Plants for Mediterranean Gardens

The Mediterranean climate features cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. As a result, the native plants are hardy and drought-tolerant, and their tough exteriors make them resistant to deer and other herbivores. Gardeners may choose to grow the vegetables and fruits common in Mediterranean cuisine, such as tomatoes and olives; an herb garden that is both compact and easy to grow; or ornamental flowers and shrubs chosen simply for their beauty. Experienced gardeners might combine different types of plants for a varied, natural-looking landscape. Does this Spark an idea?

Vegetables

The familiar vegetables in the Mediterranean diettomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplant and zucchini would be right at home in any Mediterranean garden. These vegetables are easy to grow either in containers or in the ground and require little maintenance beyond watering and occasional fertilizing. Lettuces and members of the chicory genus, such as radicchio, endive and escarole, provide the basis for Italian salads.

Fruits

No Mediterranean diet would be complete without a rich array of fruits. Lemon, orange, apricot and fig trees are all common to Mediterranean gardens and backyards; some cultivars are suited to container gardening. Olive trees, the trees most closely associated with the Mediterranean landscape, thrive in coastal regions with frost-free winters. The gnarled trunks and slender green leaves add a picturesque touch to Mediterranean landscapes.

Herbs

Numerous edible herbs flourish in the dry Mediterranean climate and are featured prominently in regional cooking. Rosemary, lavender and thyme have woody stems and root systems that allow the plants to withstand drought and wind; all three make attractive hedges around other plants in a garden plot or charming container plants. Oregano, basil and mint are well suited to containers and grow quickly in bright sun. These herbs season a variety of Greek, Italian, Provencal and Turkish dishes.

Ornamental Plants

Gardeners may landscape a large area with ornamental grasses and flowering plants and trees rather than focus on a compact plot of edibles. Oleanders, with their fragrant pink flowers and dark green leaves, are small trees or bushes with a romantic appeal (though all parts of the plant are toxic to humans and animals if ingested). Hibiscus bushes feature showy flowers in yellow, red, pink, orange and even blue. Artemisia, including tarragon and wormwood, have feathery, fern-like leaves. Evergreen cypress trees like cupressus sempervirens, sometimes called Italian cypress, have dark fan-shaped needles and a tall, slender shape that exemplifies the Mediterranean landscape.