Hedges at Versaille

Hedges at Versaille

 
"Hiding" at Versaille

"Hiding" at Versaille

 
Formal Garden in Paris

Parisian Formal Garden

  While normally I'm a fan of wildflowers, the un-kept, and overgrowth in landscaping...I'm also a huge fan of the formal hedge garden.  Perfectly manicured, groomed, and without a single leaf out of place, they're an ode to elegance and a staff of royal gardeners. But what I really love, and what inspires me about hedge gardens are their contrast.  I'm not sure what it is, but there's something about them that still feels whimsical and playful despite all their formality and rigidity.  If well designed, their shapes flow, they move, and they create a fantasy world for you to dive into, allowing you to let all of your restraint go, and causing your mind to wander. Tranquil and formal. Whimsical yet refined. Stately and childish. What do you think about the contrast of the hedge garden?  Do you find them oppressively strict or mentally freeing...or maybe a little of each?  

I love a good hedge garden!