French gardens and English gardens are two distinct styles of garden design, each with its own unique characteristics and philosophy.
1. French Gardens:
· Formal and Symmetrical: French gardens, exemplified by the Gardens of Versailles, are known for their formal, geometric layouts. They are highly symmetrical and often feature straight lines.
· Manicured and Controlled: These gardens showcase a mastery over nature, with meticulously trimmed hedges, pruned trees, and sculpted topiaries.
· Use of Water Features: Large, ornate fountains and reflective pools are common in French gardens, adding to the grandeur and formality.
· Ornamentation: Statues, urns, and terraces are often used as decorative elements.
· Gravel Walkways: They typically have well-defined gravel paths and parterres (ornamental flower beds with patterns).
2. English Gardens:
· Natural and Picturesque: English gardens, also known as landscape gardens, are designed to mimic natural landscapes. They are more informal and less symmetrical.
· Rolling Lawns and Varied Plantings: These gardens feature sweeping lawns, mixed plantings of trees, shrubs, and flowers, and an emphasis on seasonal changes.
· Incorporation of Natural Elements: English gardens often include elements like wooded areas, lakes, and rolling hills, aiming to create a harmonious and serene natural environment.
· Winding Paths and Hidden Spaces: The pathways in English gardens are winding and organic, leading to hidden spaces, like a small garden bench or a quaint pond.
· Romantic and Whimsical Features: Features like small bridges, follies (decorative buildings), and ruins are common, adding a sense of whimsy and romance.
In summary, French gardens are characterized by their formality, symmetry, and control over nature, while English gardens are known for their natural appearance, informal layout, and incorporation of varied plantings and landscape features.
Some people prefer the French garden approach for their careers: they set precise goals, follow a clear timeline, and measure progress against well-defined benchmarks (very often people they know). This approach, much like the French garden, is about mastering one's career landscape, leaving little to chance.
But others prefer the contrasting beauty of an English garden. Here, the charm lies in its natural, organic flow. Paths change and turn, leading to unexpected surprises. This mirrors how some approach their careers - open to possibilities, flexible to change, and comfortable with a degree of unpredictability. They thrive on opportunities that arise spontaneously, valuing growth and learning that comes from unforeseen challenges and experiences,
Both gardens are beautiful, yet fundamentally different. Similarly, there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to career planning. Some may prefer the structured, predictable path like a French garden, while others embrace the fluid, open-ended journey of an English garden. The beauty lies in recognizing and respecting these different approaches.
Do you prefer the predictability and control of a well-planned career path, or do you thrive in a career that unfolds in unexpected ways, filled with surprises and learning opportunities?
Is your organization offering a career path that suits your style? Are you in a 'French garden' of structured growth or an 'English garden' of organic opportunities?
Is it about the type of garden or is it more about you? That´s for another post 😉
FAQs
Similarly, there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to career planning. Some may prefer the structured, predictable path like a French garden, while others embrace the fluid, open-ended journey of an English garden. The beauty lies in recognizing and respecting these different approaches.
How to plan an English garden? ›
The basic elements of an English garden include: large drifts of bright perennials, color themes, a wide variety of textures, and herbaceous borders—which are full of flowers through three seasons. English gardens were popularized in the 1800s and 1900s, thanks to authors like William Robertson and Gertrude Jekyll.
What is an example of a French garden? ›
Some of the world's most famous gardens employ French-style gardening techniques, but none are more well-known than the gardens at the Palace of Versailles. Some other famous French gardens include the gardens of Vaux-le-Vicomte, the gardens of Château de Villandry, and the gardens of Eyrignac Manor.
What is special about an English garden? ›
English cottage gardens feature over-the-top personality, with beds that brim with riotous color. Roses, delphiniums, foxglove and hollyhock sparkle in a cottage garden. Charming picket fences, stone paths and trellises interject a sense of order into the botanical chaos.
