A gardener’s colourful, climate-compatible garden crammed with ornamental and productive plants

Pam is a keen gardener and, as an enthusiastic member of the Mediterranean Garden Society, she has created a garden in tune with South Australia’s Mediterranean climate of long, hot summers and cool, wet winters.  The garden is a delightful mix of foliage, bright, colourful flowers, productive plants and fruit trees.

Some plants and trees existed when Pam started her garden four years ago. She replaced the back and front lawns and added a gravel path network that winds through the exuberant planting. In the front garden, succulents abound, and the large urn that has become a bubbling water feature adds to the Mediterranean flavour. The garden is not contained within the boundaries of the block and spills out onto the verge and around the beautiful white trunk of the huge street tree, a lemon-scented gum.

Plants are chosen for their low water requirements, and the many salvias, the bougainvilleas, purple mist plant, scented geraniums, bright yellow laburnum, lavender, wallflowers, honeysuckle, modern and heritage varieties of roses all mingle in a delightful jumble of colour and perfume. Fruit trees, some in pots, are integrated with the ornamental plantings rather than being relegated to a particular area in the garden and vegetables are popped in wherever there is a space.
In tune with the Mediterranean theme, trees create shade to protect other plants from hot sun and Pam has added garden structures like the vine covered pergola to make shady outdoor living spaces.

Pam’s Garden shows how, with thoughtful planning, an average-size block can be pretty, productive and climate-compatible.