How to Design a Victorian Garden

The Victorian era was a game-changer for gardens. People had more tools, so they could do more cool things outdoors. A variety of exotic plants as well as greenhouses have been added to the gardens.

The Victorian era lasted from 20 June 1837 to 22 January 1901. During the reign of Queen Victoria, there were great changes in science, politics, religion, technology, and the arts. The world, not just Britain, has undergone great changes. Traveling has never been easier.

The mid-Victorian era (1850-1870) is known as Britain's golden years. Historians describe it as a time of industrial growth, economic growth, and peace at home and abroad.

Several changes in the Victorian era increased the popularity of gardening:

Leisure time is becoming more prevalent, especially among the middle and upper classes.

People could, for the first time, have a Saturday off. decent. People used to only get one day off work.

Due to advances in technology and more free time, gardens are no longer restricted to kings and queens.

Gardens are now regarded as a place of aesthetic beauty and enrichment rather than just as a kitchen need.

The lawn mower was invented. It changed the landscape game.

Increased horticultural knowledge.

The fern's popularity has exploded as hunters multiply into the world of rare plants.

Characteristics of Victorian Gardens

Seasonal plants are arranged in geometric patterns.

The hallways are made of terra cotta tiles.

Chrome is scattered on the doors, windows and arches.

Gardening was about showing and displaying, not communicating with nature. You want your garden to be attractive.

Croquet lawns were perfect for garden parties.

Victorian gardens would have so much color that it would blind most people's eyes.

Find inspiration during the Victorian era

People will learn how to design Victorian gardens from gardening and ladies' magazines. Directions were shared, morals preached. Publications included black and white sketches and drawings.

Towards the end of the Victorian era, people sent out hand-colored postcards. Postcards feature designs for rug beds.

An example of a Victorian garden that still exists today is Biddulph Grange Park in England. This is a snapshot of what a Victorian garden would have looked like in the late 1860s. Biddulph seemed to be frozen in time.

The Garden

A lush, grassy lawn is ideal if you wish to design your own Victorian garden. This will take constant fertilizing, weeding, and mowing throughout the growing season. The Victorians were the first to plant shroud grass. They were the ones who decided to clean up the lawn, and they had the tools to do it on a level that hasn't been done.

The lawn is an external extension of the house. During the Victorian era, parties were often held there. It was also a place for tea parties, the latest gossip, or playing yard games such as croquet.

The first step to a Victorian garden is to level your space, cut and trim everything. You want the space to be clean before you start adding intricate designs. Mowing your lawn prevents unwanted pests such as snakes and mice from deciding to live in your garden. Regular mowing also prevents weeds from growing and spreading.

Some tall grass can be left. For example, prairie grass is considered rare and is supposed to last longer. If you are creating a Victorian garden, you can try creating a herbaceous border with tall grasses. In this way, you can preserve the lawn and achieve an effect reminiscent of the nineteenth century.

Flower Beds

Victorian gardens favored flower beds. You want to plant flowers that are elegant, symmetrical, and with delicate geometric shapes. Plant flowers in raised beds to keep them organized. Squares were a popular shape during the nineteenth century.

Carpet bed is when you plant flowers of the same height in the same spot. The design scheme is populated with flowers of the same type. These can be flowers of the same color, type or height.

An example of a carpet bed would be a diamond pattern of just yellow tulips. During the Victorian era, gardening magazines featured designs for carpet beds. The designs were coloring by numbers, coloring book pages or strategy guides.

Annuals were common in carpet beds. With the increasing pollution in London, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep plants alive. Only the hardiest plants would survive, so preserving perennials was much more difficult. It was better to sow annually and then replant the following year.

Herbaceous borders were another popular style in the Victorian era. To recreate the style, gardeners plant low plants along the edge and grow tall plants on the sides. The tallest plants grow backwards. Flowers are seen and appreciated for their exotic ways. Mixing colors, textures, and elevations adds dimension to borders. Bright colors and flashy items are coveted pieces.

Advances in science during the 19th century gave rise to many new flowers and new varieties. Gardeners have been looking for new varieties of roses.

Why were roses so popular? The Victorian era was glorious. People spend their free time daydreaming. Roses were considered romantic and exotic. Red, pink and white roses were the best sellers. The color of the rose indicates an individual's level of interest. White for purity, burgundy for worship, pink for upward feelings, and red for passion.

Vines 

Climbing vines are your friend. They help create shaded areas for relaxation. It makes the trellis or pergola more romantic. Clementines, wisteria, or trumpet vine climb structures with ease. The Victorians used vines to climb boring fences, hide logs, or hide unfinished items in the yard.