What is a typical British garden? ›
An English garden lay out is typically relaxed, whimsical and meandering. A lawn will have an organic shape, overlapped by overflowing borders of flowers, paths will snake through the garden, perhaps past a curvaceous pond or water feature in a reclaimed iron container.
What is the difference between a French garden and an English garden? ›
In summary, French gardens are characterized by their formality, symmetry, and control over nature, while English gardens are known for their natural appearance, informal layout, and incorporation of varied plantings and landscape features.
What are the elements of an English garden? ›
When designing an English garden of your own, think perennials and annuals, herbs and vegetables, roses, shrubs, and grass. Whether you've got an acre of garden and lawn space or just a few square feet, these design elements are your first step toward creating that English garden space.
What is the French garden theory? ›
The French formal garden, also called the jardin à la française (French for 'garden in the French manner'), is a style of "landscape" garden based on symmetry and the principle of imposing order on nature.
How to create a French style garden? ›
A pea gravel path is a classic French garden staple. Still, flagstone, fountains or other water features, stone benches, planters or urns, statuary, topiaries, or low walls can all bring tidy hardscape complements into your landscape.
What is French gardening technique? ›
French intensive gardening is named after 19th century market gardens in France that produced large amounts of vegetables in small spaces by enriching the soil, planting crops close together (to keep moisture in and weeds down), and topping off with season extending glass bell jars (cloches) placed over crops in cool ...
The stars of your English garden are the flowers. English garden design revolves around color. You may choose a minimalistic color story showcasing various shades of your favorite color, such as all white or gradients of pink. Or you can go nuts with splashes of vibrant reds, purples, and blues.
How to create an English country garden? ›
Garden design is about making sense of your outside space, and when it comes to an English country garden, it's by creating 'rooms', forming pathways and enclosing your spaces. If you have a good-sized garden you can make several lawn-filled 'rooms', lay paths between them and enclose them with walls of hedges.
Why do English gardens have walls? ›
In this garden, as in English gardens through- out history, walls are both practical and decorative. They protect plants from cold winds and hungry animals. They radiate heat, thereby prolonging the growing season. They create intimate enclosed spaces while blocking out unwanted noise or unsightly views.
What is an American garden? ›
The American version of the gardening style is considerably bolder and more robust in appearance than the European look, chiefly because of the difficulties created by extremes of climate across much of the USA. You may also like. Ron Lutsko's Californian non-garden. Meet botanical art collector Shirley Sherwood.
What trees are typical in English garden? ›
However, native trees and shrubs have a place in UK gardens and some are familiar favourites either as full blown trees or clipped plants; e.g. box (Buxus sempervirens), English yew (Taxus baccata), holly (Ilex aquifolium), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), beech (fa*gus sylvatica), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and silver ...
What is the best garden layout? ›
Rows Vegetable Garden Layout Plan
The other rule of thumb when using this layout plan is to organize your spacing so that your tallest growing vegetables are planted on the north side of your rows. Follow them with medium height vegetables, and then plant your shortest crop on the south side of the rows.
How do I plan my garden UK? ›
- What sort of outdoor space do you want? Is it for the kids to play in? ...
- Get inspired. With the focus of your garden decided on, it's time to seek out a little inspiration. ...
- Choose a garden look. ...
- Make a plan of the garden. ...
- Know your garden. ...
- Start sketching the new garden design. ...
- Schedule the changes: A phased approach.
"English would be more formal. English gardens utilize hedges and crisp, vertical evergreen accents to define spaces and punctuate certain areas." The original cottage gardens, which Lenhart says began in the 1800s, incorporated fruit trees and aromatic plants out of necessity.
How do I plan my garden layout? ›
Map Out Your Plants
Sketch out your plan on paper. Use graph paper and draw to scale, keeping in mind the mature size and habit of each kind of plant. Site larger plants, like corn and tomatoes, where they won't cast shade over shorter plants. Choose compact varieties if you have limited space.
