Finding Inspiration in Parterre

Parterre

an ornamental garden with paths between the beds

I actually based a number of my designs on some of my favorite parterre gardens! According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, parterre gardens are ornamental gardens with paths dividing the beds. Parterre gardens were first created in the late 16th century by French garden designer Claude Mollet and have been used in many royal gardens, including Versailles. They are made up of simple shapes and patterns, but form mesmerizing designs as the shapes and patterns are combined. The full parterre design is best appreciated from above (and thus they are intended to be viewed from a high vantage point, like a balcony). I initially ordered a couple of garden-themed books as inspiration for my small garden. One of my favorites was Royal Gardens of the World by Mark Lane. Not only did it give me inspiration for my garden, but it also inspired me to create designs that could be used for backgrounds to photos, cards, etc. As parterre gardens are designed to be seen from above, my designs are a 'view from above'. It is so much fun to see a design come together. I start by designing the core pattern, and then I add a number of those patterns together. While combining the core patterns, the overall design often becomes more intricate and beautiful than I initially expect. Parterre gardens have been in existence for many centuries and continue to be a focal point of many famous gardens today. I believe their beautiful designs are timeless and I hope my designs have some of this timelessness too. I hope you'll love them as much as I do!

Xoxo,

Anna