The Maison Elizabeth Guide to French Gardens

Romantic outdoor rooms inspired by the gardens, courtyards, and villages of France — translated for real homes.

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France is a country of gardens—sunlit courtyards in Provence, rose-covered cottages in Normandy, elegant terraces in Paris, and quiet fountains tucked behind ancient stone walls. This laissez-fair of gorgeousness has bewitched so many of us searching to recreate the generational beauty in our own lives — to create, to capture such loveliness and meaning in our own day to day. More than that, to watch what we create mature for generations, a legacy of joy that can continue.

This journal is a growing collection of French-inspired outdoor rooms, each capturing the beauty and spirit of a different region. My hope is that these gardens inspire you to slow down, gather often, and create beautiful places to enjoy the everyday.

Bienvenue

— Elizabeth

• A word about finding flowers for your garden: I provide Amazon links to the most mature plant options they provide. However, you might think to yourself, well that’s all fine and well but it would take years for mature flowers to scale the wall of my house or fence. The answer to this is AU CONTRAIRE! If you live in an area where Facebook Marketplace is available to you, I highly recommend perusing the roses, bougainvillea, lavender — plant of your dreams to see what is available in your local area. For myself, I was in desperate need of tall, mature roses to put against my wooden trellis and voila! Facebook marketplace had gorgeous Eden roses already 3 years old and five feet tall for sale.

Morning in Provence

Morning arrives gently in Provence. Sunlight filters through the branches of an old plane tree, a limestone fountain trickles quietly in the background, and breakfast lingers long after the coffee has been poured. Bougainvillea spills over weathered walls while white roses soften the edges of the courtyard, creating a garden that feels both vibrant and unhurried.

So many of us only imagine Southern France as a bouquet of lavender, olive trees and all that the sparse Mediterranean flavor provides. But there is also softness, romance and the lushness of iceberg roses — the blush of climbing bougainvillea.

This isn't a grand estate or a formal garden. It's a reminder that even a small outdoor corner can become a destination for slow mornings, fresh bread, seasonal fruit, and the simple pleasure of spending time outdoors.

Approximate Investment: $1,500–$3,000

Shop the Look

Recreate the feeling of this Provençal courtyard with these carefully selected pieces.

• White French iron bistro set

• Limestone style wall fountain

• Weathered stone urns

• White Iceberg rose

• Bougainvillea

• White gravel

• Glass carafe

• French linen napkins

• Wooden serving board

• Outdoor lanterns or candles

French gardens remind us that luxury isn't measured by size, but by the moments we create within them. Sometimes all it takes is one beautiful corner and an invitation to slow down.

The Hidden Rose Pavilion

In the early 1800’s, Empress Josephine would hide away from the political intrigue of Napoleon’s world in her beloved rose garden. There, she could read, think, nap even, if she chose. Sometimes, her rose garden became an intimate rendezvous point not for lovers, but for her closest friends.

A hidden rose pavilion is a sanctuary, a private place for dreaming. It may not be the early 1800’s, and we may not be Empress Josephine but climbing roses, morning tea, and a favorite book along a hidden path can still create the same intimate sanctuary in our lives where only the finest luxuries will do. Inspired by the romance of historic European gardens, The Hidden Rose Pavilion proves that with a few thoughtfully chosen pieces, even an ordinary backyard can become an unforgettable destination.

Create Your Own Hidden Rose Pavilion

Garden Structures

• Bronze Iron Birdcage Pavilion

• Bronze Iron Rose Arbors (Set of Three)

• Antique Black Victorian Lamppost

• Stone Landscape Decomposed Granite

• Outdoor Chandelier

Furniture

• Weathered Iron Garden Bench

• Antique Iron Side Table

Textiles

• Blush Chinoiserie Lumbar Pillow

• Cream Garden Bench Cushion

Tea & Entertaining

• Cream & Gold Floral Tea Service

• 20 Piece Porcelain Tea Set

• Matching Two-Tier Dessert Stand

• Antique Gold Teaspoons

Garden Library

• A Day With Marie Antoinette

Roses & Planting

• Eden Blush Climbing Roses

• Heirloom Honeymoon Climbing Rose

• Pretty in Pink Climbing Rose

• Bourbon Malmaison Rose

• Madame Ainsette Roses

• The Alnwick Pink Shrub Roses

• Purple Catmint

• English Lavender

• White Foxgloves

• Boxwood

Empress Joséphine transformed Malmaison into one of history's most celebrated rose gardens through patience, curiosity, and a love of beauty. Our own gardens may be humbler, but they can be created with the same spirit—one rose, one morning, one beautiful corner at a time, reminding us that we are the kings and queens of our own little kingdoms. Take a breath. Sit in the shade and enjoy the silence.