Pattie Barron, Simon McBride: Create a Mediterranean Garden. Planting a low-maintenance, drought-proof paradise anywhere

A native Mediterranean garden is most pleasing to those who like their plants spirited and their flower beds exuberant. A Mediterranean garden is a marquis of the gardener's own making; thick with wildflowers, perfumed shrubs, twisting vines and tangles of Tuscan honeysuckle, this wondrous place hums with color while spicy scents linger in the air. Adorned with terracotta pots brimming with pink and scarlet geraniums, the Mediterranean courtyard exudes a different breed of excitement. It is in this arena that tangerine and fuschia bloom freely, and bougainvillea, lemon trees, and figs flourish in abundance. This book demonstrates planting strategies for all climates. Gardeners should learn how to adapt the soil to suit specific needs and quickly create a lavish Mediterranean garden of their own. Many of the plants appropriate to a true Mediterranean garden are easy to locate and breathtakingly gorgeous within the context of a wide variety of soils and climates. Mediterranean gardens are highly practical as well as lush and beautiful. The plants are accustomed to living in the desert-like climate that exists on the shores and islands in and around the Mediterranean Sea. They are draught-proof by nature and thus able to survive easily during increasingly hot, dry summers. These plants are also very low-maintenance; they require no staking, watering, or complicated pruning. A Mediterranean garden is a place steeped in classical history, a vibrant paradise in which to live, laze, and blissfully relax.