Inspired by a verdant Croatian seaside town
MY LOVE AFFAIR with southern Europe started when I was about a year old. My parents, true adventurers, took me to spend a year on the incredible island of Ithaka in Greece. I think it was this early experience of arid landscape, cerulean skies and hot air scented with rosemary, sage and lavender which has seen me drawn to similar landscapes all my life. Whether the Greek islands, the most southern tip of Spain where the Sahara winds blow or the southern Croatian hills where I find myself today, it is this dry, hot climate which really allows me to exhale.
The place I have landed now is called Mlini, a gem of a place and one of the most southern villages on the Croatian coast. It lies almost on the border of Montenegro and has a wild and natural feel to it that many places have lost due to the ever-expanding tourism industry. The pretty fishing village, which is built on the historic harbour, is only a 35-minute boat ride away from the old port of Dubrovnik and is an incredibly green and lush oasis in what is otherwise quite an arid area. The reason for this opulence is that the village holds many ancient water mills which channel the water from the hills above. The planting here is a wonderful mix of native and ornamentals from all over the world. The Phoenix canariensis, also known as the Canary Island date palm, is a staple here and the long feathery fronds are part of most Croatian coastal schemes. More native to the area, we have the recognisable spires of the native cupressus sempervirens, also known as the Italian cypress or pencil cypress.
Here in the locality there is real evidence of many talented plantspeople. Everywhere you look there are parks and lush gardens abundant with fruit trees, colourful climbing vines and even vegetable crops. Mlini itself with its gorgeous light stone buildings has plenty of sights to admire when it comes to garden lovers. The stunning hundred-year-old plane tree stands with its roots happily at the gushing river which is directed artfully
through a series of channels and streams down from the mountains where it eventually meets the sea.
Our home for the 10-day trip was the wonderful Villa Carmen Guesthouse in the heart of Mlini.
Our gracious host Doris comes from generations of passionate gardeners and tells me how the family had to transplant large specimens of orange and lemon trees to make way for the pool. No easy task!
There are may fascinating garden destinations to explore here and I love how the modern Croatian landscape is a wonderful example of how native planting can be made stronger and better with additions from all over the world.