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While gardening has been going on since Eden, it was during
the Victorian era that it became widely popular.due in part
to new technologies, more diverse plant stock, the rise of
the middle class and with it the invention of suburban
living. But the number one reason gardening became popular
was the increase in the amount of leisure time the middle
class could devote to it. The underlying theme of the
Victorian garden, as in much of Victorian life in general,
was man's conquest over the elements. Nothing exemplifies
this so much as the lawn. If you've ever had to maintain an
average-sized lawn you know how much time it takes--a
"perfect" lawn requires constant attention. Once lawn
perfection had been attained, our Victorian forebears sought
to embellish it, and did so by attempting to turn their
lawns into outdoor parlors. Indoor parlors needed to be
decorated and so did those out-of- doors. Eight essential
elements of a late Victorian garden are: |
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 1.
Lawn:
A front and rear lawn were considered imperative in a formal
garden. Cottage gardens and woodland gardens were more
informal, and lawns were not such a requisite. The large
expanses of lawn on estates were trimmed by gang mowers,
drawn by horses. The push mower, for more modest lawns, was
patented during Victoria's reign.
2. Trees:
Trees were used primarily to shade important parts of the
house where direct sun was unwelcome, such as a dining room
or veranda. Trees were also used to frame the carriage drive
or approach to the house. In the city, trees were often
planted along the street to aid in privacy. Weeping trees
and those with interestingly colored or shaped leaves were
popular and used strategically to draw the eye. Depending
upon climate, one might collect exotic trees and "display"
them as part of the lawn decor. Most often these exotics
were kept in conservatories.
3. Shrubs:
Shrubs were used mainly for delineating property lines or
marking paths. They might also be used to hide an
"unsightly" wooden fence or house foundation, or used to
frame doorways or bay windows. It was popular to mix the
species of shrubs.
4. Fencing:
Most properties at the turn of the century were fenced. Cast
iron was by far the most popular material because it was the
most ornamental. The more elaborate the home, the more
elaborate (usually) the fence and gate. In more informal
settings, rustic fencing was used. This might be made of
"rustic" wood bent into decorative motifs. The picket fence
was to be hidden with shrubs at best, or vines if shrubs
were out of the question.
 5.
Ornaments:
Urns, sculpture, fountains, sundials, gazing balls (lawn
balls), birdbaths, and man-made fish ponds were all commonly
used. Cast iron was a commonly used material for such
accoutrements. Often, urns were not planted with anything,
but were simply set in pairs to ornament stairs or
balustrades.
6. Seating:
Benches, seat, pavilions, and gazebos were made as
decorative as possible. Cast iron or "rustic" wood were the
most commonly used materials. Seats were placed under trees
along garden walks, and of course in pavilions and gazebos.
Rattan and wicker furniture was used mainly on porches and
in sun rooms of the house.
 7.
Flowers:
Carpet bedding, the use of same-height flora, was popular.
Most often used to depict a motif or design (such as the
floral clock in Niagara Falls, Canada), carpet bedding came
under attack by gardeners like Gertrude Jekyll, who thought
that each flower and plant should be grown for its intrinsic
beauty and not as part of a "carpet." Jekyll's idea of an
"herbaceous border" called for flowers of varying heights.
Usually planted along a shrub border, wall, or garden path,
the herbaceous border began with the shortest plants in the
front. Each successive row of flowers would be taller than
the last, with the tallest plants at the back. Roses were
extremely popular and climbing varieties were often trained
over a trellis, bower or pergola. Urban dwellers without
much of a yard would often plant large urns beside the front
door with flowers or small shrubs. Flowers could also be
planted along the front walk underneath the shrubs which
bordered it. Window boxes were also popular.
8. Vines:
Vines of all types were used as decoration and to hide
"unsightly" features, such as fences and tree stumps. Vines
could also be trained up the side of a porch to ward off the
sun.
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PLANT COMPANIES:
Old-fashioned types of flowers and plants are fairly common
today. Some companies pride themselves on their collections
of antique or heritage seeds that many hybrids sprang from.
Check with your local plant seller for old-fashioned
varieties. In the US, there are several companies from which
seeds and plants of old-fashioned varieties may be
purchased.
VICTORIAN PLANTS:
Some Victorian plants that are
generally available for summer gardens and that will also do
well in containers:
Acacia, Ageratum, Alonsoa, Amanthus, Aster, Scarlet Basil,
Begonia Tuberous, Begonia, Bluebell, Caladium, Calendula,
Campanula, Chrysanthemum, Cobaea, Cockscomb, Coleus,
Dianthus, Dusty Miller, Fern, Fuschia, Geranium, Scented
Geranium, Heliotrope, Impatiens Lobelia Marigold,
Moonflower, Morning Glory, Nasturtium, Oxalis Pansy,
Periwinkle, Petunia, Portulaca, Primrose, Rose, Miniature
Rose, Snapdragon, Sweet Alyssum, Thunbergia, Verbena,
Zinnia. ("Grandmother's Flowers" (found at the
Teapot Press web site has a more
extensive list).
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cheryl Hurd has been writing about the
late Victorian Era for more than six years, and is the
author of several "little books for Victorian pursuits",
including the Victorian Yellow Pages, a mail order resource
for Neo-Victorians. Cheryl was recently invited to lecture
on Victorian domesticity at the Carnegie Museum in
Pittsburgh, PA. Visit her website at
Teapot Press. |
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MORE
INFORMATION:
Victorian Gardening
Winsford Walled Garden |
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