Allee

An allee is a landscape feature consisting of a straight, narrow path bordered by rows of trees or tall shrubs. The term, from the French allée meaning “a walk” or “a walkway,” is used in English to describe a formal garden or park element in which two lines of trees are planted on either side of a central axis, creating a shaded corridor and a sense of visual depth toward a distant focal point such as a building, gate, or horizon.

Originating in European garden design, allees became prominent in Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical landscapes as tools for architectural order and perspective. Commonly used species include lime trees (linden), plane trees, hornbeams, or pollarded fruit trees, often pruned to maintain a uniform, airy canopy.

Variants and related terms: While an allee refers to the tree-lined corridor, related concepts include avenues in urban planning and tree-lined lanes. In garden design, allees may be straight or gently curved and may terminate at a terrace, fountain, statue, or other focal feature, reinforcing the axis of the plan.

Modern usage: Allees continue to appear in historic estates, botanical gardens, and contemporary landscape projects, valued for spatial organization, microclimate, and aesthetic appeal. Some historic allees are protected as cultural heritage, while new designs may adapt the concept with alternative plantings, materials, or lengthened views.