Victorian gardens photos

9 Victorian Garden Design Ideas

Type keyword(s) to search

Today's Top Stories

25 Incredible Luxury Hotels Opening in 2023

28 Over-the-Top Stocking Stuffers

The Colony Hotel Redesigns Its Guest Rooms

Serena & Lily Created a Festive Holiday House

The 12 Biggest Interior Design Trends for 2023

Every item on this page was carefully chosen by a Veranda editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Fanciful topiary, tropical plants, and riots of color abound in these Victorian-style gardens.

By Arricca Elin Sansone

Apr 13, 2022

Cassidy Moody/ Missouri Botanical Garden

With the growth of industrialization, advances in science and technology, and the fascination with innovation and exotic destinations, the Victorian Age became a time of immense creativity and experimentation in the garden. “As public gardens became more prevalent both in England and the U.S., more people fell in love with gardening,” says Dana Rizzo, senior horticulturalist and designer, South Garden beds in the Victorian district at the Missouri Botanical Garden. “The growing middle class now had the leisure time and disposable income to fill their gardens.”

Elements of Victorian design still add elegance and whimsy to modern gardens. “You don’t need to recreate an entire Victorian garden to get the feel,” says Leslie Harris, certified horticulturalist and host of the podcast, Into the Garden. “You can incorporate single elements or design a corner of your garden with these features without overwhelming your space.”

Here are the most enduring Victorian garden design traditions plus tips for how to make them part of your own garden.

Topiary and Clipped Greens

Copyrights by Sigfrid López

Neatly clipped hedges and greens in elaborate shapes were a standard in Victorian gardens. Traditionally, topiary was a formal element in large estate gardens and was considered a symbol of status. “You had to show off,” says Rizzo. “Your garden was in competition with others, and garden designers vied with each other for commissions from wealthy clients.”

Plant this look: If you’re not ready to hire a full-time gardener or deal with the regular maintenance of topiary, consider adding plants that retain their symmetrical forms without trimming, such as round shrubs.

SHOP ROUND SHRUBS

Tropical and Exotic Plants

PaulMaguire

Driven by increased exploration and travel, gardeners had more access to a number of new and unique plants from around the world. “Plant explorers brought back exotic new seeds and specimens to display at home under glass or in a glass conservatory on the estate, while plant breeders experimented with new plants,” says Harris. Tropicals, and especially ferns, were immensely popular and gave an exotic flair to gardens. Pteridomania, or “fern fever” was at its height in the mid-1800s, with collectors scouring the globe to support this new hobby.

Plant this look: Display potted tropicals, such as parlor palm, a Victorian favorite, in containers around your patio or indoors. Or, plant ferns outdoors in shady areas of the garden.

SHOP PARLOR PALMS

A Riot of Colors

Tim Shirey

For the Victorians, more was also more! “It was really about an explosion of colors,” says Harris. “Big, blowsy gardens overflowing with bold, bright colors showcased new plants.” There wasn’t just one type of plant used, but popular flowers included dahlias, roses, petunias, and especially geraniums. Cottage gardens, which combined flowers and edibles in an informal manner, also evolved toward the end of the Victorian age.

Plant this look: Instead of focusing on a specific, restrained color scheme, plant lots of different colors of flowers in containers and beds to bring a sense of unrestrained joy to your garden.

SHOP DAHLIAS

Bedding Plants

Cassidy Moody/ Missouri Botanical Garden

“Tightly-planted garden beds were laid out with lots of color and pattern,” says Rizzo. “There was a tight ‘pin-cushion’ planting with no bare ground visible. Typically, there were 2 to 3 species of flowers in the bed to form a geometric pattern. Basically, you’d cram in as many plants as possible to achieve a mosaic effect.” The technique also sometimes is referred to as carpet bedding because the design resembles a patterned rug.

Plant this look: Tightly plant a container for an instantly lush feel, or create small geometrically-shaped beds.

SHOP BEDDING PLANTS

Statuary, Sundials, Urns and Other Garden Structures

Victoria Pearson

While statues were part of earlier garden styles from Italy and France, the Victorian garden also featured statuary, sundials, obelisks, gazing balls, urns and ironwork of all sorts, says Harris. An ornate trellis, arbor or orangery, where citrus trees were protected from cold weather, also were part of many Victorian gardens.

