Marvels of the Mediterranean

TRAVELLING abroad and stepping into the sizzling heat of a Mediterranean summer is an exciting experience for gardeners accustomed to more gentle maritime climates. We look in awe at palms, citrus, bougainvillea and oleander flourishing in the heat and wonder how well they would grow at home.

Hot summers and mild, wet winters characterise not just countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, but also California in the USA, parts of South Africa and Chile, plus a small slice of Western Australia. These areas often have poor, thin soils and the plants adapted to thrive in them often falter on fertile, damp ones.

Get the backbone plants in place

Both the cultivated plants of gardens, and the wilder vegetation on waste ground and in the natural landscape, are equally fascinating. Planning a Mediterranean-style garden is easy if you start by getting the larger backbone plants