11 must-have plants to include in a French provincial-style garden – for European charm and enduring elegance

When recreating a French provincial garden, you need plants that can evoke all of the romance and elegance of that corner of the continent.

If you have chosen the French provincial style for inside your home, you'll want to carry it through outside, creating a space to linger over alfresco lunches eaten under a shady tree. If you've already begun looking into how to design a French provincial garden, the next step is to select soft landscaping and thoughtful planting that will bring everything to life.

What's more, it is possible to capture the essence of a French countryside garden using US native plants, and varieties that thrive in different US hardiness zones. Our gardening experts reveal how to get it right.

Choosing the right plants for a French countryside garden

‘The conditions of the French countryside are dry hot summers and cool winters,’ says Laura Janney, CEO of The Inspired Garden. ‘With America having a wide range of growing conditions, even in the same zone, the key is to look at your temperature and rainfall. If you have a climate similar to the Mediterranean then you are in luck!'

'The classic French provincial look. It's elegant but simple, never overly manicured, always warm and inviting,’ says Loren Taylor, the owner of Outdoor Fountain Pros. ‘Getting that right in an American yard isn't impossible, but it takes some thoughtful plant choices.'

Laura Janney

Laura has won awards for her work designing landscapes. She aspires to create ‘sanctuaries that feed the soul and awaken the senses’. The Inspired Garden is a full service garden and container business, with Laura imparting her wisdom via online courses.

Loren Taylor

With nearly two decades of experience in transforming outdoor spaces, Loren combines a knowledge of plant species, soil conditions, and sustainable gardening practices with a passion for creating harmonious landscape designs.

1. Lavender

‘Lavender is the backbone of a French countryside garden,’ says Jenny He, Co-Founder & CEO of outdoor construction Ergeon. 'English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is best for zones 5-8, while Spanish or French lavender can thrive in warmer areas.

'Lavender doesn’t like intense heat, humidity, very cold temperatures or too much rain, so works well in areas with Mediterranean conditions.

'Phenomenal lavender is the most reliable for handling cold, so I usually recommend that perennial in a wetter climate with colder winters. Supplement with annual lavender to give that authentic French vibe all summer long.'

For climates where the temperature drops, ensure growing success with Phenomenal French Lavender, like this from the Nature Hills Nursery.

Jenny He

Jenny's expertise lies in helping people renovate their homes and backyards using design technology. She has more than 25,000 fence and landscaping projects under her belt.

2. Roses

The rose is another essential ingredient in a provincial garden, and it is worth risking the thorns for their many-petalled beauty and heady scent.

‘Roses might feel intimidating, but they're actually straightforward,’ says Loren. ‘Choose classic French roses that don't need constant fussing.

'Climbing roses can frame gates and structures beautifully while rose bushes soften a stone walkway. All they need is basic pruning and occasional feeding, and they are worth every bit of the small effort.’

French roses grow best in zones 4a-8b. They enjoy full sun but will suffer under prolonged, intense heat. They can survive freezing temperatures during winter, but be careful not to let the soil become waterlogged as this can lead to root rot.

3. Geraniums

‘These plants also capture the French provincial feel without too much work,’ adds Loren. ‘Geraniums are great because they're cheerful and handle colder nights well.'

They are a favorite with American gardeners as they are easy to grow and versatile. They can be planted in pots, containers, beds and hanging baskets. Used to line a pathway or be grouped together in an array of colors on a terrace.

The plants like airy, well-drained soil, and the hardiest varieties will flower all summer long.

Add a splash of scarlet to your beds and baskets with the Big Red hybrid geranium from Burpee.

4. Rosemary

‘With its beautiful needles, rosemary gives off a very distinctive and beautiful aroma of pine and lemon and will bring you right back to the French countryside,’ says Laura. ‘Big bonus: you can cook with it too! And in many places, depending on your climate, it will overwinter.’

Another benefit of rosemary is that it is a natural mosquito repellent, so you can relax outside surrounded by its delicate scent undisturbed by pests.

‘Rosemary gives you that rustic, slightly wild feel and is incredibly hardy in zones 7-10,’ adds Jenny.

Flavor your garden and your cuisine with bushes of fragrant rosemary, grown from seed from True Leaf Market.

5. Thyme

A natural companion plant to rosemary, thyme has similar sunlight and watering needs, and is also another staple of French cooking.

‘Its soft grey and green foliage gives off a beautiful woodsy scent with a touch of floral and citrus notes,’ says Laura.

It can also be used to give the countryside garden it's informal, natural look: ‘A creeping thyme for ground cover softens pathways and releases fragrance when stepped on,’ says Jenny.

