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A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

French Country Style Deck

Thursday, June 6, 2013

The merry month of 
May
has been exceptionally
mild-mannered in temperatures
this spring.

The temperatures stayed 
in the 80s or lower
and 
humidity played along.

The hostas bloomed on delicate stems
 above their greenery and the garden fairy bell. 


Cool breezes blew from the north across the east deck. 

In the afternoon the deck was a shady place to sit 
for a while in the French-style chairs to enjoy the 
unusual balmy May temperatures.

French-style topiaries kept inside 
during the winter months enjoyed regrowth 
outside during May.

The French semi-circular wire table holding 
rejuvenating ivy on the bottom shelf is perfect for outdoors.

Olive tree topiaries, a ball ivy topiary, and a large conical ivy topiary 
surround the old redwood bench that 
holds a blue ceramic bowl that provides water 
for birds, cats, and wildlife that live in the woods around our house.

I love looking out a living room window past the deck 
to the garden shed with a French-style blue roof in the east yard.
 This May the view was especially lush with green plants and trees.

The French-style urn on the south deck holds 
a white Shasta daisy plant. 

The other pots around the ivy topiary hold 
white lantana, blue lobelia, blue sage,  
lavender, and pink snapdragons.

What is it about French Country style gardens 
that appeals to me?

I think I now know one of the reasons.
Vibrant colors of red, yellow, and orange
flowers weren't brought to Europe until 1730.

The colors I love...white, pink, blue, and mauve... 
were the only colors available in the 
17th century when French Formal gardens 
were created.

Merry May 2013 was 
a month long reminder of 
French summer weather that 
nurtures white, pink, blue, and mauve
 flowers amidst sculpted topiaries.
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The French-style wooden folding chairs are 
from HomeGoods.
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