Mediterranean patios. Mediterranean style garden. Main elements of the Mediterranean environment

Garden in Mediterranean style can be described as: sunny, warm, bright, fragrant, natural and comfortable.

Definitely, such a garden is created for enjoying life, relaxation and pleasure. Since the Mediterranean style arose in a hot climate, it is natural that such gardens have many shaded areas, cozy patios, pools and terraces, flower beds with herbs and climbing plants.

The Mediterranean is a fairly vast region, so gardens of this style often differ from each other.

If you have been dreaming of such a fragrant corner for a long time. And we would like to know in more detail about what such gardens are like, what kind of plants are grown there and what techniques designers use to achieve resemblance to natural area Mediterranean, then our efforts were not in vain. Come in, it will be interesting here!

Italian garden

For example, gardens in Italy have a classic look and are based on a strict layout. It uses clear geometric shapes, symmetry, straight paths and regularly shaped ponds.

The garden is divided into different zones, which are separated from each other by hedges or rectangular pergolas with climbing roses, clematis, tecoma and other climbing plants.

Italian gardens are usually located on complex terrain of hills, on terraces, and have retaining walls and paths made of natural stone. Various decorative elements are also created from stone: fountains, fences, grottoes, stairs, benches and balustrades.

Columns, stone flower containers or antique amphorae are often placed in a Mediterranean garden, and some surfaces are decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptures. Here you can find evergreen boxwoods and thujas in the form of spirals or balls. The art of topiary is characteristic of many classical gardens.

Mediterranean garden Provence

Mediterranean gardens in France have a free design, typical of Provence and country styles. There are no clear lines, the plants are arranged naturally, and the delightful aroma of lavender and herbs spreads over the garden.

Lavender is everywhere in such a garden: in containers and flower beds, along paths and instead of a lawn, and is also a wonderful companion for roses and other plants.

Garden furniture, most often, is elegant forged: screens for climbing plants, bridges, fences, chairs and benches with soft cushions. Can you guess what embroidery decorates these pillows? Of course, these are images of lavender and roosters, which are also symbols of Provence.

Greek style garden

To convey the atmosphere of Greece, use azure, dazzling white, olive, terracotta colors. If there is a need to update garden buildings or furniture, feel free to use paints of these shades.

Residents of Greece spend a lot of time on fresh air: communicate, have lunch, relax. Therefore, they equip their garden accordingly: there are many cozy seating areas located on terraces, patios are often protected from the sun by pergolas and awnings, and the set of garden furniture always includes a large dining table and armchairs.

The Mediterranean style of such a garden will be emphasized by wicker furniture made of rattan, bamboo or wicker.

Window summer buildings Decorate the garden with light, light curtains or blinds; they will protect from the sun during the midday hours.

The basis of your garden can be conifers (arborvitae, junipers, boxwoods). Against the background of conifers, other flowers and plants of bright colors and shapes look great.

If some of the conifers in your climate do not winter in open ground, use container plants. This will allow them to be stored in winter period, and container plants can be rearranged at will and quickly change the look of the garden.

Will complete the registration spices:

garlic
pepper
sorrel
saffron
coriander
celery
salad
lovage
basil

They can be planted in flower beds, flowerpots, hanging planters and even, collected in bunches, hung to dry on windows or buildings.

Flowers and plants

Mediterranean plants immediately create an incredible southern atmosphere and fill the air with the aromas of lavender, fragrant herbs and pine needles. Selecting flowers and plants for your garden:

Conifers- thuja Smaragd, cypress, boxwood, virginiana and rock juniper. Various topiary forms of conifers (ball, spiral, cone).

Container plants- lemon, orange, fig, olive, pomegranate, oleander, laurel, palm tree. In our gardens, these plants do not overwinter in open ground, but they are often used as container plants.

Lianas- climbing roses, wisteria, clematis, tekoma (campsis), virgin grapes, several varieties of honeysuckle, bougainvillea. You cannot do without these plants when creating shady areas in the garden. Thecoma (campsis) is noteworthy - this vine is very powerful, its lashes reach several meters in length and are able to hide any large surface or structure. Its bright orange and yellow bell flowers are unforgettable.

Ornamental shrubs- barberry (common, Thunberga), holly mahonia, spirea, forsythia, weigela, David's budleya.

Flowers and herbs- roses, cannas, lavender, spring bulbs (narcissus, hyacinth, crocus), grayish-blue carnation, cyclamen, fescue, carnival, cineraria maritima, woolly chickweed, sage, lupine, delphinium.

Spices- special element Mediterranean garden- basil, thyme, lavender, hyssop, oregano, thyme, marjoram, sage, rosemary.

