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 all year long!
One of my favourite things about the Med are the gardens.
One the key selling features for selecting my dream home in the Med was the garden!
Sitting on my terrace I am surrounded by colourful bougainvillea and oleander trees, orange, lemon, avocado and olive trees, the sweet smells of lavender and jasmine, majestic and elegant jacaranda trees, and cheerful agave succulents - with a wrap around view of the Sea sparkling in the sun on the horizon.
If this sounds dreamy to you, read on!
My Newbie Med Garden Mistakes
The Mediterranean climate has presented a new challenge for my initial (cold climate) gardening know how. I still have a lot to learn.
In my first years in the Med, I struggled to maintain a magnificent garden throughout the seasons. Spring was a burst of life, but summer droughts left me puzzled by how to keep colour throughout the garden - resulting in many trips to the garden store to replenish garden pots. Even in fall and winter, while the garden is now green, my garden lacked that WOW Factor that I was seeing in other gardens around the region.
5 Newbie Med Garden Mistakes
#1. It’s hot! My garden must need more and continuous water right?
#2. The plants that were in my garden when I arrived must be native or adapted already to the conditions, therefore need little care right?
#3. The modern plastic containers I brought from my previous cold climate home will be great for plants on my Med terrace right?
#4. If I buy bigger, more mature, citrus trees from the nursery to plant in my garden, they will thrive and produce fruit automatically in this climate right?
#5. My favourite flowers will bloom all year long in this climate with appropriate pruning right?
You guessed it, wrong to all of the above.
What I’ve Learned About the Hot Climate Gardening Mindset
Nurturing continuous blooms and healthy trees in the Med’s dry and poor soil, needs consistent care and feeding of nutrients through slow-release organic fertilisers and water retention techniques such as regular applications of compost. It's an essential recipe for success. Find tips on seasonal care and maintenance for Med Gardens here.
Living in the Mediterranean you become very aware that water scarcity is a critical concern - where I live there is no rain at all between April and October. Checking that the plants you choose are suitable for Mediterranean climate zones 8-11, drought-tolerant plants, will minimise your water usage. Drought-tolerant and resistant plants by definition don’t need a lot of water. They like to dry out before watering. Some beautiful Med plants even like to be stressed, like bougainvillea (Photo above).
Thankfully there is a wide variety of stunning native Med plants and trees to choose from. Find a selection of drought-tolerant plants here.
Check out my Med Garden Plants page for a list of the plants that are thriving in my Med Garden!
Careful garden design is required if you want colour (and edibles) in your garden all year round. Learn the bloom and harvest seasons of your desired Mediterranean plants and plan where you place them to spotlight different parts of the garden at different times of the year. More on Med Garden Design in my blogs: Med Dream Garden Planning; and How to Create a Mini Food Forest!
TIP: Use the Mediterranean Garden Notebook & Planner to note bloom and harvest seasons of your current plants, and desired plants, as well as essential care and maintenance information. Create a sketch of your garden and mark which areas you want to bloom in which seasons.
7 TIPS for Mastering Your Mediterranean Garden
Based on my personal learning journey with my own Mediterranean garden, I've compiled these 7 TIPS that aim to answer many of the questions that I had when I started, and reflect what I’ve had to learn to unleash the true potential of my Med Garden all year round!
Know Your Soil: The soils of the Mediterranean, especially where I live, are tough environments: sandy, rocky, and generally devoid of natural nutrients. Knowing your soil and the type of soil your plants like will help you to achieve an optimal plant care routine.
Hungry Plants: When your soil is poor, and there are long periods of extreme heat and drought, even high winds, it is essential to keep Mediterranean plants fed - even more than water. Know the nutrients needed and frequency of feedings for your plants. Organic fertilisers and compost are your friends, water is not enough to keep your Med Garden beautiful and thriving.
Drought-Resistant Plants: There are so many stunning drought-resistant plants to choose from in the Med. Check that plants are suitable for hardiness zones 8-11. Remember, drought-resistant doesn’t mean “plant and forget”. You will need to nurture young plants, and follow watering recommendations for each plant.
Plant Companions: Plants love friends, especially when their symbiotic nature feeds each other - did you know that growing legumes under citrus trees adds nitrogen to the soil; and that pumpkins and coriander do well under avocado trees. Extra planning will go a long way for your overall plant health and garden maintenance. Take care to group plants that have the same soil, feeding, and watering requirements.
Container Compliments: Clay pots scattered about the terrace are a symbol of the Mediterranean. Containers are a great place for your favourite annuals that require different soil or watering than native Med plants; plus herb gardens; and succulent displays. My learning: the modern plastic containers I love are not always the best choice in the Med. They can crack and bleach in the hot sun, and don’t allow plants to breathe as well as clay pots. Clay pots are usually the better option for Med plants to thrive.
Common Pests & Diseases: Creating a log of plants in your garden with notes about the pests and diseases to be managed for each plant is really helpful. Check regularly for signs of these intruders on each walk through your garden to treat them before it’s too late. Get the Mediterranean Garden Notebook & Planner .
Create Shade: Shade may be counter-intuitive for the sunny Med, and for people who come from northern climates like me. After a year in the Med I found myself searching for shade, it is HOT! Pergolas dotted about your garden are a great opportunity for climbers like the long-blooming and the beautiful colours of bougainvillea, plus the sweet scents of jasmine - beautiful garden spaces for outdoor living and dining. (Photo below)
The Mediterranean Garden Notebook & Planner
Find it in the Amazon.com bookstore
When I started to design and care for my Med Garden I tried various plant care APPs and searched Amazon for a Garden Notebook and Planner to keep track of my plants, care notes, learnings, goals… However, I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for.
So I created my own Garden Notebook & Planner!
Specifically designed for the Mediterranean Gardner - and everyone looking to bring a bit of the Med to your home garden and terrace.
The Mediterranean Garden Notebook & Planner is your private oasis of garden planning bliss.
This notebook is organised for you in 4 parts:
Garden Design: Plot your current garden design, and dream garden plans.
Plant Log: Keep a record of the plants in your garden and wish list of plants you want to try. Note essential care & maintenance information, bloom & harvest months.
Annual Planner: Note your annual goals for your garden, monthly to-dos, and seasonal care reminders.
Learning Journey: Reflect on what is doing well in your garden, and what you have learned about how to care for different plants in your garden.
Order directly from the Amazon.com bookstore !
The Mediterranean Garden Notebook & Planner is the perfect gift for your garden enthusiast friends and family this season!
Med Garden: Express Your Med Style!
Even before relocating to the Med I became obsessed with gardens as an endless opportunity for creative expression. Before gardening, my creative outlet was abstract painting, which I did as a stress reliever from work. My muse while I was painting… flowers!
So my canvas has now expanded into the living garden.
Unleash your creativity, create your Mediterranean garden oasis.
Jade
Lewon
Med
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