Some time ago, I visited a garden and landscape art exhibition, where several charming floral gardens designed by different European designers were presented. It made me think about how much time can influence a garden. I mean, with each era, or even each year, we see garden art differently. Every season brings its own changes, and fashion trends in gardening evolve rapidly. But one thing remains constant: the fragrance. I’m sure that 500 years ago, flowers smelled just as delightful as they do today. I also believe that English gardens and flower beds have become a cornerstone for all gardening in general. Today, I would like to share a bit about this, about what gardening was like in England in the past.
Of course, roses were in the first place. They were so loved that these flowers in Britain gained special significance long before they were chosen as emblems for the warring families of the Lancasters and the Yorks.
England already has a mild climate thanks to the influence of the Gulf Stream, but in the past, it was especially mild, allowing the country to be transformed into a blooming garden from early spring to late autumn. Just imagine living a life amidst endless blooming, surrounded by abundant plants and bountiful harvests.
At that time, every farmer, even the poorest, could afford to plant a few bushes or trees in front of their house. Back then, it wasn’t for beauty but for protection from the heat. However, people also adorned their small English gardens and flower beds in the past with beds of herbs and cabbages. The English adored edible plants. Even Jane Austen herself wrote in her letters about how much she loved watching apricots grow in her garden.
Today, gardens are primarily places for expressing creative ideas, but in the past, it was different. While we now plan how to arrange a flower bed, the English of the past were considering which corner to place the beehive.
But as I mentioned earlier, the fragrances remained unchanged. You could walk through a garden and breathe in the same scents of peach, gooseberry, currant, and strawberry, as well as potato and tomato. You would have walked among apple, pear, cherry, and mulberry trees.
If you found yourself in an old English garden, you would have noticed that it was decorated with a Greek temple, a ruin bridge, a grotto, and columns. Gazebos were very popular then, sometimes elevated from the ground, offering a beautiful view. I love the fact that guests wandering through English gardens and flower beds could come to this gazebo and find a little surprise waiting for them on the table: tea or wine and light snacks.
Also, read my similar posts: Favorite flowers of the Victorians, Japanese garden inspiration and The perfume of yesteryear.
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