Spanish Colonial Revival in Santa Barbara

Design Consultant Jeff Doubét is the author of Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights. The 240 page “Design Consultation in a Book” is now available. Please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com for more info. Jeff Doubét specializes in Santa Barbara style home and landscape designs. To learn more info about the variety of custom design services I offer, please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com Jeff Doubét is the Founder of Santa Barbara Home Design - a design studio based in Santa Barbara, California USA.

Mediterranean Front Hillside Garden - Novato, California

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Photo taken in the summer, 2 years after the hillside was planted with a selection of CA native plants and other low-water plants for year round interest. © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Budget Friendly Lawn Replacement

Urban Oasis Landscape Design

A collection of exotic plants keep the front yard interesting year round. Coppertone Stonecrop (Sedum nussbaumerianum) make a pretty groundcover.
Small mediterranean front yard shaded xeriscape in Los Angeles with mulch for winter.

Creative Combining of Hardscape Materials

Mediterrasian Landscapes

This couple wanted to make their typical San Francisco backyard into something special. The yard had some nice plants but little useable space or attractive ground treatment. They had built a kidney-shaped planter with block walls as a weekend project a few years back, and they wanted to keep this. We came up with a design that used the kidney-shaped planter as a focal point. We added a lot of useable space with a bi-level concentric circular patio. By constructing the patio on two levels, we were able to keep most of the excavated soil on site instead of bringing it to the landfill. The outer circle consists of interlocking concrete pavers, while the raised inner circle is paved with natural Arizona flagstone. We enhanced the kidney planter by making another circular planter around it from matching wall blocks. The circular tree beds add interest by echoing the circle theme of the yard.

Evening Vantage of Terra Mia Vineyards and Wedding Venue from the Cocktail Hour

Erik Jones Landscaping

This Project Includes a large Waterfall, 100' of Stream, 3 Bridges, over 1000' of stone walls, a 500,000 gallon pond, an amphitheater, a peninsula, a beach, a boat launch ramp, boulders throughout the entire pond, large trees, a boat dock, stone stairs, multiple terraces out of decomposed granite, and a large parking area. The Waterfall, which is the start of this large waterfeature, acts as the Cornerstone for this Project. A number of the boulders are up to 8 feet across! About 1200 gallons a minute (72,000gph) flows over this waterfall. The waterfeature moves 2000 gallons a minute (120,000gph) when everything is flowing! The waterfall drops about 17' in total and the stream drops about 3' for a total of 20' of elevation change. There are koi, goldfish, and shubunkins in the pond! The pond is used for vineyard irrigation as well as aesthetics. This Photo by Dronesey https://www.facebook.com/Dronesey/?fref=ts

Mediterranean Landscape

Small mediterranean front yard full sun garden in Los Angeles with natural stone pavers for winter.

Wayne Residence

Altera Landscape

Photography: Jeri Kogel / Landscape Design: AMS Landscape Design Studios, Inc.
Mid-sized mediterranean side yard partial sun formal garden in Orange County with a fire feature and natural stone pavers for winter.

Landscape photography Portfolio

lensi designs photography

Amalfi coast - container plants
Design ideas for a mediterranean garden for winter in Bridgeport with a container garden.

Irvington Mediterranean Ecstasy

Abbaté Designs

The clients wanted a landscape that matches the Spanish Colonial Revival style of this NE Portland Home. The copper-clad fence serves as a dramatic backdrop for a complete redo of the landscape, bringing new garden features and Mediterranean plants that could thrive in the PNW.

Contemporary Hillside Terrace

Billy Goodnick Garden Design

Acacia cultriformis / Knifeblade Acacia Billy Goodnick
Photo of a mediterranean sloped full sun garden for winter in Santa Barbara.

Vizcaya, James Deerings winter residence

Bill Sumner Photography

The Maze garden viewed from the Fountain garden photography by Bill Sumner
Design ideas for an expansive mediterranean courtyard partial sun formal garden for winter in Miami with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

San Marco Residence

Ross Garden Design

Mediterranean side yard formal garden in Jacksonville with a garden path and mulch for winter.

Cherry Creek

EVOKE

Design ideas for a mid-sized mediterranean front yard shaded outdoor sport court for winter in Denver with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Succulents and Companion Plants

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

A stunning combo of deep burgundy, lime green and orange provide a beautiful medley of plants for this SF Bay area garden in Marin County. © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Budget Friendly Lawn Replacement

Urban Oasis Landscape Design

Blue Glow Agave and strategically placed boulders add interest to the composition.
Inspiration for a small mediterranean front yard shaded xeriscape for winter with mulch.

