A romantic alley

Compose a romantic alley

You dream of creating a romantic getaway along a walkway in your garden, but do not know how to arrange, which plants to choose for what shows, what substrate? Draw such a setting is for everyone ... with some advice!

A model

We have here the backbone of our table: a paved driveway to the soft sinuous curves that we have to frame appropriate plants, taking care to arrange them in a logical and orderly.

Implantation parameters

Always think about the exposure of your garden before you recreate a scene. What is its direction? Is there the shadow and what is the structure of the substrate? These parameters are critical to the future health of your plants. We cannot, for example, planting a rhododendron in a highly calcareous soil, or cacti in a wet-bulb. A fuchsia push hard in the sun of the south, while a palm tree to flourish. In general, always ask about the culture conditions that require the plants you want to install in your garden.

Our scene, in turn, requires a few hours of sunshine, a land both well drained but humus-rich, and a little windy situation, because it contains plants that do not tolerate wind.

We plant the tall plants in the background, and smaller along the aisle to create a perspective effect and not hide behind the big subjects small.

The choice of material is very important to give its stamp on the board: the cobblestones irregular, quaint us back to a past when people knew how to take your time. Time to read, write poems in the shadow of a kiosk or simply on a bench inspired by the scents of roses nearby. It is this atmosphere that we try to recreate.

Selection of plants

Here, we chose plants with a strong romantic, like peonies and roses . The Rose (1) constitutes the background of our scene (Rosa Alpine Sunset); it exceeds other plants and provides the structure with many upright stems that contrast with the nonchalance of the peony. The roses bloom for many months if conditions suit them, you simply remove spent flowers to encourage the emergence of new pimples. Remember to adequately feed the soil with organic amendments or fertilizers Special rose high doses of magnesium, flowering will be more opulent!

Before the rose, a peony (2), proud of his heavy double flowers of a bright pink (Panola magic orb) is the centerpiece of the scene. The peony is a perennial that forms clumps homebody extensive if left in place for many years. It needs sun, but tolerates partial shade. The land must be very fertile but well drained. The soil must still remain fresh; a mulch is beneficial to his feet. Remember that newly planted peony blossom only after two to three years because it is a plant that takes time to settle and who hates being disturbed. Do not move and avoid divisions in clumps very disturbing. Once in place, it will offer the annual extravaganza of flowering opulent and sometimes delicately fragrant. Mentoring the scapes foral is needed to support the heavy flowers can still reach 30 cm in diameter.

Set up and break leaving his deep blue, a sage (3) gives the vertical to the scene and accentuates the romantic side. Sage needs sun and well drained soil, but cool. She cannot stand too long drought of the land to be immediately hanged her pretty panicles. Hairy foliage is aromatic and exudes a sweet fragrance in his crease. It is a plant with strong growth that re-seeds itself from one year to another.

Between the two sages at the foot of the peony, a Perovskia (4) prepares to take later succession of flowering. The Perovskia are under deciduous shrubs, notable for their flowering later in the season to late summer, relaying and other plants. The ideal substrate is drained and very fertile, they tolerate limestone and rare, accept the habitat by the sea

In the foreground, the roundness of a chive (5) (Allium schoenoprasum) is beautifully echoes that of the peony. Small (maximum 35 cm), chives can spread significantly, forming massive clumps. It is a perennial bulbous stems original cylindrical and hollow. Edible, you sprinkle your cheese omelets and fresh. Its umbels of flowers are pretty little pastel-colored pompoms that blend perfectly in this romantic setting.

Now you have all the tools for creating your romantic table. Feel free to adjust the style to fit your personality!