The most popular plants in a Mediterranean garden there will always be palms, pistachio, olive and citrus trees.

Garden decor

Notable decorative elements of a Mediterranean garden:

furniture made of stone and rattan
wrought iron benches with soft cushions
ceramic flowerpots
antique statues
sundial
pool, stream, fountain
pergola
paths and finishing made of stone, marble and pebbles
colored mosaic, colored glass
wicker and metal fruit baskets

Published by DecorateMe. Updated March 12, 2019.

As the Sochi Olympics shows, it is quite possible to host the winter games in a summer city. You just need to try really hard. In our article we will do a little the opposite: in winter time let's talk about summer. More precisely, about how to decorate your garden in a Mediterranean style. There is not much left until spring - you will have just time to prepare and plan everything. Well, it’s time to finally continue our series of materials about world styles garden art. , ... the time has come for Greece and Cyprus!

One of the main functions of a Mediterranean garden is to provide shade. Unlike Japanese and English styles, the feature of the coastal garden is regular lines, simple and unpretentious plants. And most importantly, architectural forms come to the fore.

Coastal landscape

On Russian six hundred square meters you rarely find perfectly flat areas. Sometimes the height difference is 1-2 m. And the soil at such a dacha is heterogeneous. Original and simple solution will become terracing plot. Residents of the Mediterranean have long figured out how to do this. Remember the Greek Santoria, whose streets descend to the seashore like steps. This is a series of flat areas that are connected by steps and inclined paths.

Terraces can occupy the entire site or be part of a recreation area. It is enough to level two or three platforms so that at least one of them is higher than the others. Wild stone, tiles, and wood are used as paving. Concrete slabs are allowed.

The terraces are connected by steps or paths. When there is a sharp change in height, ladders will come in handy, it doesn’t matter whether it’s two, three or seven steps, stone or wooden.

If the height difference between the terraces is gentle, paths are used. They can be made from tiles or more traditional gravel. Even ordinary trampled earth will not ruin the view. A patio - and this is what terraced areas in the Mediterranean style are called - allows you to fill the gaps between the areas with lush greenery and flower beds.

There is another way to create a resort atmosphere in your dacha. It is suitable for budget-conscious owners. It combines paving surfaces and a pond: next to a spacious rectangular area, a deep pond of regular shape is formed. Its side rises above the terrace. Water, reflecting the sun's rays, scatters light and creates the effect of different heights. The pond performs another role - it provides the recreation area with coolness. During the warm season, you can place swordtails or other types of indoor fish in it, and place a pot with flowering plants next to the side.

Colorful paradise

When the “skeleton” of the garden is ready, the owner of the dacha will have to choose the plants. The basis for bright and blooming garden there will be evergreen conifers. They feel good both in the Mediterranean and in Russian latitudes different types junipers, yews, barberries. Hostas and ferns support the green note. And here the height of the plants plays an important role: as in the case of the patio, trees, shrubs and flowers create a “ladder effect”. Evergreens will retain the bulk of the garden even in winter.

In the Mediterranean style it is not customary to use only perennials. Rose hips, cereals, annuals - their combination will ensure the garden blooms for 6-8 months. It is important to choose plants so that their flowering times vary. Immediately after the snow melts, bright yellow forsythia blooms; the usual lilac pleases the eye from late April to mid-May. Then comes the turn of rosehip and cinquefoil, which bloom until October.

The Mediterranean style allows you to play with colors, and not necessarily just plants. Colored glass and multi-colored ceramic chips are often used for decorative filling of flower beds. This allows you to emphasize the originality of the garden.

Very rarely in Russia trees are used to create a Mediterranean atmosphere. Although during the flowering period the trees of the coastal zone are very beautiful. In addition, their wood is often used to make furniture: chairs and tables made of sycamore are highly valued by connoisseurs for their particular strength.

During flowering, yellow acacia emits an unusual exciting aroma. Such “Mediterranean plants” do not bear fruit, so summer residents are indifferent to them. These trees do not require special care and patiently endure cold winters. They will help create the shade needed for shrubs, flowers and lawns.

In addition to ground plants, coastal residents use trees and shrubs in tubs. For example, lemon or orange. Citrus seedlings are actively sold in greenhouses, and some enthusiasts grow them on windowsills in apartments. Another cheap one elegant option– flowering cacti or oleander. Choose carefully decorative pots for plants. The effect of antiquity and relief patterns are valued here. You can use broken jugs, cans and old barrels for flowerpots.

