Mediterranean Plants

Mediterranean plants add a touch of our holiday’s abroad to our garden at home. Most Mediterranean plants, including olives and many garden herbs, are well suited to growing when positioned in coastal areas. Not all plants are fully frost hardy but a little care in Autumn will help to ensure your prized plants survive even the hardest of winters. Many of these plants are well suited to container growing.

How to grow

Mediterranean plants make for an exotic garden feature and will reward gardeners as long as simple instructions are followed. When you receive your plants you should ensure that they are watered well and plant them in to their final spot as soon as possible. If you cannot plant immediately take care to keep plants moist and position them in an area that will be cool and provide plants with light.

Position

Most Mediterranean plants will require a position in sun. Waterlogged or wet soil is not recommended as this is likely to reduce plants ability to survive winter cold and increase chances of disease. Plants will grow well in container and this will also allow you to move plants in to frost free areas, such as greenhouses or cold frames, later in the year.

Soil

Soil should be fertile, well-drained and moist. It is best to prepare the desired planting site in advance of planting by digging the area well, adding plenty organic matter, such as well-rotted garden compost or multi-purpose compost, and feed with a slow release or general plant fertilizer. You may also wish to improve drainage with the addition of bark chippings or horticultural grit, this is essential on particularly heavy or poorly drained land.

Care

Water plants well after planting, avoiding waterlogging or letting plants dry out completely. It is essential you monitor watering needs for the first year or so after planting to allow plants the optimum conditions in which to establish roots and grow strong. Apply a general plant fertilizer and mulch around the base of plants with organic matter after planting and in the spring each year thereafter to support good growth.

Top Tip

If possible plant Mediterranean plants next to garden structures such as walls, which will slowly give out heat absorbed in the day throughout the night. This will reduce the effects of cold on plants.

Adam's Needle

Towering spikes of white, bell-shaped flowers in July and August above clumps of stiff, dark green, lance-shaped leaves. Adam's needle makes an excellent focal point for a sunny, well-drained Mediterranean-style garden. A gravel mulch accentuates the architectural foliage and helps to protect the crown of the plant from frost-damage. Garden care: During the growing season water well, applying a balanced liquid fertilizer each month Remove the faded flower-spikes at the end of the season.

Hyssop

Hyssops are great for adding height to a border, with whorls of long-lasting, tiny flowers arranged like a bottlebrush and pointed, aromatic fresh green leaves that are attractive to butterflies. They are short-lived though, and may need replacing every few years, especially after a cold or wet winter. 'Black Adder' has smoky, violet flowers on long spires from July to October. Try it as part of a Mediterranean scheme or in a sunny, well-drained border among ornamental grasses. Garden care: Don't cut back the faded flower-stems until early spring, as they provide interest in the winter months. Lift and divide congested colonies in spring.

Jerusalem Sage

This Mediterranean species, native to the mountains of Syria, is admired for both its unusual whorls of soft yellow flowers and its large olive-green leaves. Hardy Jerusalem Sage has proven to be quite cold tolerant. A very tough and easy-to-grow plant, Phlomis adds an eye catching structure to the garden, combining readily with other perennials with interesting foliage.

Olive Picholine

Although this wonderful fruit is normally associated with the Mediterranean you can now grow these highly decorative plants very successfully. Picholine is an almond shaped olive that has a medium green smooth appearance. Often used as a green table olive or to make a useful olive oil. Makes an attractive and productive addition to the patio.

Olive Tree

Tiny, fragrant, creamy-white, summer flowers and grey-green leaves, retained all year. This elegant, evergreen tree makes an excellent specimen plant for a sunny, Mediterranean-style garden. In frost-prone areas it's best grown in a large container under glass or planted at the base of a sunny, sheltered wall. Garden care: To protect against wind damage stake using a low angled stake, driven into the ground on the windward side at a 45° angle. Water regularly during dry periods, keeping the planting area weed-free. Apply a top-dressing of a nitrogen-rich general purpose fertilizer twice or three times each year during the growing season.

Sowbread

With their pretty, marbled, heart-shaped leaves and upright, pure white flowers, these cyclamen have a long season of interest before disappearing below ground over the summer. The flowers of this autumn-flowering cyclamen often appear well before the leaves, which form a pretty carpet after the flowers have finished. Although they are usually planted in shade, these cyclamen originate from the Mediterranean, so are equally happy in sun. Plant them en masse in an woodland setting with ferns and other shade-tolerant plants or around the base of deciduous trees. Garden care: Plant shallowly in humus-rich, fertile soil. Apply a mulch of well-rotted leaf mold around the crown of the plants in spring as the foliage starts to die back.

Valerie Finnis Artemisia

Artemisias are prized for their light, almost silver, aromatic foliage rather than for their flowers, which are dull, yellowy-brown and insignificant. This cultivator has long, pointed, notched leaves and forms a upright, natural mound. Once established, it can also cope with drought. It makes a great edging plant for a sunny border, or as part of a Mediterranean scheme with pinks and purples (seen above planted with an Achillea). The aromatic foliage can also be used in dried flower arrangements Garden care: Cut back stems back to ground-level in autumn and apply a generous mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant.

Western Mugwort

Artemesias are prized for their fine, almost silver, aromatic foliage rather than for their flowers, which are dull and insignificant. This one is semi-evergreen and has slender, silvery-white leaves, that turn greener as they age and tiny, brownish-yellow, mimosa-like flowers in August and September. It is an ideal groundcover plant for a sunny, well-drained Mediterranean border or gravel garden. Drought tolerant once established, it's an excellent foil for white or brightly colored flowers. Give it space to spread out. Gardencare: Cut back stems back to ground-level in autumn and apply a generous mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around base of the plant.

Try our Water Beads

Blue Water Beads

Use Blue Water Beads to match or contrast with your décor. Place them in a clear pretty bowl or decorated plate with an upturned rim. Mix with other contrast colors from your overall color scheme to pull this together as a centerpiece. It will be a real conversation starter!

Clear Water Beads

Use Clear Water Beads when you just want the delivery system without making a color statement. Mix clear Water Beads with a color to create a lighter effect. Layer them with other colors to provide more visual interest.

Green Water Beads

Use Green Water Beads as a nice understory for potted plants, or a neutral color in a clear vase with a multi-colored bouquet. Layer with Clear for a lighter touch.

Melon Water Beads

Use Melon Water Beads to enhance the color of pink or red flowers, or contrast with white ones.

Orange Water Beads

Use Orange Water Beads to spice up a room. This color works well with Southwest style decorating. Layer them with Teal and Clear for a truly stunning display.

Pink Water Beads

Use Pink Water Beads for a light touch of color to complement pink flowers or contrast with white or purple ones. Put them into a clean candle jar with a tight fitting lid and decorate a little girl’s room.

Purple Water Beads

Use Purple Water Beads in urn-shaped vase as an addition to a contemplation nook. Purple is the color of spirituality and calm, so let these beautiful Water Beads become a focal point for your meditative or prayerful practice.

Teal Water Beads

Use Teal Water Beads to complement aqua and teal colored flowers – like those interesting dyed carnations! Combine with orange and white for southwest style decorating. Combine with clear to remind you of Native American turquoise and silver jewelry.