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Creating a Mediterranean Garden in Australia

Creating a Mediterranean Garden in Australia

Five trees that bring the look and feel of the Mediterranean to Australian gardens.
Drought TolerantGarden DesignMediterranean

A Mediterranean garden is defined by silver-grey foliage, vertical Italian cypresses, fruiting Olives and aromatic hedging. These five trees deliver the look while thriving in Australian conditions.

1. Olea europaea 'Manzanillo'

The classic Spanish Mediterranean Olive. Silver-grey foliage and table-quality fruit.

2. Laurus nobilis 'Miles Choice' Bay

The Mediterranean culinary hedge. Aromatic edible foliage for parterre lines.

3. Cupressus sempervirens 'Glauca' Pencil Pine

Iconic Italian vertical accent. Plant in matched rows or pairs.

4. Olea europaea 'Swan Hill'

The fruitless Olive for clean low-litter Mediterranean planting.

5. Westringia fruticosa

Native rosemary-look hedge with Mediterranean texture and Australian hardiness.

How to design a Mediterranean garden

Layer silver-grey horizontal foliage from Olives and Westringia against the vertical accents of Pencil Pines. Use Bay parterres to frame the structure. Mulch with crushed white stone or gravel.

Compare at a glance

CultivarHeightWidthFormFoliageBest if you…
Olea europaea 'Manzanillo'
Manzanillo Olive 		4 to 6 m3 to 4 mOpen roundedSilver-greyMediterranean garden centrepiece.
Laurus nobilis 'Miles Choice'
Miles Choice Bay 		3 to 5 m1.5 to 2.5 mUpright denseAromatic dark greenMediterranean parterre hedges.
Cupressus sempervirens 'Glauca'
Blue Italian Pencil Pine 		8 to 12 m1 to 1.5 mStrictly columnarBlue-green columnarItalian Mediterranean vertical accents.
Olea europaea 'Swan Hill'
Swan Hill Non-Fruiting Olive 		4 to 6 m3 to 4 mOpen roundedSilver-greyClean low-litter Mediterranean planting.
Westringia fruticosa
Coastal Rosemary 		1 to 2 m1 to 1.5 mDense roundedFine grey-greenLow Mediterranean-look hedges.
Olea europaea 'Manzanillo'

1. Olea europaea 'Manzanillo' (Manzanillo Olive)

Manzanillo is the classic Spanish Mediterranean Olive.

Type
Evergreen feature tree
Height
4 to 6 m
Width
3 to 4 m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Silver-grey
Form
Open rounded
Conditions
Full sun, well-drained
Maintenance
Low
Best for
Mediterranean garden centrepiece.

Why choose it

The defining Mediterranean garden tree.

Perfect pair

Manzanillo feature with a Bay parterre.

Tips for planting

Avoid waterlogged soils.

Mediterranean classic.

Shop Olea europaea 'Manzanillo'
Laurus nobilis 'Miles Choice'

2. Laurus nobilis 'Miles Choice' (Miles Choice Bay)

Bay is the Mediterranean culinary hedge.

Type
Evergreen hedging tree
Height
3 to 5 m
Width
1.5 to 2.5 m
Growth rate
Slow to moderate
Foliage
Aromatic dark green
Form
Upright dense
Conditions
Full sun to part shade
Maintenance
Low, can be pruned to desired height
Best for
Mediterranean parterre hedges.

Why choose it

Edible Mediterranean classic.

Perfect pair

Bay parterre with Olive features.

Tips for planting

Trim regularly.

Mediterranean kitchen hedge.

Shop Laurus nobilis 'Miles Choice'
Cupressus sempervirens 'Glauca'

3. Cupressus sempervirens 'Glauca' (Blue Italian Pencil Pine)

Pencil Pine is the iconic Italian Mediterranean vertical accent.

Type
Evergreen conifer feature
Height
8 to 12 m
Width
1 to 1.5 m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Blue-green columnar
Form
Strictly columnar
Conditions
Full sun
Maintenance
Low
Best for
Italian Mediterranean vertical accents.

Why choose it

Pure Mediterranean structure in a slim column.

Perfect pair

Pencil Pines with Olive features.

Tips for planting

Plant in matched rows for avenue effect.

Italian vertical classic.

Shop Cupressus sempervirens 'Glauca'
Olea europaea 'Swan Hill'

4. Olea europaea 'Swan Hill' (Swan Hill Non-Fruiting Olive)

Swan Hill is the fruitless Olive for clean Mediterranean planting.

Type
Evergreen feature tree
Height
4 to 6 m
Width
3 to 4 m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Silver-grey
Form
Open rounded
Conditions
Full sun
Maintenance
Low
Best for
Clean low-litter Mediterranean planting.

Why choose it

Mediterranean character without messy fruit.

Perfect pair

Swan Hill feature with Bay hedges.

Tips for planting

Avoid waterlogged soils.

Clean Mediterranean Olive.

Shop Olea europaea 'Swan Hill'
Westringia fruticosa

5. Westringia fruticosa (Coastal Rosemary)

Westringia gives Mediterranean texture with native hardiness.

Type
Evergreen native hedging shrub
Height
1 to 2 m
Width
1 to 1.5 m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Fine grey-green
Form
Dense rounded
Conditions
Full sun
Maintenance
Low
Best for
Low Mediterranean-look hedges.

Why choose it

Looks like rosemary without the maintenance.

Perfect pair

Westringia hedge with Olive features.

Tips for planting

Trim 2 to 3 times a year.

Mediterranean texture, native hardiness.

Shop Westringia fruticosa

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