Plant this look: Incorporate a few decorative pieces to punctuate your garden, such as a pair of urns, which do not necessarily need planted to add style.

SHOP GARDEN URNS

Decorative Metalwork

Jacky Parker Photography

Wrought iron became especially popular and was often used in fencing or decorative benches. On large estates, benches gave you a place to rest and admire the garden, says Rizzo.

Plant this look: A garden bench is always a wonderful way to stop and admire the views. Also, you can use pieces of salvaged iron fencing as accents or backdrops in planting beds if you don’t want to fence an entire area.

SHOP GARDEN BENCHES

Water Features

slobo

Estate homes would feature a large outdoor fountain, but a cottage garden might include a bird bath or two, says Harris.

Plant this look: Small wrought iron or concrete birdbaths offer a touch of Victoriana without requiring a garden overhaul.

SHOP BIRD BATHS

Aromatic Plants

Jacky Parker Photography

Victorian cottage garden style includes many different kinds of flowers and edibles, and the Victorians had a special love for aromatic plants such as lavender, rosemary, thyme and scented geraniums, says Elizabeth Fogel, senior horticulturalist at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia.

Add this look: Scented plants are never out of style because fragrance adds another layer of enjoyment to your garden. Plant them in containers, along the edges of hardscape to soften edges, and in beds in large swaths.

SHOP LAVENDER PLANTS

Rockery

Lara_Uhryn

Victorians created mini-habitats to showcase their newly discovered plants, such as alpine plants and ferns, says Harris. The idea was to mimic what you’d find in a natural setting on a stony cliff or mountainside.

Add this look: While you may not be able to transform your garden into a mini-mountainside, you can create a small rock garden with plants tucked among strategically and artistically placed rocks.

SHOP ROCK GARDEN PLANTS

Arricca Elin Sansone Arricca SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more.

The 17 Most Beautiful Flowers You Can Grow

Our Sagittarius Floriscope

12 Inspiring Garden Shops Around the World

15 Low-Light Houseplants That Can Thrive Anywhere

Can Plants Actually Purify the Air in Your Home?

This Scorpio Floral Arrangement Embodies Fall

14 Night-Blooming Plants for Your Moon Garden

These Are the 6 Biggest Garden Trends for 2023

16 Gorgeous Houseplants to Grow

What to Plant in October

Victorian Gardens Amusement Park New York City

THE FAMILY AMUSEMENT PARK

IN THE HEART OF CENTRAL PARK

Coloring Victorian Gardens

Calling all artists, creators, wild imaginations, innovative thinkers, and anyone looking for some fun at home! We wanted to provide you with some fun activities you can do at home to keep you in the Victorian Gardens Spirit.

DISCOVER MORE

Customers’ Experience at Victorian Gardens

Custom Exteriors

Beer Architectural Group

Home Inspiration: Huge, Sunny, Spring Regular Garden in Victorian Courtyard with Patio Garden walkway or gate, good lighting and clinker paving

Victorian Charm

J. Montgomery Designs, Inc.

We designed several hidden areas, like this quaint seating area, where our clients can enjoy a cup of tea and watch the hummingbirds fly by. nine0007 Home Inspiration: Large Paving Victorian Lot and Backyard Garden

Upstate Manor

Meyer & Meyer, Inc. Architecture and Interiors

This home, set prominently on Lake Skaneateles in New York, reflects a period when stately mansions graced the waterfront. Few houses demonstrate the skill of modern-day craftsmen with such charm and grace. The investment of quality materials such as limestone, carved timbers, copper, and slate, combined with stone foundations and triple-pane windows, provide the new owners worry with-free maintenance and peace of mind for years to come. The property boasts formal English gardens complete with a rope swing, pergola, and gazebo as well as an underground tunnel with a wine grotto. Elegant terraces offer multiple views of the grounds. nine0007

Pomello Residence

HartmanBaldwin Design/Build

In keeping with the estate’s traditional English Tudor style 10,000 sq. ft. of gardens were designed. The English Gardens are characterized by regular, geometric planting patterns and pathways, with antique decorative accessories heightening their old-world feel. Special nooks and hideaways, coupled with the sound of cascading water in fountains, create a serene environment, while delicate lighting in planter boxes makes the garden perfect for early evening strolls. nine0007

INVERNESS RD

LunnScape

Florida Landscaping design done to renovate dated landscaping . Upgraded landscaping lighting with traditional bronze fixtures. Our landscape combines plants with different textures to create an intriguing natural effect.

