Episode 19

If this year’s summer has taught us anything it’s that the climate is definitely changing. So, our gardens are having to become used to longer periods of drought, but also interspersed with very wet periods and even flooding.

Mediterranean gardens centre on gravel and paving instead of grass. Stock up on terracotta clay pots. A few large ones look the part much better than a clutter of small ones. They will be much easier to look after, although they will still need regular watering.

If you’ve got room for a border or two, prepare the ground by digging in grit as well as organic matter to make the free-draining soil Mediterranean plants need. Use gravel or pebbles which will reflect the heat and light, keeping roots cool and moist, and stifling a lot of annual weeds.

Pergolas are a Mediterranean must. Climbers will soon scramble over them providing a nice shady area to keep cool on those hot summer days.

The finishing touch is the planting. If you choose the right plants, keeping a Mediterranean-style garden requires very little work. Typical Mediterranean plants are those that look good all year round and can cope with hot, dry conditions.

Geraniums or pelargoniums are ideal for pots and containers.

Try olive trees, citruses, oleander or bougainvillea. If your winters are harsh, use pots which can be moved somewhere protected through the winter.

Evergreen aromatic herbs such as rosemary, lavender, sage, thyme and bay are incredibly tough and will add wonderful scent to the garden.

Palms such as Trachycarpus fortunei the windmill palm and Chamaerops humilis the European fan palm add a truly tropical element.

Grapevines need a bit of space, but there are some good outdoor varieties which will even reward you with some fruit.

Trumpet vines such as Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Madame Galen’ make great use of vertical space and are free flowering and hardy.

Climbing roses love the warmth and ‘Mermaid’ which has big single yellow summer flowers or Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’ are ideal although perhaps not for a small garden.

And finally, no Mediterranean garden would be complete without euphorbias.

Euphorbia mellifera (Honey spurge), is a large evergreen with clusters of small, rusty-amber flowers in early summer.

Euphorbia wulfenii has large, lime-green heads of flower in early summer.

Euphorbia cyparissias, is a low-spreading species with ferny foliage and heads of yellow flowers throughout the summer.