Mediterranean garden ideas

Silver foliage, pale stone and heat-tolerant planting. A Mediterranean garden looks generous on very little water — provided the drainage is right.

AI-generated concept image

Light: Full sun
Water: Low
Upkeep: Low
Colour: Warm
Planting survives: −8 °C / 18 °F

Getting it right

Start with the ground, not the plants. Mediterranean planting fails in wet soil far more often than in cold, so dig 100–150 mm of coarse grit through the bed before anything goes in, and raise the level slightly wherever water sits. Space plants further apart than feels natural; the silver-leaved shrubs need air moving through them. Then mulch with the same gravel you used on the paths, so the whole garden reads as one surface rather than beds set into a yard.

Plants that work

Botanical names are given first so you can order the right plant anywhere. Heights are for mature plants in open ground.
Plant	Type	Light	Water	Height	Hardy to
OliveOlea europaea	Tree · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	3–8 m	−8 °C / 18 °F
English lavenderLavandula angustifolia	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	40–70 cm	−20 °C / −4 °F
RosemarySalvia rosmarinus	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	0.6–1.5 m	−12 °C / 10 °F
Italian cypressCupressus sempervirens	Conifer · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	5–12 m	−12 °C / 10 °F
Cotton lavenderSantolina chamaecyparissus	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	40–60 cm	−15 °C / 5 °F
Purple rock roseCistus × purpureus	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	0.8–1.2 m	−10 °C / 14 °F
Jerusalem sagePhlomis fruticosa	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	0.8–1.2 m	−12 °C / 10 °F
Tree germanderTeucrium fruticans	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	1–2 m	−8 °C / 18 °F
Bay laurelLaurus nobilis	Shrub · Evergreen	Partial shade	Low	2–5 m	−10 °C / 14 °F
Mexican feather grassNassella tenuissima	Grass · Semi-evergreen	Full sun	Low	40–60 cm	−20 °C / −4 °F
African lilyAgapanthus praecox	Perennial · Semi-evergreen	Full sun	Moderate	0.6–1 m	−8 °C / 18 °F
Grape vineVitis vinifera	Climber · Deciduous	Full sun	Low	3–8 m	−18 °C / 0 °F