Cultivating Romance
In the Victorian era, gardens were romantic spots for rendezvous. It was common for a man and woman to pause and flirt next to roses, which emit a heady perfume. Or find young lovers huddled under a vine-covered arbor, talking in hushed tones.
But don’t despair: It’s possible to create a romantic hideaway today in your backyard. There are several ingredients that combine to make a garden romantic, including boundaries for privacy, an intimate seating area, the sound of water, garden ornaments, certain flowers and fragrances.
A romantic garden could take years, months or just days to create, depending on how elaborate you want to get. Introducing certain romantic flowers can be done with a simple trip to the nursery. Buying a bench and fountain is another quick and easy refinement. Waiting for vines to cover a trellis will take several months or a couple of years, depending on the vine type.
If your space is small, good news. Small gardens are perfect spots for a romantic location.
“Small spaces tend to be private and intimate, which is necessary to create a romantic atmosphere,” says Shirley Kerins, a landscape architect who has an office in Huntington Beach. “The actual romantic garden area should be appropriate for no more than four people, preferably two.”
Creating a private space requires screening the area from its surroundings.
“The No. 1 enemy of romance is stress, so you want the spot to be a world away from all of life’s worries,” Kerins said. “It’s ideal if you can block views to everything, including the street and even the house, if possible.”
Blocking off the romantic space also gives the spot a sense of mystery and anticipation. “You want the garden to have a few surprises,” says Kevin Cartwright, who oversees the gardens at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace in Yorba Linda, a popular spot for weddings.
Accomplishing this sense of privacy can best be done by building a three-sided structure that opens into your garden. Kerins likes using lattice trellises and fences to create this look, because lattice makes a perfect place for vining flowers to grow.
Other options are block walls, hedges and espaliered fruit trees. Cartwright favors using bay laurel hedges for screening.
If possible, create an entrance and exit to the garden, such as a vine-covered archway that you must walk under or a gate to pass through.
Don’t forget to include seating and a small table. This could be a garden swing, a bench or outdoor love seat, or two comfortable chairs.
As for lighting, Kerins doesn’t think turning on lights is necessary. “I think moonlight and ambient light is much more romantic,” she said.
If you prefer some lighting, choose lights that silhouette certain ornamentally shaped plants. Subdued path lights are also a good addition.
Another important part of a romantic garden is the sound of water, which is soothing and mood-setting. Water prevents you from being distracted by outside noises such as traffic and neighbors. It also prevents people on the outside from hearing what’s going on in the garden.
To mask sounds, it’s important that the fountain do a lot of splashing, which occurs when the water has a long way to fall. Other possible water sources include a waterfall, reflecting pool or Jacuzzi.
Garden ornaments also add romance to a space. Sculptures of women or children, as well as swans and other birds, set a graceful tone in the garden and hint of long-ago times.
“One of the most romantic of all garden ornaments is the reflecting globe, which was popular around the turn of the century,” Cartwright said. “Flowers and the beautiful sky reflected in a globe add a definite touch of romance.”
Another romantic garden feature is a sundial inscribed with an important date, such as a wedding anniversary.
“When choosing garden ornaments, look for something that is a little whimsical and optimistic,” Kerins said. “Try adding items to the garden that remind you of happy times. One couple I met lined the walkway to their garden with rocks from every trip they had ever taken together, so that when they traveled the path, they actually strolled down memory lane.”
Romantic Plants
Although tastes and gardens differ, certain plants tend to whisper romance.
At the top of the list are roses, which for at least a century have signified love, Cartwright said. Good choices include ‘Breathless,’ ‘First Kiss,’ ‘Double Delight,’ ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison,’ which is a dreamy Victorian rose with light pink, big fluffy petals, and the highly fragrant ‘Scentimental.’
Other romantic flowers and plants include violets, which are associated with faithfulness; wisteria, which represents weddings; and pansies, which are related to thoughts.
Need a few more suggestions? There are heart-shaped topiaries made with rosemary or ivy. Or try camellia, columbine, daphne, ferns, forget-me-not, foxglove, fuchsia, iris, lavender, love-in-a-mist (nigella), magnolia, salvia, scabiosa or tulip.
Some ornamental grasses and trees, such as Japanese maple and crepe myrtle, also add romance. Deciduous fruit trees such as peach and plum, and vines such as grape, sky flower (Thunbergia grandiflora), jasmine and potato vine (Solanum jasminoides) are equally sensual.
When it comes to romantic colors, except for bold red and white, stick to pastels.
For summertime, install misters to cool your loved one. Misters will give you some relief from the sun and heat, and the mist is good for certain romantic plants that require moisture and humidity, such as fuchsias.
Focus on Fragrance
A critical part of a romantic garden is delighting the nose with delicious scents.
Besides fragrant roses, plant citrus, vanilla-scented heliotrope, honeysuckle, banana shrub (Michelia figo), wisteria, some pittosporum and sweet olive shrub (Osmanthus fragrans). Good night-bloomers include night-blooming jasmine, moonflower and nicotiana.
Be careful not to choose anything too cloying or heavy for your romantic garden, Kerins warned.
“It’s best that strong-scented plants are placed away from the garden, or that you choose lightly scented plants,” she said. “Some plants, like night-blooming jasmine, tend to be too heavy, and can actually get nauseating. That would really spoil the romance.”