Grapes were a popular food, so people grew them in their yards. Vines can also be home to birds, bees, and other animals.

Shrubbery

A bush has been planted around the base for a sense of colour. The clearer the bush, the better. Shrubs were collected from all over the world and placed in Victorian gardens.

Popular shrubs include: Boston fern, boxwood, bridal wreath, carnation bush, cotoneasters, forsythia, fusias, hydrangeas, holly, jasmine, maidenhair palm, majesty palm, mock orange, parlor palm, peony, quince, spirea. , Weber, Weber.

The Victorian era was a great time for plant hunters.

Hunting plants can be just as toxic to nature as hunting animals. Entire ecosystems can be destroyed, invasive plants that are imported will damage landscapes, and this puts plants at risk of extinction.

Wealthy plant hunters were surprised by plant hunters, especially when they brought back rare finds.

Plant hunters David Douglas and Robert Fortune were major players. Wealth brought golden charms and Japanese maples from the Far East. Douglas brought conifers from North America.

One of the most popular trees for puzzles was the monkey. It became popular in the 1840s. Fruit trees were also abundant, including apple, pear, lemon, peach, plum, and avocado trees.

Fence

Wrought iron fences and iron gates were all the rage in the Victorian era. Fencing helps frame a yard or separate certain areas. A trellis or pergola is often placed at the gate to add intrigue before people enter the garden.

Iron was popular because it was a flexible material that was also resistant to corrosion.

They were considered rustic picket fences. It was often covered with vines or rosettes to disguise it.

Yard Decoration

Victorians liked to be more. Lace was added around plant pots, ornaments were rearranged daily, and mystery items were a plus.

Some of the most popular elements of Victorian gardens include:

bird bath

sandals

Obelisks

Statues

fountains;

Staring at the balls.

Lantern

jars

mini greenhouses

The glass bell and clutches have been converted into mini greenhouses. The window boxes were full of roses and vines. The plants in the boxes were supposed to be dotted over the edge.

Gas Lamp 

Gas lamp lamps were common in the Victorian era. It is made of aluminium. They tend to be black and gold.

Water Lily

Water lilies have been added to ponds and other bodies of water. In 1849, a private farmer succeeded in growing the first large water lily flower in England. The farmer presented it to Queen Victoria.

Benches 

Benches are hidden in the backyard to sit and enjoy the garden view. The benches were usually made of wood or stone. Iron tables and chairs are set in the backyard to enjoy al fresco dining.

Stone Jewelry

Ornaments add sophistication to the garden. Common elements were: bird baths, sundials, statues, urns, statues, or stone faces on the walls. The pieces were supposed to add surprise. In the case of recreating a Victorian garden today, people should feel as though they are being watched by gnomes, birdbaths are inviting birds to visit another world, and stone faces may be speaking.

Modern cast stone jewelry can be found today. Adding stone chips can help easily transform a garden into a Victorian daydream. Consider adding: a goddess statue, statues of children playing together, or columns.

Rocks can create focal points in a garden. They look good in areas where there are seating areas and swimming pools.

Garden Structures

The glass opened up new structures for the garden, including greenhouses and conservatories.

Greenhouses

If you collect ferns around the world, you need a place to store them. In the 19th century, the addiction to collecting ferns had a name: creeper mania or fern fever.

Greenhouses and ferns are built to protect soft greens such as pineapples and other exotic plants. Victorian architects used iron to design large greenhouses for botanical gardens.

The greenhouses have steep roofs.

The steepness of the roof allows maximum light to enter the structure.

The higher roof pitch was also to allow room for tall trees and plants.

Victorian greenhouses used the narrow panes of glass commonly used today.

The chimneys of the kiln were usually built farther out from the garden. The Victorians wanted to prevent soot from entering their garden and damaging their plants and decorations.

Nurseries were not common in the Victorian era. Hobbyist botanists will rely on greenhouses to propagate plants, store cuttings, and store temperature-sensitive plants.

Conservatories

The Victorian conservatory has three to five sides and a high roof. Hills decorated in it. These conservatories are sometimes called Victorian sunrooms.

They often have Gothic windows and doors. Even today, conservatories are often used to grow citrus fruits and tropical plants.

Flying

Big barn for birds. Birds provide birds with a large living space where they can fly. They are sometimes called fly cages. They often contain plants and shrubs.

The first large aviary was built in 1880 at the Rotterdam Zoo. In the Victorian era, cages were built next to Rothschild homes.

Iron Properties

Iron was used for the bow. Victorians loved roses, honeysuckle, vines and other climbers on them. Arches add texture, height, and shade to a garden.