tapis vert
TAW´-pee VEHR´ (‘green carpet’ in French) A tapis vert is a large, flat, unbroken expanse of lawn used as a landscape element. Tapis verts (the plural, pronounced the same as […]
Word Archive
grotto
GRAW´-doh A grotto is a small, picturesque cave, usually man-made, set in a garden or park. Plural: grottos or grottoes.
espalier
es-PAL´-yer As a noun, an espalier is a tree or shrub whose branches have been trained to grow against a wall, usually supported by wires or a lattice framework (treillage). […]
treillage
Treillage is a generic term for latticework, often in the form of arbors, trellises, and pergolas. used to support vines and other climbing plants.
orangerie
An orangerie is a garden building, independent or attached to another structure, designed for wintering tropical and subtropical plants (such as palm, orange, and lemon trees) in harsh climates. Often […]
pergola
PER´-gol-uh A pergola is a tunnel-like framework, often consisting of two parallel rows of columns connected by overhead beams, on which climbing plants are trained. Pergolas can be long or […]
flâneur
flaw-NUR´ A flâneur is a man who strolls about town, often observing society; an idler or dawdler. The term dates to the late 19th century, soon after Paris had been […]
mauvais quart d’heure
moh´-vay kat DUR´ (French, ‘bad quarter of an hour’) A mauvais quart d’heure is a brief experience that is unpleasant, embarrassing, or both. Running into one’s bitter ex-spouse in the […]
bon vivant
bone´ vee-VAHN´ A bon vivant is a person who has cultivated and refined tastes, who has an appreciation for good food, and who likes parties and other social events. Plural: […]
joie de vivre
zhwah duh VEE´-vruh (French, ‘joy of living’) Joie de vivre is an extreme enjoyment of life or feeling of happiness about life.