Word of the day… parterre

A parterre is a formal garden, the sort you often see at stately homes, or National Trust properties; it’s usually an area divided by small hedges, box for example, with gravel paths and geometrically shaped beds. Symmetry is the key to a parterre!

They originated in France, as you might guess, in the 1400’s and were imitated across Europe. There was a fashion move away from this formality in England, but in recent times it has become a feature of many lovely gardens.