Paris is a city where surprises can lie around any corner. This trip I discovered a small alley in the 7th, not far from our hotel and directly in the shadow of the tour de eiffel, where this stunning wall sits quietly, just waiting to be discovered and appreciated.
After stopping to appreciate this work of art several times, I was inspired to learn more about this beautiful art-form known as treillage.
Treillage can be traced back to the 12th century when countryside gardeners took to creating simple structures called treille, to support vines.
In the 17th century, under the reign of Louis XIV, that the art of treillage rose to new heights. The King hired emerging landscape architect André Le Notre to design his garden at Versailles his elaborate design that would become one of the most impressive formal French garden the world had ever known.
Le Notre and others used forced perspective to bring a sense of grandeur to the garden. Since it would have taken years for hedges and topiaries to grow to full maturity the treillage brought instant architecture, imposing scale and an elegant formal style to newly built gardens.
The art of treillage progressed through the ages, and as neighboring kingdoms sought to emulate the French fashion of the day, decorative treillage made its way through the royal palaces of Europe.
The legacy of treillage can be found in gardens throughout the world, from it's earliest beginnings, and it continues today in gardens of all sizes, both public and private.
There may be an area in your garden where a treillage could add visual interest and style. I know there is an area in my garden that is perfect for an application like this... I will definitely be adding a treillage feature to my "to-do" list.
Thank you to Accents of France for reference material and some images.
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