Bring your European holiday to your garden

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Did you miss your annual trip to the sunny Mediterranean this winter? Or just dreaming of getting away? European holidays are out of reach right now, but you could trick yourself into feeling like you’re in Italy or France this spring and summer with a few additions to your garden!

It’s not so much of a stretch. While the steep coastline of Positano or the vineyards of Tuscany might feel so different to Melbourne, one thing that’s not different is our weather. Our hot dry summers and wet winters mean so many of the plants grown in Italy, Spain or Greece can also grow easily here. And with very little maintenance for that matter, so a Mediterranean garden will nurture you without expecting too much in return!

Picture a stroll through a village on the Amalfi coast. You’ll see striking splashes of pink and orange, with bougainvillea cascading over brick walls or trained over a trellis. Terracotta pots and urns are spilling with colour. Window boxes full of brightly coloured geraniums. Gnarly branching olive trees, planted in the ground, or growing in large pots.

And don’t forget the edibles – this region is known for growing beautiful produce – grapes, olives (as mentioned above), citrus, and top it off with some aromatic herbs – an essential in a Meditteranean garden (and diet!) Basil, rosemary, oregano and thyme. And of course – tomatoes!

 There’s two distinct colours/themes that come to mind when you think about Mediterranean gardens – the earthy, natural colours of  terracotta and sand with grey toned foliage which are perfect for a neutral and calm garden; or brilliant blues and vivid greens, with splashes of bold colours for fun summer vibes. So grab a few fun pots, in the colour theme of your choice and you’ve got a place to start.

Here are a few plant suggestions for you to consider. All of these plants you will find growing beautifully here, and won’t take too much effort to keep them looking good.

  • Olives – for large pots or in the garden

  • Geraniums – in hanging baskets, pots or window boxes

  • Magnolia – the beautiful evergreen Little Gem or Teddy Bear are examples of very hardy but lush green small trees perfect for smaller gardens

  • Oleander – a large shrub/small tree with prolific flowers

  • Italian pencil pines – put an exclamation point in your garden!

  • Jasmine – for covering walls with greenery

  • Bougainvillea – big bold splashes of colour

  • Boston ivy – perfect for rambling over a brick or stone wall

  • Ficus pumilla – add greenery to a wall where you have limited/narrow space

  • Succulents and aloes – for a very dry garden especially where soil is sandy and very free draining

  • Lavenders – the ultimate plant for fragrance in the garden

  • Cistus – a shrub also known as rock rose, that is covered with flowers in spring, and can withstand hot and dry conditions

  • Buxus (as a hedge or shaped into the shapes of balls and cones and displayed in terracotta)

  • Australian natives – many of Australia’s indigenous plants fit in so well in a Mediterranean garden, including Acacias, Westringia, Kangaroo Paws, and Banksias,

  • Euphorbias

  • Herbs such as sage, rosemary, oregano, basil and bay

  • Vegetables - tomatoes, artichokes, eggplants, capsicums, zucchini