Mediterranean Garden In Albuquerque Part 2: What is a Mediterranean Garden?

Tivoli, at Villa d'Este, Italy

What is a mediterranean garden?

The Alhambra, Spain, from photoatlas.com

Each of us has our own vision of a Mediterranean garden. We may imagine the formal parterre of Versailles in France, or the formal layout and tree collections of Villa d’Este, Tivoli, in Italy. We may also imagine the spare landscape of Greece, the Moorish gardens of the Alhambra in Spain, the functional yet beautiful lavender fields in Provence, or the relatively casual farmhouses (compared to the palaces) known as villa rustica that characterize Tuscany.

Provence, from goaheadtours.com

Hotel Garden in Nice, France

It is of course impossible to distill such a vast and varied region such as the Mediterranean into a “style.” To complicate matters, the Mediterranean climate includes also the winter rainfall belt of South Africa’s Cape, central and southern coastal California, central Chile and also southern and southwestern Australia. Although climate is characteristic for these regions, regional culture, history, preferences and plants are specific for each of these areas. The result is a variety of design styles. Ultimately, it seems, what really matters is the plants. Since gardeners find joy in planting what they can borrow from other parts of the world, and since in this day and age transporting plants from around the world is easily done, those of Mediterranean climate tend to use similar plants.

Tuscany, from goaheadtours.com

The allure of the Mediterranean landscape is unmistakable to the editors of Sunset magazine. Perhaps it is a bias, since they are located in Menlo Park, California, but the magazine frequently features articles addressing a Mediterranean lifestyle.

from Sunset magazine

Their June 1998 issue was focused on the Mediterranean, with articles such as “A Kitchen in Provence” and “Tuscany along the Pacific.” The later article featured two gardens along the west coast, one near Los Angeles, and one in British Columbia, which are strongly influenced by the “horticultural style of Tuscany.” Classic plants are described as Acacia, Acanthus, Agave americana, Bougainvillea and passion vine, Italian cypress, myrtle, olive trees, palms, rosemary, lavender and thyme.

In September 2002 was featured an article titled” Gardens of the Sun: mediterranean-style gardening in the west. “Close your eyes and picture a garden somewhere near the Mediterranean Sea.” Surrounding a home with thick whitewashed or ocher-colored walls in Spain or Tuscany, perhaps.” Mediterranean plants such as lavender, rosemary, sage, Santolina, and thyme are suggested, as well as California natives Ceanothus, Fremontodendron, and sagebrush, southwestern natives such as Agave. Australian Grevillea, kangaroo paw, and Westringia fruticosa, South African Cape mallow, Cape plumbago, Kniphofia, Leucospermum and lions tail are included. Primarily what is needed in the Mediterranean garden, they say, is subtle gray green, blue green and olive toned foliage, vivid flower colors, expansive hardscape and shady shelters.

from Sunset magazine

September 2007’s issue featured an article “Sun Gardens,” and suggested elements: Shimmer (grasses), summer blondness, drought tolerant plants, shade, permeable hardscape, small-scale water features, and empty containers. Plants in the featured garden included feather reed grass (Calamogrostis x acutiflora), Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, yarrow, roses, Pennisetum orientale (fountain grass), Sedum telephium, Coleonema pulchrum ‘Sunset Gold’, Aster cordifolius ‘Little Carlow’, Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa), Berberis thunbergii, Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Sunray. Although not mentioned in the article, prominent in the photos were olive, Italian cypress, Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), lavender, catmint (Nepeta).

from Sunset magazine

For the purposes of this exercise, and since the luxury of writing such a thing is that it allows the author his own definitions, I would describe my idea of the Mediterranean garden as that of Provence and Tuscany, with the inclusion of California (which depends heavily upon the first two). In this paper also, the focus is on the plants rather than the hardscape elements which are significant in contributing to the true Mediterranean garden. The plants chosen are those that are prominent in the nostalgic mind of my childhood in California, but also from memories of travel to those regions of Provence and Tuscany. To stimulate such memories, I have relied also on photographs and several books (see References) such as New Gardens in Provence: 30 Contemporary Creations by Louisa Jones, Venzano: a scented garden in Tuscany by Stephanie Donaldson, Mediterranean Gardening: a waterwise approach by Heidi Gildemeister, and Make Your Own Mediterranean Garden by Pattie Barron. For local inspiration, the Albuquerque Botanic Garden’s Moorish garden is helpful.

from Sunset magazine

Not all plants that are popular in Mediterranean gardens are included in this article, since this would include thousands of plant species and would not be logistically feasible. There would also simply be lists of plants that could not be grown in Albuquerque. Only those plants that I feel are most significant in creating the feel of the Mediterranean are included. For example, I have chosen not to include plants such as Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), Camellia sp., bamboo, or Gardenia despite their popularity in California, since they are not significant to creating the feel of the Mediterranean. There are also many subtropical plants that are grown in California and Tuscany that are very popular (people everywhere test the limits of their climate), but are not included since they are not evocative of the Mediterranean and for which there are no reasonable substitutes for the Albuquerque climate. These include plants such as the bananas (Musa sp.), gingers (Alpinia, Hedychium, Curcurma, etc.), elephant ears (Alocasia, Colocasia), Michelia sp. and tree ferns (Dicksonia, Cyathia). Although I have trialled many of the plants, I have noted where further study is necessary. Finally, it is more than likely that I have missed a few plants.

Tivoli at Villa d'Este, Italy