Crafting your Costa Blanca garden: Plant tips for Mediterranean bliss

In the southern part of the Costa Blanca, the weather resembles a Mediterranean desert, featuring hot summers, mild winters, and occasional rain in spring and autumn.

This climate holds significance when selecting plants for the garden.

Palm trees emerge as a prevalent choice, introduced by Arabs during historical conquests and are now ubiquitous in the area.

Other trees such as olive, mulberry, lemon, and mimosa, alongside fruit-bearing varieties like fig, almond, and pomegranate, also thrive in this climate.

Aromatic plants hold importance for their fragrance, appearance, and culinary use.

Thyme, lavender, rosemary, mint, chamomile, and sage stand as notable examples.

Plants like dragon agave, aloe, sedum, cacti, and thorny bushes, have successfully adapted to the arid Mediterranean conditions.

For adding colour, ornamental flowers like daisies, roses, carnations, and bougainvillaea offer excellent choices.

They encompass various types such as camellia, begonia, and hibiscus.

For those who opt against natural grass, ground-covering plants like thyme or yarrow and sedum serve as viable options.

While gravel may lack the lushness of the grass, it aids in water retention and weed prevention which is particularly beneficial in dry regions.

In terms of shade, trees are customary, but pergolas draped with climbing plants like jasmine, honeysuckle, and wisteria present an appealing alternative.

Hedges, particularly cypress hedges, enjoy popularity in this region. They maintain their greenery year-round, grow swiftly, and offer privacy along with a verdant backdrop.

In windy locales or areas near the sea where plants are prone to rapid drying, it’s crucial to support young plants with stakes, choose wind-resistant species, or erect screens.

Plants like palm heart, rosemary, common linden, hibiscus, and jasmine fare well in windy conditions.

To streamline garden maintenance, installing an irrigation system tailored to the needs of the plants is advisable. This ensures timely watering, fostering optimal growth.