Tag: shrubs
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April in the Mediterranean Garden: Managing Abundance
Spring is probably easy in just about any garden anywhere. It is definitely easy in our Mediterranean garden. The spring rains were plentiful again this year and so for once there are no water restrictions in force. The sun is getting stronger by the day and everything grows by leaps and bounds. Sometimes I just…
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Ceanothus
Ceanothus is an American native, growing mostly in California. It thrives on rocky or sandy soil and is resistant to salt as well as to drought. Soil that is too humid or a location with too much shade will shorten its life expectancy – which is only around 10 years anyway. The colors of Ceanothus…
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Cotinus coggygria
Cotinus coggygria is a Mediterranean native but also grows in Southwest Asia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and China. It thrives on sunny and dry, rocky slopes up to altitudes of 2400 meters. It reasonably thrives in my low-lying mediterranean garden at 50 masl but it doesn’t grow very big, staying far below its potential of 2-3…
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Salvia / Rosmarinus officinalis
Yes I know that the scientific name is Salvia rosmarinus. But I’ve always known and grown to love it under the “Rosmarinus” name and I think there are so many kinds of Salvias in the world they won’t miss this one in the family. Besides, to me it looks and smells nothing like salvia. Anyway,…
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Jasminum mesnyi
When we moved in last summer, it took some time for me to discover the large Jasminum mesnyi because it was well hidden behind a thick Eleagnus hedge. It had been planted up on the retaining wall between the garden and the neighbors lower back terraces. It had apparently never been trimmed and was hanging…
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Lavandula
One of the quintessential Mediterranean plants, lavender comes in a variety of types, differing in size, height, and blooming season. It is not easy to tell them apart and depending on where you buy them they may all just be called “Lavande” (this is my major beef with most regular garden centers). All lavenders are…