Here at Parterre, ours is a green scheme that so suits a formal French stroll garden. The peace and cool that shades of green provide have proven, as always, a wonderful panacea for late summer’s heat. We even have a name for this shade we’ve chosen for the garden accessories – “Parterre Green.”

In the Fountain Garden, immaculately pruned plants frame the antique garden gates in the yew hedge, while the setting sun filters through the majestically tall little-leafed linden and beech trees.

Variegated plants, pruned trees and shaped shrubs all cohabitate happily in the Green and White Garden. And from silver to celadon blue to chartreuse to plum the case is made that there is a lot more to the color green than meets the eye (as seen in the feature image above). A late afternoon view across this garden includes a white, variegated dogwood and antique metal bench.

The Green and White Garden gives us the opportunity to play with shapes while also appreciating the variety of leaves — from the variegated euonymus obelisk to the boxwood globe to the “chocolate kiss” pyramid in chartreuse berberis.

Other details abound…while others choose to treat silvery Dichondra as a draping plant for pots, we love it as a punctuation between cobblestone steps (especially when juxtaposed with furry lamb’s ear).

Again, playing up the creative juxtaposition of leaf colors and texture, to include the tints, shades, and tones of green.

Such an intriguing floral statement at this time of the summer — the 6′ tall Angelica plant is best seen along the walk to the entrance of the Woodland Garden, a plant that also attracts a very unusual large black and white striped bee.

I’m not particularly partial to Hosta blooms, but I find this such a happy, bounteous scene.

Roses are taking the month off, but their gracefully trailing canes provide such welcome visuals to the Orangerie.

Pelargonium ‘Rozanne’ cavorts among the variegated euonymus “grasshopper” diagonal strips under the ‘Hally Jolivette’ cherries.

A stand-alone, dramatic green statement (variegated shell ginger) in hefty stone urns on plinths.

And finally, a detail that we are introducing in the Woodland Garden…a Persian paisley motif employed to punctuate the large beds, with each “design” interpreted in a different plant selection. Here, chartreuse Hosta ‘Stained Glass’.

Stay cool, and enjoy these last days of summer.