According to data from the Horticultural Trades Association, over two-thirds of British adults enjoy visiting a garden centre every year. This just goes to show how much the British love gardening. However, if you’ve recently moved from the UK to warmer parts of the world like Spain, you will have to change the way you garden.
Here are simple ways to create a garden for a warmer climate:
Research about the soil
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The main soil type in Spain is clay. In the UK, clay is one of the most difficult soils to work with, but in Spain, it actually works really well. Droughts and extreme heat are much less damaging on clay soil than any other type of soil, which makes it easier for plants to germinate and grow healthily. The rainfall in Spain is also less than what Britain gets in a year, so your garden won’t be wet, clogged, and unmanageable.
Understand climactic changes
Climate patterns change frequently in most Mediterranean regions, which means in some areas summers could have rainstorms, while in others there could be extended periods of drought. It’s important to learn about the weather patterns where you live so you can effectively choose which seeds to plant.
Pick the right plants
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The Mediterranean Garden Society has a list of some of the best hot weather plants you can easily grow in your new garden. One great example is Aloysia gratissima (known in southern Spain as La Faborita), which grows six to nine inches tall. It thrives in well-drained soil, and come spring its white flowers bloom to give your garden a calming vanilla smell. You can also plant some Bush Morning Glory, which has a beautiful, snowy lavender flower that blooms in summer.
Succulents are also a great choice. They grow best in places with sweltering heat and require very little maintenance. They also come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colours. You can spread them throughout your garden and even use them as decorations indoors.
The hot weather also makes it ideal to grow a huge variety of vegetables—from cabbages to root veggetables like carrots, parsnips, potatoes, artichokes, and beetroots.
Build a reliable water system
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If you don’t water your plants regularly they will dry up fast, so make sure the water system you choose is reliable and efficient.
Watch out for plant pests and diseases
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Remember that the warmer climate makes your plants more prone to pests and diseases. The head of RHS Advisory Services Guy Barter explained to the BBC that you need to choose your plants carefully to work with your gardening environment. Decompose your compost properly so that it doesn’t attract flies. Make sure you have a place for it where you can aerate and water it easily. Gardening experts say the larvae of the rose chafer beetle are often found in compost, and although they are not generally harmful to every plant in your garden, they can damage the plants you are growing in pots.
Protect yourself and your guests from the sun
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You can’t very well enjoy your hard work if you can’t sit in your garden with a cool glass of wine and marvel at your blooming flowers. Take the warm weather as an opportunity to get the cosiest pieces of outdoor furniture, and create an inviting garden where you can entertain guests and have BBQs. Pergolas and gazebos are ideal for entertaining and will also be a nice focal point. Some of the pergolas on Screwfix are open air, and come with additional gazebo kits. A covered gazebo is preferable as it will provide good cover from the sun during the day and add to the overall look of your garden. You can also add climbing plants to the structure to make your chill out spots look even more attractive.
It’s also maybe worth considering joining gardening and home interior design events to get more inspiration about the best garden designs that work for the warmer weather. We wrote about one of the most sought-after events in Estepona, which featured a lot of practical advice from local Mediterranean gardeners and interior designers. Be sure to check if any of these events are happening near you. As long as you have all the right tools, there’s no limit to what you can do in your summer garden, especially if the weather is nice and sunny.
