European Garden at Your Farmhouse

Written and photographed by Deb Foglia

Hello, hello! Deb here from Seeking Lavender Lane and I am honored to be sharing our European garden with you all here at American Farmhouse Style. Our home was recently shared, and I was thrilled to be able to share more with you a little bit about European farmhouse design.

We just recently completed our vegetable garden in our backyard that took us about a month to complete. I’ve been tweaking it since and embracing everyday out there and enjoy the simple moments of gardening. I’ve got a lot to learn and working on that green thumb of mine, but it has been something I am falling in love with more and more each day.

Something I really wanted to embrace was the feel of that old-world charm of the European garden landscapes, but I also wanted a laid back feel of the farmhouse style I love too. I felt our garden was a mix of both and I’ll explain details that provide the feel if you plan on falling in love with European farmhouse too.

#1 Pea gravel!

I fell so in love with all the pea gravel photos scrolling Pinterest. Some of my favorite accounts like @yolorenzo have amazing landscaping with pathways and garden plots of pea gravel. Something that feels like Provence and the crunchy feeling of stepping on those stone make for the “experience” of the garden. I share more over on my blog the process it took to lay out the pea-gravel and how we did hire a professional for some of the work…but you bet hubby and I were the ones with the wheel barrel and shovels laying out all 5 yards of it.

#2 Raised beds

This was the “farmhouse” feel that we brought to the space. I wanted a symmetrical layout just as the European garden appear with a center point in a diamond shape to play off our diamond grid windows in the kitchen. The beds are more “less-formal” as farmhouse design, rather than rock walls and pavers as a European garden would display.

#3 European greens

I am learning as I mentioned about what to plant and how to make them thrive, but I did choose vegetables and greens that go along with European cuisine. Eggplant, zucchini, a variety of tomatoes, fresh herbs like basil, mint, and rosemary, and we even got some hand-me-down fig trees from our neighbor (these may take a year or more to thrive but they were -FREE).

#4 Terracotta!!!

I love terracotta, it’s one of those essentials I use to decorate even in our interior. It’s quintessential old world Europe and the aged ones are always my favorite. I display them on a potting bench, coming down into the garden from our deck, and throughout the garden to create more planting opportunities and a gathered feel to the space.

#5 Al’fresco dining

we chose to have a “courtyard” at the top of our garden to sit and overlook our garden space. It’s the perfect al’fresco dining space where I enjoy drinking my coffee in the mornings before watering all the plants.

Close up of raised beds with boxwoods for European garden

#6 Boxwoods

Every image of a European garden space I had seen had living architectural dimension with boxwoods and shrubs. Ours are new and will take some time to grow and shape, but I love the idea of adding the boxwoods for year round greenery.

Fountain in the works step by step progress

#7 Fountain

Every European garden needs the soothing sound of running water. No naked statue here, but we made this DIY fountain that I shared to my Instagram stories highlights. It’s the perfect soothing sound to create even more of an experience when in the space.

DIY Paper Lunch Bag Snowflakes

Pea gravel walkway with raised beds and boxwood plants

#8 Stone steps

I loved the look of blue-stone steps that feel ancient. When crating our garden space I knew I wanted to do a step down from the courtyard to the garden and so we decided to create steps. We recycled the rocks we had in our front yard landscaping and used them here for an earthy feel.

#9 Round finials

We just recently added round finials the side planter boxes. I added them for a few reasons. I wanted these planters to feel separate from our vegetable planter boxes and I wanted a “fancier” feel that resembled a French Orangeries planter box. I painted them and added dark wax to give them an aged feel.

Potting shed with pea gravel for European garden

#10 Patina/vintage

Bringing in patina’d elements, vintage decor, and weathered wood will make your garden feel old world. Whether that’s with pottery, fencing, or furniture adding items that have an aged feel will certainly bring that European vibe!

We have just enjoyed this little garden of ours so much. I think a garden feeds the soul along with our bellies. Something about the green-therapy, the smell, and feel of a garden. It something I’ve embraced as I work towards a life of “making home an experience” I share more inspiration ideas on my blog: seekinglavenderlane.com!