Six short-cuts for scents and sense of the Mediterranean

BEEN on your hols to the Mediterranean this year? Hannah Stephenson offers six ways to bring a touch of the Med to your own garden.

1. USE TERRACOTTA PLANTERS

Think bright pink or red trailing geraniums tumbling over old terracotta or stone pots or, if you have limited space, attach some smaller terracotta planters to a south-facing wall and fill them with trailing drought-lovers which won’t need endless watering.

Alternatively, make a feature out of huge Grecian urns strategically placed in borders or as stand-alone features at the end of walkways or in the centre of small courtyards.

Permanent planters in the Mediterranean garden can also save you time, whether it be agapanthus or hardy evergreen herbs. If you sit them on gravel, plunge the base of each container a few centimetres into the gravel, which will encourage plants to root through into the soil underneath as well as keeping your pot stable. If you have space – and somewhere to house them in winter, such as a conservatory – consider growing a pot of citrus such as lemons to add a Mediterranean feel and scent.

You can grow dazzling bougainvillea in containers and bring it outside every summer, from early June to late September, then move it to a frost-free conservatory for winter.

2. CONSIDER GRAVEL OR COOL TILES Gravel gardens are commonplace in the Mediterranean and in this country the gravel surface acts as a permanent mulch which will help to prevent seedlings and conserves moisture. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot and prepare the soil, raking it level and then spreading 5cm of gravel over the surface.

Plant sparingly – don’t smother the gravel surface with plants. They can be placed here and there and perhaps embellished with stone or terracotta planters or an old wooden or stone bench. Avoid bedding plants which are too thirsty. Instead, grow exotic-looking shrubs such as phormium and olearia or grasses with silvery leaves, as well as ground cover such as sedum and thyme.

3. INCORPORATE WATER

Water creates cool relief in hot countries and can be used not only to provide movement, but also reflective value. Stone fountains are a big feature of many Mediterranean gardens but at home consider your surroundings. If you have plenty of room, you might go for an ornate tiered structure, providing a cool cascade of water which you can run your hands through. With less space you might go for still water in a terracotta storage jar or a lined stone trough.

4. CREATE SHADE

Any Mediterranean garden worth its salt should offer shade during the heat of the day. Consider how you are going to achieve that naturally. Perhaps grow climbers that love heat, such as grapevine and trumpet vine, over a pergola with traditional seating underneath.

5. DON’T FORGET SUCCULENTS

Cacti and succulents are regular features in the Mediterranean garden, growing out of old stone walls and rockwork. If you have a gravel gap between your house and your paving, a strip of sempervivums or other succulents will soften the line beautifully.

6. USE SIMPLE DECOR

Once you are surrounded by terracotta and old stone or tile landscaping, you don’t really want contemporary, shiny furniture. Choose simple wooden benches or seats which will weather with age to fit with the look.

If you have limited space, attach some smaller terracotta planters to a south-facing wall