To maintain plant diversity, it is necessary to water the garden generously twice a day. Make sure that the soil remains moist at a depth of 5 cm. During particularly dry periods, protect plants from direct sunlight using awnings or stretched mesh. For the winter, junipers are tied with a soft cord, drawing the branches to the trunk, and covered with burlap on top.

Creativity

Residents of the Mediterranean do not separate the garden from the house itself. Sometimes the terrace is a natural continuation of the foundation, and the roof of the gazebo is inseparable from pitched roof Houses. Transformable gazebos are very popular: a frame-base made of timber, pitched roof. They serve as makeshift walls decorative fabrics. You can sit on a chaise longue-daybed or pillows of different sizes. This version of the gazebo can change according to your mood, just replace the textiles.

Pergolas give a special charm to the garden - composite structures of arches connected to each other. They help to hide in the shade on the hottest day. The “corridor”, which forms a pergola, diffuses light and protects plant leaves from sunburn. A pergola is made from treated wooden beams. The wood is painted white or silver and touched up every two years. Often, in order to enhance the “corridor” effect, shrubs 1-2 meters high are planted next to the pergola.

In addition to places equipped for relaxation, small architectural forms are present in abundance in the Mediterranean garden. These can be statues or geometric figures: stone balls on a rectangular pedestal and cubes illuminated by lamps. Multi-colored sculptures of turtles and frogs, hidden in flower beds, will help enliven the garden and will not contradict the overall style.

...There is just a little bit of winter left – and you can already start transforming your garden. Mediterranean style - why not? We hope our tips will help you!

The article talks about the Mediterranean style landscape design. It is ideal for small areas and does not require constant maintenance. The main difficulty in its construction is landscaping, but this task is quite within the capabilities of sun lovers and Mediterranean exotics.

Harmony with nature in eternal rest

Mediterranean Sea, sun, sandy and stone beaches, rocky shores, a riot of greenery, flowers and eternal relaxation. Creating such a piece of paradise on your small, and not at all southern, plot will be the main task of the owner who has chosen this style.

You can arrange the site, guided by general principles, or you can focus on the style of a specific country - Greece, Italy, Turkey. The most important thing to remember is that the overall appearance of the site should not remind you of the hard work put into creating landscape design, but should be conducive to serene relaxation and fun.

Principles of composition and zoning issues

According to the principle of construction, the Mediterranean style is close to the Moorish: a small plot, a backyard patio, a blind fence. But many Mediterranean chalets have open front gardens at the front of the house, and the goal is not to reliably hide their everyday life.

The most interesting feature of the compositional solution is the absence of a center. All elements fulfill their intended purpose and there is absolutely no need to worry about their semantic connection with each other.

The appearance of the style does not gravitate towards the novelty and quality of buildings. The main thing is that they are whitewashed and painted in traditional colors for the style - white, blue, yellow, terracotta.

Perspective in Mediterranean Style Planning

The Mediterranean coast in many places consists of cliffs that drop sharply to the water. This makes Mediterranean landscaping a great choice for sites on slopes or hilltops. The more blue sky you can see from the highest point of the site, the better. This perspective will create the illusion of the close presence of the sea, a special mood.

It is very important to provide a feeling of the vastness of the sky. It’s great if at least one side of the site offers views of distant horizons, and this is not the place tall trees, blocking the view.

Small forms, fountains, paths are characteristic features of the style

A very important advantage that distinguishes it from ethnic gardens that are quite complex in stylization is the huge number of elements, methods and design techniques that can be easily and without special effort will help make the style recognizable.

The fountain device is not prerequisite. But the cheerfully murmuring streams of water falling into a stone bowl will enliven the composition and create the right mood. When creating a fountain, you can safely use both expensive natural materials and cobblestones at hand. You can use statues, bas-reliefs, and frescoes in the composition of the fountain. Unlike the fountains of Mauritania or China, Mediterranean fountains can huddle in secluded corners without claiming special attention.

Picturesque ruins are a simple stylization technique. You can use parts of statues, fragments of pottery, parts of facade decorations, stylized Greek and Roman columns.

Unlike most ethnic styles, Mediterranean involves the presence of a large number of different sculptures depicting people, animals, heroes of myths and legends.

Sculptures can be free-standing or can be an element of compositional groups. But even here it is very important to show a sense of proportion and taste. A huge number of senselessly placed sculptures will not add style to the garden.

Paths in the Mediterranean style are laid according to one rule - to make it convenient.

Mostly, paving with natural stone and tiles of natural colors is used for paths. IN different zones garden, you can lay out areas that are not strict geometric shapes made from natural solid stone slabs.