Tuscan Style Home With Siloam Stone Walls

Accent Landscapes

Siloam stone was used to create these beautiful walls. Its color range and uniformity stand out.
Inspiration for an expansive mediterranean front yard partial sun driveway for winter in Denver with a retaining wall.

Anderson

Banyon Tree Design Studio

Winter garden in the fall
Mediterranean front yard garden in Seattle with with privacy feature for winter.

Terra Mia Vineyards and Wedding Venue

Erik Jones Landscaping

This Bridge is intended to be similar to the Masters at Augusta. It can be driven over and water flows under it from the biological filter behind it. This Project Includes a large Waterfall, 100' of Stream, 3 Bridges, over 1000' of stone walls, a 500,000 gallon pond, an amphitheater, a peninsula, a beach, a boat launch ramp, boulders throughout the entire pond, large trees, a boat dock, stone stairs, multiple terraces out of decomposed granite, and a large parking area. The Waterfall, which is the start of this large waterfeature, acts as the Cornerstone for this Project. A number of the boulders are up to 8 feet across! About 1200 gallons a minute (72,000gph) flows over this waterfall. The waterfeature moves 2000 gallons a minute (120,000gph) when everything is flowing! The waterfall drops about 17' in total and the stream drops about 3' for a total of 20' of elevation change. There are koi, goldfish, and shubunkins in the pond! The pond is used for vineyard irrigation as well as aesthetics. This Photo by Dronesey https://www.facebook.com/Dronesey/?fref=ts

Expansive IdealMow Lawn

FormLA Landscaping

This IdealMow lawn of native Carex pansa is ready for play! Mown, as it is here, it looks like a traditional lawn. Left to grow, it will form undulating waves of green.

Italian Inspired Walkway

The Garden Artist LLC

This fresco-style painted mural was inspired by a client's favorite vacation.
Design ideas for a mid-sized mediterranean side yard formal garden for winter in Boise with a garden path and concrete pavers.

Mediterranean Garden Design Ideas for Winter

Get Inspired by Mediterranean Gardens on Houzz

A lot of the time when you get home from a long day at work, all you want to do is wind down. Where better to do this than in your very own Mediterranean garden at home? If you do it right, a great garden design can send you right into holiday mode. But where to start? There’s so many styles to choose from when it comes to garden design. Whether you want to create a tropical, modern, contemporary, beach style or country garden - or something else entirely - the large garden image gallery on Houzz has got you covered. Get inspired and collect your ideas to narrow down your desired garden style and features.

How to Create a Mediterranean Garden for Your Home

Depending on which style you’re going for, be sure to know what makes a Mediterranean garden and if it’s appropriate for your climate. You may want to consider adding a deck or other landscaping features, but the plants you choose will mostly dictate your style and what kind of ongoing maintenance is required. Don’t worry if your backyard isn’t very spacious - there are many plants that can thrive even in a small space and allow you to turn your space into a little paradise of your own, regardless of size.

Decide which plants to use

The greenery you choose is critical to your look. For example, if you’re trying to create a tropical garden palm trees and bamboo are your go-to options. Other popular options are golden cane palm trees and fern for ground cover. From there you can add some colour with bright flowers like frangipani, hibiscus or bromeliads. All these are actually quite hardy plants, so once established, your tropical garden is actually quite easy to maintain. Use this structure and apply it to your style. Research which plants you need to set your base for a Mediterranean garden and go from there.

Add some decor

If the plants don’t quite do it for you yet, or if you want to add some extra wow-factor, consider adding some extra features. Even if you can’t accommodate a swimming pool, hot tub or pond, you could look at smaller water features. Simple rocks can also have a great effect, while statues and gnomes will add some extra character. Don’t forget to add some furniture so you have a nice place to sit and enjoy your garden!

Need some help?

Once you know what you want your garden to look like, it may be hard to make it a reality on your own. If that is the case for you, consider consulting a professional to help you with your Mediterranean garden design. Every photo you find on Houzz will lead you to the local pro that did the job, so you won’t have a problem picking the perfect person to help! Whether you need a gardener in Brisbane, a landscape architect in Melbourne or a fireplace installer in Sydney, you can be sure to find one on Houzz.