A parterre garden is a highly formal, ground-level arrangement of planting beds and paths designed to create an ornamental, often intricate, visual display. The French word “parterre” literally means “on the ground,” reflecting the garden’s reliance on a flat, level surface for its composition. This style imposes strict, geometric order rather than reflecting the wild growth of nature. The entire purpose of the design is to be viewed from a distance, typically from an elevated position like a terrace or the upper windows of an adjacent building. This viewing angle allows the viewer to appreciate the overall pattern and symmetry, treating the garden like a large-scale, detailed carpet laid out on the earth.
Essential Characteristics of Parterre Design
Parterre gardens are founded on symmetry, with the layout constructed using geometric shapes such as squares, circles, and rectangles. These shapes are delineated by low, tightly clipped hedging, which acts as the permanent framework for the design. Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is the traditional and most common choice for this hedging due to its compact growth habit and suitability for meticulous shaping.
These evergreen borders create distinct compartments and pathways, forming elaborate patterns that can resemble woven knots or elaborate embroidery. The internal spaces within these green boundaries are then filled with contrasting materials to enhance the visual effect. Historically, these filling materials included colored sand, brick dust, or various shades of gravel, which provided color and texture year-round.
While modern parterres often incorporate seasonal flowering plants to add vibrant color, the original 17th-century designs relied less on flowers. The main design element is the contrast between the dark green of the clipped hedges and the lighter, often mineral-based, material in the compartments.
Origins and Historical Significance
The parterre design evolved from earlier forms of patterned gardens, specifically the simpler knot gardens of the French Renaissance and Medieval periods. These early inspirations became more complex with the influence of Italian Renaissance garden design, which brought a greater emphasis on formal structure and visual perspective. The French nursery designer Claude Mollet is often credited with developing and popularizing the characteristic compartment-patterned parterre around 1595.
The style reached its peak and greatest expression during the French Baroque period in the 17th century, under the patronage of King Louis XIV. André Le Nôtre, the principal gardener of Versailles, perfected the form, creating vast parterres that stretched out from the palace. This large-scale, highly controlled design served as a powerful symbol of the era’s philosophical belief in human dominance and mastery over the natural world.
The meticulous geometry and perfect symmetry of the parterre were a statement of order, contrasting the wildness of the surrounding landscape. By commissioning these elaborate, labor-intensive gardens, the aristocracy and royalty displayed their immense wealth and power. The visual spectacle of the parterre was a political and social tool, reinforcing the authority of the garden’s owner.
Major Parterre Variations
The core parterre concept has been adapted into several distinct variations based on the complexity of the pattern and the materials used for the infill. The Parterre de Broderie, or “embroidery parterre,” represents the most intricate form, featuring highly elaborate, fluid, and curving patterns that mimic the decorative stitching of textiles. These designs utilize boxwood to form scrollwork and arabesques, with the beds often filled with colored materials to maximize the embroidered effect.
A simpler variation is the Parterre à l’Anglaise, sometimes called the English parterre, which utilizes large, unadorned stretches of turf or grass. This style often consists of a single or minimally cut lawn area bordered by flower beds, prioritizing simplicity and the expansive green space.
Another notable form is the Parterre d’Eau, or “water parterre,” which replaces the traditional planting beds with shallow reflecting pools or basins. These water features are arranged in symmetrical, geometric compartments, serving as mirrors that reflect the adjacent architecture and the sky. This variation introduces a dynamic element of light and reflection to the static geometry of the design.