Bringing the Mediterranean into Your Garden

Mediterranean landscapes are extraordinarily beautiful: alternating mounds of silver and green, textured leaves, flashes of color and intoxicating scents combine to delight the senses and rival any cultivated garden. Olivier explains how to capture the look, based on decades of experience. Mediterranean plants are diverse and adapted to a wide range of environments and weather conditions. They are of course ideally suited to regions which experience long periods of seasonal drought but many will also withstand periods of high rainfall and extreme cold making this essential reading for temperate-zone gardeners seeking the Mediterranean look. Some understanding of plant ecology is essential for success and Filippi shares his expert knowledge acquired from decades of research. How a plant interacts with its environment, other plants, and other living things indicates what it needs to flourish in a garden setting. Filippi's pioneering approach makes for a much closer relationship between gardener and nature that puts few demands on natural resources.

"Attractive, comprehensive. . . Will be savored by gardeners living in Mediterranean-type climates." —Library Journal on Planting Design for Dry Gardens

"This gorgeously illustrated book is a revolt against the “dreary uniformity” of expansive lawns in deference to natural sustainable landscapes. . . . A comprehensive and indispensable resource that will surprise and delight the courageous gardener who is looking to maximize beauty and minimize upkeep." —Publishers Weekly on Planting Design for Dry Gardens

Olivier Filippi is an internationally renowned nurseryman and ecologist who specializes in dry region plants. Over 25 years, his pioneering plant research has taken him all over the world (California, South Africa, Chile, Australia) and led to immense knowledge of mediterranean-region plants. His two earlier books, The Dry Garden Handbook and Planting Design for Dry Gardens have been enthusiastically received by North American dry region gardeners who find his plants and techniques well attuned to their conditions.