The calling card of the Mediterranean is clay pots, amphorae, vessels. In whole or broken form must be present in the form flower pots, parts of sculptural and fountain compositions and simply by themselves.

garden furniture

This is a rare case when almost any furniture will do. Openwork wrought-iron benches, vintage tables and chairs, stone and even marble benches, placed in the most cozy corners of the garden.

Pergola - Mediterranean gazebo

A Mediterranean-style recreation area is characterized by the presence of pergolas or open canopies. Initially, the pergola was a structure supporting grapevine, and over time became the hallmark of Mediterranean landscape design.

It is best to place them in places that offer the best view. Most often, wood is used to make pergolas, but stone and forged metal can also be used.

Usually the recreation area is located next to the barbecue area. The recently popular brick braziers will fit perfectly into the style. Especially if you place nearby arches entwined with greenery and openwork trellises on which you can hang pots and containers with flowers.

Mediterranean style landscaping

At first glance, it may seem that selecting plants and caring for them is a very complicated matter, but this is not entirely true. The Mediterranean style allows for some neglect and unkemptness. We can say that this style is just a godsend for those who like to take care of their garden, but do not spend a lot of time cutting and weeding. When setting up a garden, you can do without exotic heat-loving plants, and use those that can overwinter in open ground.

For example, in last years breeders delight gardeners with new frost-resistant varieties grapes, the vine of which has bright, juicy greenery, and at the same time is able to bear fruit, creating the desired color and mood.

An irreplaceable plant is maiden or wild grapes. In a few years it will cover all vertical surfaces of the site without requiring special care.

Also perfect for vertical gardening climbing roses, clematis, adlumia, honeysuckle.

Plants in pots and containers will enliven the landscape. They can be placed and hung literally anywhere - on the walls and windows of the house, on the fence and pergola, on trees, next to garden furniture. The brighter and more varied the color palette, the better.

From flowering plants Varietal roses, multi-colored geraniums, ropeworts, ageratum, amaranthus, chrysanthemums and begonias are suitable.

Pool decoration

Usually ethnic styles do not imply the construction of a swimming pool; most often artificial reservoirs are carried out only decorative functions. Mediterranean style is an exception. A swimming pool on the site will be the finishing touch to creating a place for carefree relaxation. The most important thing is to bring the pool design into full style.

When constructing it, a contrasting blue-yellow-white color scheme is most often used. Used in decoration a natural stone, mosaic. The pool must be kept perfectly clean; the water must always be clean and clear.

A properly arranged plot in the Mediterranean style, with its cheerful colors and thoughtful design, will allow its owners to feel like they are in a Mediterranean resort, even on gloomy and rainy days.

Mediterranean style is one of the most fashionable and popular today. It is actively used to decorate gardens even in places where it is impossible to use Mediterranean plants themselves due to too severe winter frosts. But true southern charm can be imparted to a garden not only with the help of heat-loving authentic crops: to create a Mediterranean environment, you need to properly use the available range of plants.

Main elements of the Mediterranean environment

Cypress trees, pine trees, luxurious citrus and olive trees - these are the plants that first come to mind when mentioning the Mediterranean style. But you can’t grow them in regions with harsh winters. Which, however, does not mean that it is impossible to recreate the charm of the Mediterranean in your garden. The front garden, recreation area, flower beds near the terrace or a separate corner of the garden can be turned into a real southern oasis. To do this, first of all, you need to correctly formulate your goal.

Expressive structure of the composition, introduction of evergreen accents and borders, dominance of greenery, beautifully flowering soloists and bright accents, attention to detail and adherence to the overall concept are the main elements of success. To create a composition or corner with Mediterranean charm, you need:

Determine the points of attraction of the eye and the main dominants (large structural accents) in ensembles, structuring elements (from supporting walls and hedges to supports for vines and plant borders), introduce small architecture objects.
Select plants for the role of beautifully flowering soloists.
Select filler crops - partner textural perennials that will fill the compositions with colors and volume and create the basis of ensembles - in color, “character”, texture.
Don't forget about important details- decor, potted plants and materials.

Criteria for selecting crops for Mediterranean areas

Texture

The most important criterion for “selection” is texture: in southern gardens, lushness, the ability to fill the soil with colorful curtains, density and volume play no less a role than the color scheme. The inimitable textures of clipped evergreens, herbs, and landscape perennials create the basis of any composition and underlie its picturesqueness and charm.

The charm of Mediterranean ensembles is largely based on the character of the plants used in it - modest, low-maintenance, but inimitably beautiful landscape stars, skillfully limited by strict frames and accents.

