The trompe-l'oeil design is very much used in classical gardens called 'à la française'. The play of perspectives has been part of the landscape art for centuries. Let's see how to master it at best.
What is a perspective?
A perspective is an effect created with oblique lines to give depth to the space and make a garden seem larger than it really is.
Tree-lined paths are often used for this purpose. The play of colors is added to this design, using gradations of colors always with the same goal of enlarging the space.
The greatest landscape architects have always been keen to dramatize gardens in order to make them works of art in their own right. They have played with optical effects, using and abusing paths, alignments and focal points such as a fountain, a sculpture or a remarkable tree.
What are the main subterfuges used in the art of perspective in the garden?
As we have seen, the goal is to use optical effects to make a garden appear larger or to guide the eye to a specific point.
The most common technique is to progressively decrease the width of a path or a line of trees. This makes it appear much longer than it really is and gives the garden a sense of depth.
Paths or borders are also used to guide the eye to a specific point.
As for the beds or shrubs planted on either side, they are always placed in such a way as to place the brightly colored plants in the foreground and the pastels in the background, in order to play on the perspectives.
How to create perspective?
Take a step back and place yourself on the point of view from which you want to create your perspective effect. Observe the existing elements to be taken into account, such as built features, fountains, wells or trees. This will allow you to determine the feasibility of the project.
If the perspective starts from the house, stand behind each window to imagine the final result. Don't hesitate to take pictures to study everything flat on a work table.
You can either focus on a strong point of the garden (a remarkable tree, a large flower pot, a water feature, a sculpture...) or on a distant element of the landscape (forest, village, church...). The eye must be focused on this point to ensure a perfect success.
Once the main axes are defined, theatricalize the whole by underlining the crossroads of the paths with a marking element such as a bench, a grove or climbing plants on tipis.
Also consider marking driveway entrances, framing beds and creating windows of greenery in trimmed hedges to give your décor even more appeal.
