How to Plant and Grow a French Country Garden

French country gardens have plants that interchange with each other, but need to be maintained and not allowed to grow wild. This type of garden is quaint and romantic. When planting a French country garden, avoid straight lines and modern features.

Color and plant choices for a French country garden. Green foliage should be your focal point of your garden. Choose green plants that can be used such as mint, thyme, and rosemary. Add different shapes and sizes of plants in palettes of pinks, lavenders, blues, reds, and yellows. This will add a splash a color to your French country garden. Lavender, climbing roses, and petunias are some popular choices for a French country garden. Your inside home decor color theme can be continued on the outside of your home, and used as the palette for your French country garden.

Line the outside of your house with trellises, which will be the focal point of your French country garden. Have green vines climbing each trellis, then plant climbing roses and other greenery around the trellis. Add colorful flowers in various heights around and across each trellis. Add a stone wall around your house, then add greenery and plants around the curve of the wall in various heights. Add a trellis with vines and climbing roses to each end of the stone wall.

Make an outside bistro surrounded by a French country garden. Make a pathway and platform made of stone leading to your backyard. On that platform place a bistro style table and chairs. Plant your greenery and flowers around your stone platform and pathway. This makes for a stunning backyard.

Put a gazebo in your backyard, then frame it with a French country garden. Hang a few flower boxes around the edge of your gazebo. Place vines and flowers in each flower box. Add small bushes and colorful flowers around the gazebo. You could also add mini trellises on the walls of your gazebo, then add some climbing roses for a soft, romantic touch.

Design a French country garden on the front and side of your home. Hang window boxes on the front and side of your home filled with herbs, vines, and flowers. Plant shrubs and greenery throughout the front and side of your home. Have vines and shrubs in various heights, and add some bushes that brush the bottom of the window boxes.

For more information about French country gardens go to www.doityourself.com or www.gardenweb.com.