Color

Don't forget about color palette: Authentic Mediterranean gardens are characterized by calm colors and purity and richness of color accents. Silver-gray leaves, muted shades of greenery and the classic dominance of decorative foliage plants are very important for such a garden, as well as right choice blooming soloists with pure colors and partners, who should, above all, evoke coolness and harmonious restraint, effectively emphasizing the beauty of the main blooming accents.

Aroma

A Mediterranean-style corner will look more authentic the more fragrant crops you manage to use. Plant crops so that from the first step you are greeted by a cloud of aromas.

Silhouette

Shape and lines play an important role in the perception of ensembles in the Mediterranean style. The vertical structure of the compositions, the presence of high and catchy accents in it, the contrast between large and background plants is as important as the structure. They enrich the structure with elongated columnar conifers, standard plants, large shrubs, small architectural objects. Elongated spiers and perfect spheres are the main motifs of the Mediterranean, along with lush “solid” plantings of perennial herbs.

Plants that will help create a Mediterranean ensemble

The selection of plants is based on recreating the charm of Mediterranean compositions with the help of perennials that can withstand the conditions of the middle zone.

The main blooming beauties of the southern style are roses. White or pink, scarlet or original, climbing or bushy, they can be safely used in the design of the southern corner in maximum quantities. The main thing is that the color tone of the petals is clean and rich: the original roses can be left for other styles.

Particularly good in Mediterranean compositions are ground cover and large shrub roses, which add cheerfulness to the entire ensemble. But they are not the only ones that fit well into Mediterranean compositions. Blooming actions voluminous and romantic, just like charming bushes tree and herbaceous peonies.

Santolina and helichrysum are ideal for the Mediterranean flower garden. Acanthus with its white and pink flower stalks will also charmingly fit into the appearance of such a composition. But the main partners remain spicy plants and perennials typical of southern landscapes, which can also take root here: oak and medicinal sage, lavender of all varieties, oregano, Schmidt’s wormwood and other species, thymes, catnips will happily create a lush backdrop for spectacular soloists.

Yellow asphodeline, tireless sedum and euphorbia, openwork cuff, stachys with its silver leaves and silver-pink candles of inflorescences will fit perfectly into such an environment.

Well, in no case should we forget about the “outline” - strict cropped frames that will make soloists and curvaceous partners shine in a new way. Topiary boxwoods and yews, with their dark greens and muted colors, are ideal candidates for creating borders, geometric accents and curtains. Low curbs and high hedges, trimmed spheres add completeness and orderliness to a lush collection of textured plants, and are responsible for the structure and integrity of the compositions even in winter.

Strict vertical accents, similar in role to authentic cypress trees in gardens in regions with harsh winters, will be placed by the elongated spiers of columnar varieties of junipers and cypress trees.

Objects of small architecture in southern imitations

If you want to create a real Italian garden in your garden, a small Mediterranean-style oasis, try to actively use small architecture and its capabilities.

The simplest option is to place zoning arches that will effectively cover climbing roses with a blooming blanket. With their help, you can both mark the transition to the Mediterranean zone, and divide the space into separate sections, and add interesting touches to the vertical structure of the compositions. Obelisks will also cope well with the task of structuring.

If you are decorating a relaxation area or corner or a terrace in the southern style, then think about the possibility of building pergolas that will help create an impressive shelter. Grapes, both decorative and fruit-bearing, grow beautifully on pergolas - an invariable participant in Mediterranean landscapes. The same effect of a truly Italian touch will be achieved by grapes when draping the wall of a house or fence, or when grown on trellises.

The following will also fit perfectly into the appearance of the southern style:

stone flower beds and raised flower beds surrounded by brick or stone walls;
supporting walls that play up height differences;
imitation garden ruins;
semi-columns and balustrades, plinths and tall stone flowerpots;
sundial;
wall fountains;
strict geometric ponds with fountains;
large garden sculpture, etc.

Decor and accessories that highlight style

You can emphasize the charm of the Mediterranean corner or completely change the character of the design with the help of decor. Terracotta products, garden sculptures and figurines, ceramic kitchen utensils and textile canopies can become an important finishing touch. But the greatest role among accessories should still be played by plants: we should not forget that the Mediterranean style is hardly the most active of all modern trends in landscape design in using potted gardens and tub plants.

You can grow even the most heat-loving trees and shrubs in containers, and introduce citrus fruits and laurels, agapanthus, pomegranates and olive trees into your garden design. And colorful petunias, herbs in pots, hanging begonias and lobelias with verbenas will only add bright accents. The more pots and tubs you can use, the better. Decorate with them high walls and stands, flower beds and paths, display them along walls and fences and on terraces or recreation areas - in as many quantities as you can take care of.