Mediterranean Gardens: Climate, Plant List or Design Style?

Natural textures of gravel, stone and wood play a strong role in this welcoming seating area framed by olive trees and rosemary.

By Annie

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area we have what’s known as a mediterranean climate - a climate that enjoys dry, warmer summer temperatures and mild, wetter winter rainfall patterns, very similar to countries around the Mediterranean Sea.

Southern Spain, the south of France, Italy, Croatia's Adriatic Coast, Greece, Turkey's Mediterranean Coast, Lebanon, Israel, coastal Tunisia, and several islands in the Mediterranean Sea like Corsica, Sardinia and Cyprus all enjoy the original mediterranean climate, and all have their own plant species that do really well in a summer dry climate. So, if you wanted to make a mediterranean garden, it might mean a garden IN the Mediterranean, or a garden that uses plants FROM the Mediterranean.

However, outside the Mediterranean Sea, around the globe, there are many countries who share the same latitudes and whose climates are mediterranean too.

They include southern and western regions of Australia, Morocco, the north of Algeria and Tunisia, the Cape Province area of South Africa, the central coast of Chile, parts of Argentina, Western Pakistan and parts of the Middle East, parts of Baja California in Mexico, and of course California itself.

That means we can use plants from those areas in our “mediterranean” designs, and they’ll thrive with little help.

A winding gravel pathway lined with contrasting foliage and forms leads to Italian cypress pillars - gateposts to the setting sun in this garden in Provence, France.

So, that’s the mediterranean climate - the “original” one, and a rundown of the ones around the world that have the same weather, but different native plants. But is that what makes a garden design “mediterranean”? Not in my book. If you had a garden filled with African aloes and cacti and bromeliads from Chile I doubt you’d call it mediterranean exactly…

When we think of a mediterranean garden style, we’re usually thinking of gardens we’ve seen in the south of France, Spain, Italy, and Greece, and the plants native to those areas. And we’re also thinking of how those plants are used, and specific hardscape ideas that come with those regions of the world too.

Gravel pathways, pebbles and cobbles. Terracotta pots and containers in the garden. Clipped hedges, topiary, and bold forms like Italian cypress and Stone Pine trees. Shady seating areas - including outdoor dining areas. The use of tiles and white painted walls in the garden. The warm sun releases herbal, resinous fragrance from rosemary, lavender and santolinas. Phlomis, verbascum and euphorbia wulfenii bringing soft textures and forms to dry stone walls.

Overall the feeling is of relaxation and sanctuary, with winding paths whose borders of plants soften the edges, and the sense that the heat of the garden is best enjoyed from a shady seat under an olive tree, or with a glass of wine as the sun is going down.

While some plants and hardscape areas may have a somewhat formal, symmetrical layout, the materials and finishes are softer, perhaps weathered, and more handmade than crisply manufactured and tightly controlled. Stone, wood and terracotta instead of concrete and plastic.

Mediterranean gardens are perfect for our area, and a delight to experience  - get in touch with us to design your version of a mediterranean garden.

Check out more photos of Mediterranean (style) gardens we like on our Pinterest board