Coastal NJ Residence

Sudbury Design Group

Fred Forbes Photogroupe
Pictured: large lot and Victorian front yard garden with paving slabs and flower beds with

Front Yard Gardening

Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens

Front yard gardening can be fun and functional! Add edibles into the mix, and enjoy nibbling your way through your yard!
Fresh Design Idea: Victorian Summer Lot and Stone Paving Front Yard - Great Interior Photo

E5 Courtyard

Sarah Kay Garden Design

An Acer 'Red Emporer' provides a striking focal point throughout Summer into Autumn
Design ideas for a Victorian small summer yard and backyard garden with raised beds, midday shade, cobblestone paving and wood fence

Castle Estate

iQuarters

If you look closely in the picture above, you will see that we ran a series of pipes flush against the house. These were picked to ensure their color matched the exterior nicely, while both protecting and concealing the network cables that were ran. nine0007

Victorian Garden

One of the most important periods in the history of England is the Victorian era, which approximately lasted from the middle of the 19th century to 1910, and is associated with the reign of Queen Victoria. This period had, rather, not one common order or style, but, on the contrary, was characterized by the rapid development of all spheres of life, many discoveries and innovations.

The gardens of England of the Victorian era were no longer exclusively landscape, on the contrary, the composition became more hermetic, verified, ordered. Neo-Gothic dominated in architecture. Although it was possible to meet other styles with pronounced eclecticism, neo-Gothic buildings and entire neighborhoods survived not only in England, but also in its many former colonies. nine0003

The center of the garden was a house located in an open space. It was believed that thickets and humid air are very harmful to buildings and people's health.

The house, located in the center, was surrounded by flower beds, which should have been visible from the windows and a clearing with a well-groomed lawn, inscribed in regular geometric shapes. Even ponds led to the correct shape of a rectangle, circle, square. And in these clearly defined frames, bright lush vegetation was located. This gave a special contrast to the composition of the garden, a sort of ordered mess. nine0003

The paths were covered with gravel or terracotta paving, in harmony with climbing facades. Doors and windows with single glass were generally quite austere, without unnecessary intricate details. And the external sign of wealth was exotic plants.

Plants from all over the world came to England, after which their mass acclimatization and systematization began. Some species became possible to grow directly in the garden, others were planted in greenhouses, greenhouses. nine0003

Bulbs and annuals, especially begonias, were most often grown in the small flower beds around the house. At some distance, more voluminous compositions were planted using azalea, barberry, forsythia, hydrangea, lilac, rose, dahlia, rhododendron, spirea, wolfberry, holly, chaenomelis. Eclecticism was traced not only in architecture but also in gardens, there were many experiments, various techniques and elements were mixed, ranging from the techniques of Italian, Japanese and Chinese gardens to German garden gnomes, which became very popular. Such exotic plants as fan maple, peonies, chrysanthemums, cherries were in great demand. nine0003

Yes, in addition to bright plant compositions, the garden was necessarily supplemented with decorative elements and small architectural forms: benches, vases, gazebos, garden sculptures, doll houses were created in the garden.

The Victorian garden was very diverse; It was created not only for admiring, but also for active use, games, relaxation, tea drinking, receiving guests and holidays.
Learn more

Floor tile design for small bathroom

Ellen degeneres santa barbara home

Marble bathrooms designs

Foyer furniture ideas

Over the washer and dryer cabinets

Dining room inspiration modern

Coffee grounds on flowers

Runner beans container growing

Food cupboard storage ideas

Chelsea flower show gold medal winners

Best floors for bedrooms

Victorian gardens photos

9 Victorian Garden Design Ideas

Victorian Gardens Amusement Park New York City

Coloring Victorian Gardens

Customers’ Experience at Victorian Gardens

Customers’ Experience at Victorian Gardens

Victorian Lots and Gardens - Top 135 Photos, Landscaping of the Lot, Garden and Kitchen Garden