The compact evergreen shrub flowers in early summer with clusters of pink, mauve or white flowers that are an invitation to bees and other pollinating insects. Liking a warm, sunny spot, it is drought tolerant and needs little upkeep once planted.

Give your path edges an informal look with Daylily Nursery Creeping Thyme Live Shrubs from Walmart.

6. Boxwood

‘This is another plant you can't skip,’ advises Loren. ‘Boxwoods bring structure without demanding too much attention. Just give them a good trim once in a while.

'I worked on a garden near Seattle, and the homeowner was wary of too much upkeep. Yet after the initial pruning, the plants practically took care of themselves, keeping that neat, geometric shape that screams French countryside charm.’

Most boxwoods flourish in zones 5-9, though there are some hybrids that can deal with colder temperatures down to zones 4-5.

Try out your topiary skills on a Green Velvet Boxwood from PlantingTree.com

7. Salvia

‘This plant is a wonderful way to add vertical interest and the flowers are still beautiful once they fade,’ says Laura.

‘Salvia is perfect for taking up lots of space in a garden bed and its purple, spiky blooms come early in the season and add so much texture and contrast. It can also handle periods of rain and humidity.’

Hardy perennial salvias generally flourish in zones 3-9, and give a flower bed height as well as color. The most common shades are blues and purples, but there are also pinks, white, red and even yellow varieties.

Salvias attract pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, and the Salvia officinalis can be used in cooking as the culinary herb sage.

Grow your own flowers for cutting with Salvia Blue Bedder Seeds from Ferry Morse.

8. Wisteria

Arguably the most dramatic of the climbing plants, wisteria creates a spectacular display in early summer, with a profusion of lilac-colored blooms that hang from trellises, pergolas and arches in large, grape-like clusters.

‘Try it if you're feeling adventurous, it seems delicate, but I've found that the American variety (Wisteria frutescens) is less invasive than you'd think,’ advises Loren.

‘Just last summer, I helped a family near Boston add it to a garden trellis over a stone patio – it bloomed beautifully without becoming too invasive.’

Wreath your outdoor structures in wisteria, like the Amethyst Falls Wisteria from Woodies Garden Goods, for a stunning show.

9. Catmint

Catmint, as the name suggests, will attract feline friends as well as pollinators to your flower beds while acting as a repellent to mosquitos and flies.

Hardy and easy to take care of, this herbaceous perennial grows in soft spikes of dusty green foliage covered with lavender-blue, white and sometimes yellow blooms.

'Its roundness makes it perfect for that meadow feel,' says Laura. 'There are larger varieties that will really take up space in your garden, or smaller varieties if you’re looking for a border plant.'

Thriving in zones 3-8, place catmint in a sunny spot in light, free-draining soil that doesn't become waterlogged.

Please your pet cat by filling sunny borders with a low-maintenance bush like Nepeta, Walkers Low from Burpee

10. Grasses

It isn’t just flowering plants that can fill a bed – ornamental grasses can offer a striking backdrop for blooms or act as border plants.

‘Grasses can be used to incorporate movement and texture in the French garden,’ offers Laura. ‘Hamlyn Fountain Grass has lovely long plumes that catch the sunlight and can handle rain and humidity.

‘Mexican Feather Grass is a more feathery option whose plumes seem to shimmer in the light. And Blue Fescue Grass blue hue works beautifully with the garden’s cool palette.’

There are many types of grasses, all with different growing requirements, but most are low-maintenance and will prevail even in poor soil. Evergreens only require a tidy up but deciduous grasses will need cutting back annually to keep them looking their best.

Bring drama to your garden with a long grass you'll love to run your fingers through as you pass, such as Adagio Maiden Grass from Nature Hills Nursery.

11. Jasmine

Summers in France are all about long, leisurely nights spent outside, relishing some fine food and wine. Flowers like white jasmine that are at their best at night help set the ambience to sit out and enjoy the starry, starry night.

‘Many customers ignore night-blooming plants, but white jasmine or night phlox lends a layer of scent that transforms garden summer evenings into a trip through Provence,’ says Jenny.

As jasmine is native to the tropics, it grows best in zones 9-10. But there are hardy varieties that can tolerate the chillier temperatures of zone 6. To combat the risk posed by the cold, it can be grown in containers and moved indoors during the winter.

Keep the dinner party going long into a warm night surrounded by the aromatic scent of the Night Blooming Jasmine from Burpee.

Still keen to recreate European style in an American setting? Check out this beautifully designed home and gardens that has brought a slice of Cotswold grandeur to Philadelphia.