Bringing the Mediterranean into your Garden: How to Capture the Natural Beauty of the Garrigue

(Hardback)

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Description

Mediterranean garrigue landscapes are extraordinarily beautiful: alternating mounds of silver and green, textured leaves, flashes of colour and intoxicating scents combine to delight the senses and rival any cultivated garden with half the work. This book offers inspiration and expert advice on growing the plants and adopting a new more natural way of gardening. 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 book 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. Over 400 fascinating photographs capture the effortless beauty of natural plant communities and show gardeners how different gardens can be.

Reviews

"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

Author Bio

Olivier Filippi is a 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 a palette of Mediterranean plants that thrive in tough conditions. He grows plants for the world's leading garden designers including James Basson whose RHS Chelsea Flower Show design won gold in 2017. This is Olivier Filippi's third book.