Our Mediterranean Garden

Welcome to our garden in Andalucia in the deep South of Spain, just about an acre in size and situated on the lower slopes of the Guadalhorce valley inland from Malaga.

The climate here is best described as extreme - with blisteringly hot summers to savage downpours which can sometimes last several days, though with very little cold weather - most winters have only two or three days when there is any frost.

Here is a simple plan showing the layout of the garden.

Through the gates the driveway slopes steeply downwards and twists sharply towards the house and studios. Hibiscus line the entrance to add a welcoming splash of colour, our pink blooms being much sought after as most of those easily available locally are either red or apricot. If only we could remember where they came from!

Roses intersperse the Hibiscus and do surprisingly well here in Andalucia. When we moved here several years ago the roses were already here and despite several years of neglect were still stubbornly surviving very well, requiring just a little pruning to bring them back to their best.

The Upper Terrace where Acacia Saligna offers cooling dappled shade on hot summer days and underplanting of pink Mesembryanthemum edulis Hottentot fig for ground cover.

Verbena is a perennial which grows anywhere, self-seeds and is totally hassle-free, surviving even in drought conditions.

Geraniums are a classic Mediterranean plant which are not so easy to grow as you might think, even here, unless you have the right varieties.

Bananas grow incredibly well in the Mediterranean climate. Two plants little more than a foot high have become monsters with huge hands of fruit which are almost too heavy to lift when ripe - though at this stage they are just starting to grow.

Finca Limoneros is home to many Lemon and Orange trees. We love our trees, and never tire of being able to walk into the orchard and pluck the delicious fruit straight from the tree.

Pepe is our amigo, neighbour and advisor on all things Lemon and Orange related.

The redondo is dominated by the fast growing and heavily flowered Podranea ricasoliana with Bougainvillia coming in a close second.

Curving pathways soften the area and give more access to shady spots and specific plants.

Mesembryanthemum edulis or Hottentot Fig, grown very easily from cuttings, with large striking pink and yellow flowers in springtime.

An easy care plant requiring little water once established.

Lampranthus aureus, a vibrant orange coloured succulent with grey-green leaves.

An excellent ground cover plant requiring very little care or water once established, and giving a huge splash of colour all year round. Whenever the sun is shining the flowers are open.

For colour, scent and impact in the summer months, a variety of summer bulbs. Gladioli, Summer Hyacinth Ornithogalum thyrsoides ,and Pineapple Lilly Eucomis.

The lower terrace is below the swimming pool area and the main house. Originally a very overgrown sloping area, we have levelled it and laid with our favourite soft river gravel which we source locally.

From this terrace there are excellent views of the Rio Guadalhorce below with all its varied birdlife. The name of our track is 'Cuesta del rio' which quite literally means 'slope to the river'.

More trees have been added to the Pine and Lemon already there, marking the edge of this level and to give shade and screening.

Walk the length of the lower terrace and you will come to this wonderful view. In the far distance is the El Torcal mountain range, and over to the right you may spot the new 'Ave' high speed train line which opened at Christmas 2007 and now links Malaga to Cordoba and hence Madrid, Sevilla and Barcelona.

This rather hostile relative of the Agave and Aloe grows freely and to a considerable size wherever it can, and is locally known as the 'Pita'.