The Phantom Garden

Have you ever wanted to carry your Phantom obsession out of doors and into the garden? It seems an impossible mix at first. Erik is after all, a man of the night when we meet him. But if you will allow for a happy ending revision and give the main gardening tasks to fair Christine, the solution becomes obvious.

Ideally what you want here is a place that evokes Christine’s spirit by day, and Erik’s presence by night. If you give both of them certain elements, the task becomes easy.

Christine:
Element of light: Sunlight
Element of emotion: Love, cheerfulness
Character: Innocence
Flowers: Any

She is a goddess of light and love, very at home in the garden. I’d argue for at least one white flower, or something in a pastel shade to soften the garden’s presence. The Peace rose might work here, as Christine never wanted Erik and Raoul to fight. Also consider lavender, or any other pleasant smelling herb.

Decorations for Christine would include anything whimsical or magical, as she has both elements in her. Statues could range from fairies to angels. Roses-themed decorations would work, but so would any other flower motif. Don’t forget the birdfeeder and birdbath for her and your feathered friends.

Erik:
Element of light: Night, starlight
Element of emotion: Loyalty, fierce protection, love
Character: Mysterious
Flowers: Roses, Climbing Nightshade, Mayapple

Erik would want to come out at night one presumes, and would need some sort of light source if he were escorting Christine. A deck lantern would work well here. So would the romantic illumination of the full moon.

A source of music he could hear at night would be essential, so consider hanging wind chimes. Also, bamboo chimes have a pleasant sound and resemble organ pipes, depending on the cut.

Erik’s underground lake is a key part of Leroux’s story. So consider that birdbath as a double duty item. His fierce love for Christine is legendary; so consider such decorative statuses such as gargoyles. The gargoyle has long been regarded as a protection against evil spirits; so don’t be reluctant to include even the smallest of these warriors in your garden setting.

Roses seem to be a must for the perfect Phantom garden. You could grow any species you like, although red seems to be the perennial favorite. May I suggest the Chrysler Imperial? It has a lovely shade of red and a wonderful fragrance, and it makes a good cutting rose. There are also several flowers that verge on black. The pansy Black Devil and the black hollyhock are just two examples. So is common millet, which looks like corn with a black cattail top to it.

I also suggest Bleeding Hearts either the white and pink or the all white version as the pain of unrequited love is a theme in the novel. Just remember that the garden should be what you feel comfortable with. If you like different flowers and roses than those suggested, by all means use them.

Please note: Some of the plants suggested below are quite deadly and may be banned in your area. Never use any of these dark beauties in gardens frequented by children or pets.

Climbing Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara L.) One of the most deceptive plants there is. Her flowers are confections of pale purple and yellow that almost beg to be eaten. Later red berries replace these flowers.

Mandrake (Podophyllum peltatum) A.K.A. American Mayapple Native to certain parts of the US, and widely admired for its small fruit that appears under its umbrella style leaves. Every part of this plant (excepting the fruit at a certain stage of ripeness) will send you to your ancestors.

Minature White Roses

C. Imperial Rose

Bleeding Heart

Mask in Flowers

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