Great recommendations already. But a space like that needs maturity in shrubs.
A shrub that I think would add a touch of the dry hot summery look is Prunus Laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken'. They do well in dry soils and have a habit of growing width-ways with deep green stiff leaves. Low growing and quite slow growing too. Rosemary and small leaf Chilean Myrtle Luma Apiculata are also good evergreens.
Thank you Borderline for the recommend and thank you once again to everyone for all previous recommendations
I am preparing paths to and round the “new “ Mediterranean style garden
I am also just waiting for the long drought to end before buying anything - we had a little rain last night but not much but my AccuWeather app shows that there will be showers and cloud today and that the trend for the coming week here is for showers and much cooler weather
Fire - I have taken a brief look at the link to the Beth Chatto gravel garden site - it is excellent and will be a great help and I will take a further more detailed look
I was also going to say that nutcutlet Heucheras dont like hot and dry conditions, mine that are usually fairly shaded and cool have really suffered this year. But yes, LOTS of roses, they love it hot and dry!
Back again. The first thing I would say if trying to create a Mediterranean style garden in the UK is choose a site with plenty of sunlight and well drained soil. There is nothing worse for these types of plants than soggy wet clay in the shade. My garden was created in a former farm yard. We replaced the hardcore and clay soil with sharp sand and put in drainage pipes underneath. It really is well drained now. Shelter from cold winds is also very helpful.
The pictures in the post above were taken in May this year. I'll find some of winter pictures. Winter planting is really the key because our winters are relatively long (and it's probably longer in Lancashire than Sussex). I've gone for as much gray evergreen shrubby things as there is space for. Good in this respect are Helianthemum, thymes, lavender, rosemary, senecio, catmint, sedums, euphorbia wulfenii. Cystis is really good and I wouldn't be without teucrium fruticans which someone else mentioned. Myrtle, although not grey is good. One of the very best is verbena bonariensis, which has already been mentioned. Some of the hardy geraniums are also good.
Bulbs that are especially good are alliums of various types, of course and grape hyacinth. Anemone blanda blue is good and easy.
Here are a few winter pictures, taken in the late winter a couple of years ago when the garden was new.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
Thank you Redwing for the photos of your “Mediterranean” type garden and a description of the plants etc which have worked well for you - if I can achieve a result like yours I will be more than happy
The site here is well blessed with sun and as we live on a hillside the site drains very well but the soil quality in the area of garden which I am working on is poor and very stony but I am making good progress with the preparation of the plot
Thank you Redwing for the photos of your “Mediterranean” type garden and a description of the plants etc which have worked well for you - if I can achieve a result like yours I will be more than happy
The site here is well blessed with sun and as we live on a hillside the site drains very well but the soil quality in the area of garden which I am working on is poor and very stony but I am making good progress with the preparation of the plot
Thanks for compliment. I like it too. Don't worry about poor stony soil; that's what Mediterranean plants like.....think of a hillside in Greece or Italy. I added a little manure every time I plant something new but that's all. Just helps to get the plants off to a good start. The tree in the middle of my Med garden is a cherry. I wanted an almond but didn't think it would do well. Good luck with your garden.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
Posts
A shrub that I think would add a touch of the dry hot summery look is Prunus Laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken'. They do well in dry soils and have a habit of growing width-ways with deep green stiff leaves. Low growing and quite slow growing too. Rosemary and small leaf Chilean Myrtle Luma Apiculata are also good evergreens.
Thank you Borderline for the recommend and thank you once again to everyone for all previous recommendations
I am preparing paths to and round the “new “ Mediterranean style garden
I am also just waiting for the long drought to end before buying anything - we had a little rain last night but not much but my AccuWeather app shows that there will be showers and cloud today and that the trend for the coming week here is for showers and much cooler weather
Fire - I have taken a brief look at the link to the Beth Chatto gravel garden site - it is excellent and will be a great help and I will take a further more detailed look
The pictures in the post above were taken in May this year. I'll find some of winter pictures. Winter planting is really the key because our winters are relatively long (and it's probably longer in Lancashire than Sussex). I've gone for as much gray evergreen shrubby things as there is space for. Good in this respect are Helianthemum, thymes, lavender, rosemary, senecio, catmint, sedums, euphorbia wulfenii. Cystis is really good and I wouldn't be without teucrium fruticans which someone else mentioned. Myrtle, although not grey is good. One of the very best is verbena bonariensis, which has already been mentioned. Some of the hardy geraniums are also good.
Bulbs that are especially good are alliums of various types, of course and grape hyacinth. Anemone blanda blue is good and easy.
Here are a few winter pictures, taken in the late winter a couple of years ago when the garden was new.
Thank you Redwing for the photos of your “Mediterranean” type garden and a description of the plants etc which have worked well for you - if I can achieve a result like yours I will be more than happy
The site here is well blessed with sun and as we live on a hillside the site drains very well but the soil quality in the area of garden which I am working on is poor and very stony but I am making good progress with the preparation of the plot