If you’re hoping to embrace a holiday feel in your garden this summer, stocking up on some of the best plants for a Mediterranean garden is a great place to start.
Alongside earthy garden walls and furniture, the best Mediterranean garden ideas involve plants you’ll see in the gardens of Italy, Spain, France and Greece. Luckily, a lot of those thrive in the UK climate, too.
We checked in with the experts to pull together a list of the best plants for a Mediterranean garden. Our list is by no means exhaustive, but we’ve tried to include some unique picks you might not have considered before (and we all know that a lot of the best fragrant shrubs are stalwarts of a Mediterranean planting scheme).
1. Bougainvillaea
If you’ve got a south-facing garden wall and you want to dress it with beautiful blooms, bougainvillaea is one of the very best plants for a Mediterranean garden.
‘Nothing says Mediterranean like vibrant bougainvillaea,’ says David Fryer, head of technical at Mr Fothergill's. ‘Grow it against a sunny wall, over a pergola, or choose compact varieties to trail from containers.’
David says this is a fantastic option for small gardens and courtyard garden ideas, too.
Where to buy bougainvillaea:
- Thompson & Morgan: Go for the vibrant pink blooms of Bougainvillea 'Alexandra'.
- J. Parker's: Another beautiful pink bougainvillaea plant.
David has a Horticulture BSc (hons) degree from Reading University and has worked in Horticulture for his entire career. He has worked at Fothergill's Seeds for the last four years as head of technical, responsible for sourcing seed and quality management, including germination testing and growing trials.
2. Agapanthus
Usually, we grow agapanthus from bare root – and it’s well worth it if you’re looking for plants for a Mediterranean garden style, according to garden designer Harriet Worsley.
‘I’ve been working on some ideas for a planting scheme in blues and purples in the South of France,’ she says. ‘I’ve suggested blue Agapanthus africanus with its strappy leaves and pom-pom flowers of arrestingly bright blue.’
Where to buy agapanthus:
- Sarah Raven: Start with the striking Agapanthus campanulatus 'Midnight Star'.
- Suttons: Agapanthus 'Queen of the Ocean' is another beautiful variety.
3. Sedums
Mediterranean gardens feature a lot of drought-tolerant plants to cope with the hot weather, and succulents like sedums are great choices – and thanks to their low-maintenance nature, learning how to grow sedums is relatively straightforward.
‘Succulents and cacti make great gap fillers in even the driest corners of the garden, or look stunning grouped in terracotta pots,’ says David from Mr Fothergill’s. ‘Low-growing sedums are perfect for rockeries, containers, or even green roofs on sheds and garages.’
Where to buy sedums:
- Crocus: Hylotelephium 'Matrona' produces a flurry of pink flowers.
- Primrose: Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is another popular choice.
4. Cypress
If you’re hoping to add a tree to your Mediterranean-style garden this year, cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) is a popular choice.
‘Tall and stately, these evergreens add structure and height, creating an architectural look – think Italian villas!’ says David.
Italian cypress is also a fast-growing privacy tree if you’re hoping to screen your garden from neighbours.
You can order a pair of Van Gogh Tuscan Totem Pole Cypress Trees from Gardening Express.
5. Lavender
Of course, we couldn’t rustle up a list of the best plants for a Mediterranean garden without mentioning lavender.
‘Lavender is a fantastic option for a Mediterranean Garden,’ says Liam Cleary, gardening expert at the Old Railway Line Garden Centre. ‘It has an amazing scent and does well during a drought – perfect if you forget to water plants.’
Learning how to grow lavender will please the bees as well as the senses, so it’s a brilliant wildlife garden idea, too.
Where to buy lavender:
- B&Q: Get started with this six-pack of Lavender angustifolia plants.
6. Passion flower
Passion flower (Passiflora caerulea) is another brilliant choice for a Mediterranean garden, and it’s one of the best climbing plants for pots if you’re tight on ground planting space.
‘Exotic and eye-catching, this hardy climber offers striking flowers and lush foliage,’ says David from Mr Fothergill’s. ‘Try it on a trellis or guide it along a wall.’
You can buy passion flower plants from Thompson & Morgan.
7. Olive trees
Well, we had to include olive trees on our list of plants for a Mediterranean garden. You’ll need to learn how to prune olive trees to encourage fruit production and maintain the tree’s health, but it’s well worth it for a Mediterranean garden staple.
‘A true icon of the South, the olive is slow-growing but incredibly rewarding,’ says David. ‘It thrives in poor soil and containers (which help restrict the roots), developing gorgeous, gnarled trunks over time. Try using one as a sculptural focal point.’
Where to buy olive trees:
- M&S: Order an olive tree in a hessian gift bag.
- IKEA: Another great place to buy an olive tree.
8. Jasmine
Another fast-growing climbing plant, jasmine, brings a beautiful fragrance to Mediterranean planting schemes.
‘For climbers, Trachelospermum jasminoides is neat and tidy and has a mind-blowingly strong honey-scented flower,’ says Harriet.
It’s a brilliant choice if you’re looking to screen your outdoor space with a garden trellis.
You can buy Trachelospermum jasminoides from Crocus.
9. Mediterranean spurge
The clue is in the name with this one, and Mediterranean spurge (Euphorbia characias) adds vibrant structural interest to a garden.
‘Mediterranean spurge is an architectural plant with blue-green foliage and lime-hued bracts,’ says ‘Just cut back flowered stems annually to keep them in good shape.’
Euphorbia characias is available to buy from Crocus in a range of sizes.
10. Cape leadwort
Last but by no means least, we have cape leadwort, or Plumbago auriculata. This unique flowering plant produces beautiful blooms throughout the summer and even into the autumn months.
‘A larger option, this sprawling shrub offers masses of summery blue flowers and can be trained against supports for a soft, romantic feel,’ says David.
For the best flowers, you’ll need to grow cape leadwort in a spot that receives full sun.
Where to buy cape leadwort:
- Primrose: Try Plumbago auriculata 'White' for contrast.
Which Mediterranean-style plants will you be trying this year?
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