It’s February! Time to plan 2024 Med Garden Projects!
I'm jumping in with my Mediterranean Garden Notebook :)
I have been waiting for this moment actually - not so patiently waiting for late winter / early spring in the Med to get my 2024 Med Dream Garden Planning 2024 underway!
I’ve met with my local plant doctor / whisperer in January for advice, and now I’m ready to get my plans onto paper (Mediterranean Garden Notebook plug) and spring into action. My private oasis of garden planning bliss…
What are your 2024 Dream Garden plans?
A new spot in your garden you want to highlight?
Plants you have seen blooming in other gardens that you want to try?
Strategies for care & maintenance to overcome garden fails of 2023 with new learnings?
New garden features?
In this blog I share my Med Garden goals and plans for 2024 - ideas and inspiration for your Mediterranean Garden.
“Enjoy the journey, embrace the mystery.”
3. Learning Journey & Annual Planner: What I have learned in 2023, monthly to-dos, and seasonal care reminders
2024 Goals for my Med Garden
1. Garden Design: Dream garden plans
Ahh as I open my Mediterranean Garden Notebook I am reminded of the meaning of life in this quote…
“Mediterranean gardens enable the magical culture of indoor-outdoor living, where home and garden blend seamlessly together,creating a symphony of colour, fragrance and nourishment”
I have 4 ideas for my garden design adds this year:
Creating an Entrance !
When I drive up to my Med Home I want to smile with glee at the beauty that is waiting for me on the other side of my gate - and spilling over into the street for fellow garden gazers.
The gardens around my gate entrance and driveway have not had the wow factor I’m looking for. This year I want to change that.
My goal is to create colour in my driveway space all year round.
I have some lovely aloe arborescens which bring me joy in Dec. & Jan - and a beautiful display of agapanthus along my interior driveway wall which make me smile in April & May - but otherwise, the area is a bit bland.
There is a village near to me that is brimming with beautiful yellow flowers all year long - many of the homes along the main street of the town have yellow bells trees. It’s as if they had a town meeting and decided they would be the yellow bells town. Whatever the genesis, the effect is breathtaking.
As the main street of that town is about as long as my driveway, I’ve decided to bring that town’s glory of yellow bells trees to line my driveway, and create the entrance that I deserve - because I’m worth it!
Creating Privacy with a Cactus Wall
There is one spot in my garden that sits high above a rocky slope - and it is exposed to the street. I’ve had a few planter boxes there with white oleander trees to try to create some privacy from the street in that area.
However, the spot is quite exposed to the elements - particularly the high winds that we get from time to time. The planters have been knocked over by the wind a few times now and so I started thinking about what I could put there to achieve privacy and yet withstand the wind.
After some browsing on Pinterest it came to me - a cactus wall! (photo)
This would be a stunning feature on this spot - something for my guests and on-lookers to talk about at parties...
My idea to overcome the high wind exposure is to build into the ground a concrete faux planter box, that has no bottom so that the cactus can grow into that rocky, sandy soil - while providing some protection from potential erosion of that steep slope.
I can’t wait to see this new cactus wall feature come to life! I do have to be a little more patient though, as my plant whisperer tells me that the best time to plant cactus in the Med is late spring - May. Planting in late spring will allow the cacti to thrive straight away from the heat of the summer and establish roots before winter.
Creating a Food Forest
As you may have read in my previous Med Garden blogs, one of the things I love about the Med Garden is all of the food you can grow!
It is my goal to have everything in my garden that I want to eat - saving on the grocery bill and trips to the store.
Citrus is at the top of my list.
Lemons for grilled fish and salad dressings. Lime for my Mexican food fetish. Oranges for my “fruit water” which I drink all summer long - Instead of buying orange juice I’ve started adding slices of oranges to my pitcher of water et voila, home-made sweet orange juice.
The other things that are top of my shopping list - that grow well in the Mediterranean - are: avocados, Brazilian cherries, bananas, and almonds. I have plans to plant these trees in my garden this year.
Finally, a veg and herb garden!
