Photography by Eleni Psyllaki except where noted.
What Greek gardeners know: a Mediterranean climate requires you to embrace extremes. It’s no wonder the classic Greek garden is designed, first and foremost, to stand up to the elements.
“The place that people had when they went outside was the street. They had to put pots with plants in the street. That’s a typical garden.”
Stone walls, archways, succulents, and a pale backdrop are typical features of a Greek garden.
Neutral Backdrops
Olive Trees
Photograph by Nicole Franzen for Gardenista.
A non-fruiting olive tree. Warning: if you live in a cold climate, you should grow yours in a pot and bring it indoors to enjoy a sunny southern exposure during the winter months.
Succulents and drought-tolerant perennials are in the foreground; cypress trees are trained against the wall in the background. Against a gray-green backdrop of herbs and drought-tolerant perennials, a pink or red flowering plant makes a dramatic statement.
Colorful Accents
Drought Tolerant Natives
Check with local nurseries to find what qualifies as a drought-tolerant native in your growing zone. In a Mediterranean climate, rosemary, thyme, sage, chives, and parsley will run rampant.
Archaeologists know this is what the ancient Greeks had at home (rather than private gardens).
Potted Plants
“We have a lot of pottery, and craftsman make such pots as a tradition.”
Terra Cotta
When you think of ancient Greece, you think of …. Their porous nature makes it nearly impossible to over water a plant.
Lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines. If you live in a Mediterranean climate, plant a tree in your garden immediately.
Citrus Trees
Symmetry
Remember the mythological Minotaur in the maze? In a modern garden, mirror-image beds create the same effect.
Perennial in zones where temperatures don’t drop below 30 degrees, bougainvillea behaves like that friend-of-a-friend who comes to your party and eats all the appetizers.
Bougainvillea
Shade
“It is typical to have a shaded terrace, covered in ivy or jasmine, to protect you from the sun,” says Psyllaki.