Most of the real action took place in the boudoir. But the flirting, feverish glances and stolen kisses often started in the garden.Literature and lore are filled with love scenes set in scented bowers or vine-caressed arbors. Romeo declared his passion for Juliet in the Capulets' garden. Henry II reportedly ordered a garden labyrinth where he could conceal his mistress from his jealous wife.And in "Atonement," it was the garden where an overheated Keira Knightley exchanged smoldering looks with James McAvoy, before stripping to her chemise and plunging into the fountain."Gardens used to be places where people flirted and had assignations," said Pamela Hill Nettleton, author of "Getting Married When It's Not Your First Time." Nettleton kept that romantic ideal in mind when designing her own garden. "In 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses,' all the cool stuff happens in beautiful gardens."The association between love and gardens took root during the medieval period and endures to this day."All gardens have a sense of romance in them," said Martin Stern, owner of Squire House Gardens in Afton, Minn.Gardens stir the senses in a primal way, which can be a powerful aphrodisiac. But even if reckless abandon isn't on your agenda, a garden can still add romance to your life -- and maybe even enhance your relationship with a loved one."' Romantic,' to me, means sharing your life; even weeding can be romantic when you're doing it together," said Minneapolis stylist/designer Tommy Brandt. "There's an intimacy. You're one with the earth, creating your little Eden, as a couple. It's like putting little children in the ground and watching them grow."And even if you live and garden alone, there's something romantic about partnering with Mother Nature to create beauty, said Scott Endres, owner of Tangletown Gardens in Minneapolis. "There's a connection that's romantic and spiritual within oneself."X...X...XThe gardeners: Pamela Hill Nettleton and Bill Schrickel, Minneapolis.-- The inspiration: A 10th-anniversary trip to Paris. "We visited Rodin's house, and Bill said the garden there was his favorite spot on Earth," Nettleton recalled. "It struck me that your favorite spot on Earth shouldn't be someplace you get to only twice in a lifetime, so I said, 'Maybe I could make something like that.' "-- Elements of romance: Nettleton used wrought-iron trellises as a fence to separate her romantic garden from the rest of the back yard. The trellises have curlicues --"so you can hang little lanterns from them," she said. "I'm a huge fan of candles, votives and lanterns." She chose white blooms and silvery foliage, to glow at night, and accented with twinkle lights, a fountain, an arbor, urns and comfy French garden chairs. "I have a lot of areas in my garden but that area is most successful because I had such a clear vision."-- Best compliment: "Some young girls were walking by, and one of them said, 'If I find a boyfriend, can I have my first kiss in your garden?' " Nettleton said.-- Enchanted evenings: Nighttime is the writer's favorite time in her garden. "It's kind of moody," she said. Schrickel, assistant principal bass with the Minnesota Orchestra and music director of the Metropolitan Symphony, works late, and on summer evenings, Nettleton likes to sit in the garden and wait for his return. "He's usually still in his tuxedo ... and he comes and sits with me," she said. "The garden lent itself to a new ritual."The gardeners: Shari and Roger Wilsey, St. Paul, Minn.-- Picture-perfect: The couple's large European-style garden has been the setting for several weddings, including two of their children's, and numerous wedding photos. The Wilseys don't rent it out, however. "We share it with people we love," Shari said.-- Where horses trotted: There wasn't a garden, just overgrown trees and grass, when the Wilseys bought their 1904 Baroque-style house nine years ago. But soon after moving in, Shari, a longtime gardener, noticed something that looked like brick underneath the grass. It turned out to be an original T-shaped brick path, near the carriage house, that now divides part of her landscape into quadrants for her color garden. "One section is blue, one white, one yellow and one pink," she said.-- Old World charm: The Wilseys' garden gets much of its romantic personality from its accent pieces, which include a wrought-iron arbor and trellis, a fountain, stone benches, urns, classical statues and, tucked behind an antique gate, a tiny courtyard with a Tuscan flavor. "I think I am kind of a romantic person," Shari said. Her front sidewalk is lined with topiary roses, set in giant planted urns, that give it a look of grandeur. "People have asked, 'Who's coming to your house?' They think royalty must be showing up," she said.-- Partnership: "Our garden is so big, I could not do it without Roger," Shari said. "He digs every new hole for me, weeds and helps with planting. When we plant, we make our way toward each other. We love to entertain out there, on the patio, and we love to spend time together in our garden."(Contact the writer at kpalmer(at)startribune.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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