For the herbs, it is my plan to create a fragrant oasis of basil, coriander, sage, oregano, thyme and rosemary in the garden spot around my BBQ. Conveniently enabling me to add the herbs directly to the grill - and be engulfed with fragrance while I BBQ! More on ladies that grill in a future blog.
For the veg - this is a new and exciting venture for me. I’ve actually never tried a vegetable patch (as an adult). I have been a little weary of trying one in the Med, as I supposed they would have high water needs. However, my neighbour has an extensive veg patch and he took me on a tour of it last year. I came away with a basket of squash, melon, peppers, and tomatoes that were so packed with flavour that I decided then I would try a veg patch this year.
Creating shade! New pergola design to defy the highest winds
After a few years now in the Med I am still searching for shade from June-Sept, it is HOT!
Last year I planted a bunch of jasmine climbers around my outdoor terraces to create a barrier from the sun while exuding a heavenly fragrance in early spring. They are growing well, and this year I hope they will reach the top of my outdoor terrace roof to take full effect.
However, the seating areas where we gather around the pool are still quite exposed. As we tend to spend a lot of time around the pool in the heat of summer, this year I’ve decided to erect 2 pergolas at opposite corners of the pool terrace for some protection.
For my sun worshiping friends and family - don’t worry, there is still enough sun-filled space to perfect your summer tan.
In full disclosure, I did try a pergola at one end of the pool last year, to cover the outdoor dining spot to enjoy beautiful lunches by the pool. I loved the design of that pergola, modern and rustic with steel frame and a bamboo roof. It was a great spot all summer long - until October, when a fierce tropical storm completely took it out :(.
My challenge with pergolas is the wind. Not one to shy away from a challenge, I set out to find a pergola design that would withstand the high winds. I think I have found it. Pergolas with a retractable “roof” (photo above) that can be rolled back when the winds come so that they don’t take flight as my last one did…eeeek!
2. Plant Log: Wish list of plants I want to try
Click on the name of the plant below for more information about plant care and maintenance.
Almond Tree (Prunus Dulcis) The almond trees blooming with beautiful while or pale pink delicate flowers in early February are the first sign that spring is coming in the Med. They emerge from the green of winter like secrets they are ready to share. A beautiful addition for some of the borders of my garden.
California Lilac (Ceanothus): I love purple flowers. The California lilac is a hearty variety of lilac with spring blooming purple flowers that can thrive even in high winds. I am always looking for stunning trees and flowers that can tolerate high winds! I would like to try the California lilac this year - if I can find it in the Med!
Yellow Bells (Tecoma Stans): Stunning yellow flowers all year long for my driveway gardens and main gate .entrance. These are the longest blooming trees I have seen in the Med. I can't wait to try them in my garden this year.
Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora): Desert Flamenco with coral-pink flowers is a flowering succulent with dramatic ascending spikes of colourful flowers in spring and into mid-summer. I am looking for some colourful accent plants for the gardens around the pool. Red Yucca sounds like a beautiful one - I will give it a try this year.
Royal Palm (Roystonea regia). I am learning that there are so many varieties of Palm trees in the Med. I am interested in the Royal Palm for its low maintenance. As Palms can grow up to 15-20 metres high, maintenance would be tough! The Royal Palm is also the most beautiful in my view with lush green fan like leaves and a smooth trunk. Due to their size Palms can be expensive. I will keep them on my wish list until I find them at an affordable price!
3. Learning Journey & Annual Planner:
What I have learned in 2023, monthly to-dos, and seasonal care reminders
I learned a lot about my Med Garden in 2023.
I'm looking forward to applying my learnings - and advice from my garden whisperer - to my garden this year.
I will dig into my DIY watering system and vermicomposting in my Med Garden blogs this year.
I would love to hear about your Med Garden learnings - please share in the comments below!
Treat yourself to a Mediterranean Garden Notebook today and start your 2024 garden planning bliss! Available at amazon.com - I got mine from Amazon online to my doorstep in 3 days flat!
Share your 2024 Garden Goals in the Comments below.
Happy gardening 2024!
Jade
Lewon
Med
תגובות