The Mediterranean Garden

Monica Dockerty, Dockerty Gardens horticulturist and Dinter Nursery employee.

When people think of Vancouver Island gardens, they typically envision beds full of rhododendrons, Japanese Maples, and lush foliage. With seasonal water restrictions, hot summers, and periods of drought, the Cowichan Valley is also suitable for other styles of gardens, more specifically Mediterranean gardens. Despite Cowichan Valley receiving more precipitation than Mediterranean climatic regions, the rugged topography, yearly rainfall patterns, temperature fluctuations and summer dormant vegetation of the Cowichan Valley are characteristic of many Mediterranean regions.

For gardeners seeking a lower maintenance garden, consider the garrigue style of Mediterranean gardens. A garrigue garden mimics the low-growing vegetation on the limestone hills of the Mediterranean coast. This style of garden is strongly seasonal, with an appearance that changes profoundly between flowering and dormant periods. Plants suitable for this style of garden often have a great diversity of foliage colour, amazing scents, and an incredible ability to withstand tough conditions, extended periods of drought, strong coastal winds, and poor, stony soil. Most effort involved in creating a garrigue is mental, since many of the horticultural lessons gardeners are taught must be ignored.

If plants are to thrive in the Mediterranean garden, they require conditions that mimic their conditions in the wild. Many of these plants thrive in thin, nutrient-poor limestone soil, with sharp drainage. If you garden on heavy, moistureretentive clay this is the time to cut your losses and choose a more suitable style for your garden. Mulches should be inorganic, to not add nutrients to the soil. Gravel or rock is ideal. The water requirements of these plants are minimal, and water should only be given until plants are established. Full sun is ideal, but many Mediterranean plants grow in partial shade. Weeds are less likely to spread aggressively, and maintenance will focus more on thinning self-seeding perennials adapted to these nutrient-poor conditions.

All this being said, the Mediterranean garden aesthetic is not for everyone. No lawns, no roses, beds of annuals, or lush foliage will be seen in a garrigue-style Mediterranean garden. Instead, the silver shades of lavenders, sages and rockroses, the leathery leaves of Olearia haastii, Viburnum davidii and Arbutus unedo, and fuzzy foliage of Phlomis, Perovskia and Stachys will dominate in the garden. One special aesthetic quality of this style of Mediterranean garden is that it remains visually attractive through the year due to evergreen foliage. A bonus of all these durable and highly adapted plants is that deer often avoid them. If this style of garden sounds like something that appeals to you here are five plants to get you started:

Phlomis russeliana (Jerusalem

Sage): This perennial produces yellow dome shaped flowers atop evergreen foliage in summer. The seedheads persist well into winter. Grows 2-3’ tall and 2’ wide.

Teucrium chamaedrys (Wall

Germander): The subshrub has semi-evergreen foliage (dependent on winter minimum temperatures). Rosy lavender to pinkish purple delicate blooms appear at the ends of the fragrant green foliage. Grows 1-2’ tall and 2’ wide.

Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’

(Purple Sage): This subshrub is grown for its ornamental and culinary foliage. Purple flowers are produced in midsummer. Grows 2-3’ tall and wide.

Stipa gigantea:

Native to Spain, this grass is well-suited to Mediterranean gardens. Seed heads grow six to eight feet tall above evergreen tufted foliage. Arbutus unedo

‘Compacta’ (Strawberry tree):

A relative to our native Arbutus, the strawberry tree has evergreen glossy green leaves, peeling dark brown bark, small white flowers in winter, and orange-red fruit. Grows to 10’ tall and wide.

Image above; Garden of Olivier Filippi, nurseryman and author of Bringing the Mediterranean into your Garden

Kitchen Gardens

Start with a Collection of Herbs

Easy to grow and most overwinter

Parsley Sage Rosemary Thyme Bay Chives and Dill Tarragon Oregano Marjoram Chamomile Mint, many flavours Cress Basil Stevia (Sweetener) Catnip (for cats)

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