Do you yearn for a week or two on the French Riviera? Nothing to do all day but soak up the suns rays on the veranda and admire the Mediterranean splendour? Well you could save yourself the journey and bring some of the plants to your own back garden. There are some plants that will grow happily on the peninsula that will make you feel that you are on permanent holiday.
PLANTS FOR THAT MEDITERRANEAN FEELING
Cypress
The pencil like conifers that perforate the Mediterranean horizon are called Cupressus sempervirens “Green Pencil”. These are hardy enough and look well in a large container on the patio.
Rock Roses
Cistus are great mound forming plants for sunny, well-drained banks or borders. The leaves are very downy and the plants are covered in tissue paper like leaves in the summer. They come in a range of colours from pink, purple or white.
Box
The Med is full of clipped box parterres, which are not always on a grand scale. Some are small squared patterns filled with gravel and centred by a citrus tree, which really looks the part.
African lily
The Agapantus hybrids are quite hardy but you would probably need to mulch them in winter to protect them from the elements. They look great in pots and have long lasting flowers which open up in late summer.
Rosemary
This plant is delightful in the garden (or on roast lamb). Rosmarinus officinalis is an evergreen shrub, which thrives in pots or in well-drained soil. Plant it where you will brush against it to release that Mediterranean fragrance.
TENDER CHOICES
These are plants that will require a bit of TLC in the winter to keep the frosts off. If you have a conservatory or a heated green house they can be over wintered.
Lemon
A must have for the terrace. A potted lemon tree called Citrus x meyeri “Meyer” proves to be the hardiest and most reliable. Pick the fruits and put a slice in your gin and tonic! The white blossoms will scent the conservatory in spring.
Bougainvillea
This tender climber will look great on a trellis in the garden. It doesn’t like to be colder than 8 degrees in winter though.
Oleander
Nerium oleander makes effective hedges in the Mediterranean but here we can put them in pots. They come in a wide range of colours.
Agave
These spiky plants really shout hot weather. They look stunning in pots, but they are sharp so keep them away from where you are walking.
Horticultural.
PLANTS FOR THAT MEDITERRANEAN FEELING
Cypress
The pencil like conifers that perforate the Mediterranean horizon are called Cupressus sempervirens “Green Pencil”. These are hardy enough and look well in a large container on the patio.
Rock Roses
Cistus are great mound forming plants for sunny, well-drained banks or borders. The leaves are very downy and the plants are covered in tissue paper like leaves in the summer. They come in a range of colours from pink, purple or white.
Box
The Med is full of clipped box parterres, which are not always on a grand scale. Some are small squared patterns filled with gravel and centred by a citrus tree, which really looks the part.
African lily
The Agapantus hybrids are quite hardy but you would probably need to mulch them in winter to protect them from the elements. They look great in pots and have long lasting flowers which open up in late summer.
Rosemary
This plant is delightful in the garden (or on roast lamb). Rosmarinus officinalis is an evergreen shrub, which thrives in pots or in well-drained soil. Plant it where you will brush against it to release that Mediterranean fragrance.
TENDER CHOICES
These are plants that will require a bit of TLC in the winter to keep the frosts off. If you have a conservatory or a heated green house they can be over wintered.
Lemon
A must have for the terrace. A potted lemon tree called Citrus x meyeri “Meyer” proves to be the hardiest and most reliable. Pick the fruits and put a slice in your gin and tonic! The white blossoms will scent the conservatory in spring.
Bougainvillea
This tender climber will look great on a trellis in the garden. It doesn’t like to be colder than 8 degrees in winter though.
Oleander
Nerium oleander makes effective hedges in the Mediterranean but here we can put them in pots. They come in a wide range of colours.
Agave
These spiky plants really shout hot weather. They look stunning in pots, but they are sharp so keep them away from where you are walking.
Horticultural.
No comments:
Post a Comment