorian brides usually walked down the aisle with a bouquet of lilies. Lilies mean purity.
• Myrtle symbolized love.
• Morning glories were given to express affection for someone.
• Other commonly found annuals and perennials in a Victorian garden include Alyssum, Delphinium, and Aster, as well as daylilies and lavender.

A Victorian garden is usually ornamented with a variety of garden props and hardscape elements. Any props and elements used are often ornate rather than plain. Consider using the following items in your garden:

• Sculptures, urns and birdbaths.
• Garden benches made of cast iron or stone.
• Arbors or gazebos.

Whatever Victorian garden elements you choose, remember to use a wide variety of colorful perennials. Above all, Victorians loved their flowers!