How to create a modern Mediterranean garden

The luminous glow of sunlight on whitewashed surfaces, the silver flicker of olive leaves in a breeze, and the delicious fragrance of rosemary – the Mediterranean and its iconic sensory cues are thousands of miles away, and yet a modern Mediterranean garden is ideally suited to the Australian context, a match in both climate and in our equal emphasis on laid-back outdoor living.

What is a modern Mediterranean garden?

A modern Mediterranean garden is effortlessly stylish, romantic, welcoming but also functional. Some of the key features include:

• Being a space designed for casual and impromptu entertaining. Imagine long lunches that extend into the evening.
• Lots of edible trees and herbs, natural stone pavers and gravelled patios.
• Mediterranean must-haves such as terracotta pots and a pizza oven.
• Pops of colour from a Med-inspired colour palette including terracotta, cobalt blue and lemon yellow.

What are the key modern Mediterranean garden ideas?

“Mediterranean gardens are spaces designed for outdoor living,” says horticulturist Tammy Huynh. Keep these ideas in mind:

• Outdoor dining. “Think pergolas, built-in seating and alfresco zones for dining and relaxing.” A long table with plenty of space for antipasti platters is a must, plus ample seating (bench seats fit more backsides) to cater for a festive crowd.
• Alfresco cooking. Consider an outdoor kitchen. Level up the barbecue zone by including prep benches, possibly a sink and definitely a pizza oven!
• Shade solutions. Our Australian sun is rather more vicious than the Med, so shade is essential; add big market umbrellas or build an open pergola, over which you can train a suitably Mediterranean-inspired climber, like ornamental grapevine or bougainvillea.
• Sculptural accessories. Terracotta pots are a Mediterranean must, but keep the look modern and unfussy by selecting streamlined shapes or opting for just one or two oversized statement urns.

How do modern Mediterranean gardens stay water-wise?

Behind their pretty foliage and feathery flowers, typical Mediterranean plants are often as tough as old boots, which makes them ideal for the harsh conditions of an Australian summer. The silvery foliage that features prominently in the plant palette is designed to reflect the sun’s rays and, once established, many of these plants are fairly bulletproof and require little watering. Also saving on water, Mediterranean gardens aren’t big on lawn – instead you’re more likely to find symmetrical garden beds with pavers or gravel laid in between.

These hard materials absorb and radiate heat in the garden, but the effect of this is less intense with a pale colour palette, as is common in a Mediterranean garden. Add natural shade solutions, like trees and climbers, and a strategically placed water feature for a cool and comfortable outdoor space.

What materials are in a Mediterranean garden?

Pale stone: A staple feature of Mediterranean gardens and architecture; get the look with travertine, limestone or sandstone pavers, either laid straight or in crazy paving for a more freeform aesthetic.

Light-reflective materials: Think of the Mediterranean and the whitewashed walls of Santorini instantly come to mind; a modern interpretation might use more contemporary materials, but in the same light-reflective spectrum of bright white to beige. For example, instead of whitewashed plaster, capture the Greek island look with a Colorbond fence in Surfmist, or a white aluminium pool fence instead of the standard black.

Rustic timber: To bring warmth to the palette, rustic timber works beautifully and is great for raised gardens, which will help with drainage if your soil is too dense for typical Med plants.

Colours of the Mediterranean: Terracotta adds more earthy warmth, but brighter colours should be used sparingly – for the full Mediterranean effect, consider a shot of cobalt blue or a zesty lemon yellow in patterned tiles.

Which plants work in a modern Mediterranean garden?

Great news for reluctant gardeners, a modern Mediterranean planting scheme is characterised by “hardy, drought-tolerant plants that are low maintenance yet still lush and effortless,” says Tammy. “Include sculptural trees and shrubs, silvery herbs and textural groundcovers in a mostly muted palette of soft greys and greens, with pops of colour in bougainvillea and Mexican sage adding warmth and character.” Consider building a mod-Med garden around the following plants:

Statement trees: With their silvery foliage, olive and feijoa trees meet the Mediterranean brief and can stand alone or be planted in a loose hedge. Lemon trees and bay trees are attractive, as well as fragrant.

Climbers and shrubs: Hardy perennials that work within the muted grey-green palette of a Mediterranean garden include common rosemary (for something different, try espaliering or growing as a topiary ball), coastal rosemary (Westringia fruticosa), Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) and Mexican sage (Salvia leucantha). Use climbers for shade and to soften hard surfaces; try star jasmine and bougainvillea.

Groundcovers: Fill garden gaps with prostrate rosemary, creeping thyme, dymondia, little bun tea tree, silver plectranthus and gazania but keep the latter contained, as it can develop a weedy habit and spread.

Ready to design a modern Mediterranean garden?

Check out this guide to building a pergola you can grow climbers over.

Image credit: Rebecca Newma, Sue Stubbs