An ancient oil jar, tipped and planted with succulents. Wendy Harper
Photo of a large mediterranean backyard partial sun xeriscape for summer in Los Angeles with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Hillside Retreat

Pedersen Associates

Design ideas for a large mediterranean backyard partial sun xeriscape in San Francisco with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Suburban Country

Land2c Landscape Architecture

Land2c This colorful bed is seen from many places in the garden, from the interior, and both entertaining terraces. The flowers supply the client with bouquets from May through frost. The Golden Locust is a focal point and has plenty of room to expand. The orange metal sculpture, Cupid's Dart by Shannon Buckner of Bent Productions, is stunning standing 6' high in the air surrounded by color enhancing plants. The orange, chartreuse, purple continues. The orange Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ is especially eye-catching with the purple Russian sage and Nepeta 'Walker's Low and lavenders and the yellow yarrows and purple smoke bush. Full sun and drought tolerant perennials make for beautiful summer gardens.

Silver Meadow

Billy Goodnick Garden Design

The lower area of the front yard garden was dominated by a thirsty, weedy lawn and the slopes leading to the house were mostly unplanted. Stone steps were designed to take the owners and visitors to a shaded sitting area under a spreading Jacaranda tree. Foreground: Euphorbia 'Copton Ash', Snow In Summer, blue sedge, Safari conebush, Westringia 'Morning Light' and Dianella 'Cassa Blue'. Slope plantings include Torch Aloe, Pride of Madeira, Euphorbia myrsinites, Spreading Sunset Lantana, Tree aloe and Bronze Baby Newe Zealand Flax. Photo: Billy Goodnick

Entryway

Lawns & Beyond Landscape Company, Inc.

Lawns & Beyond Landscape Company, Inc.
Inspiration for a mid-sized mediterranean front yard full sun garden for summer in San Diego with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Emerald Tucson

Santa Rita Landscaping, Inc.

Photos by Meagan Hancock
This is an example of a mid-sized mediterranean backyard partial sun xeriscape for summer in Phoenix with a retaining wall and gravel.

Bunny Run

Root Design Company.com

Inspiration for a mediterranean backyard garden in Austin with a retaining wall.

Stepped Planters

Exteriors By Chad Robert

Inspired by the terrace gardens of Europe, the planters support the simple water fountains.
Design ideas for a mediterranean garden in Phoenix with a retaining wall.

Atherton Estate

The Garden Route Company

A formal courtyard with limestone walls
Photo of a large mediterranean courtyard full sun garden in San Francisco with a retaining wall and brick pavers.

Spanish Revival Style

Gravel To Gold, Inc.

We designed this sprawling landscape at our Spanish Revival style project in Rancho Santa Fe to reflect our clients' vision of a colorful planting palette to compliment the custom ceramic tile mosaics, hand made iron work, stone and tile paths and patios, and the stucco fire pit and walls. All of these features were designed and installed by Gravel To Gold, Inc.

Low Voltage LED's Illuminate Drought Tolerant Planting

Mediterrasian Landscapes

Terraces with drought tolerant plants
Mid-sized mediterranean backyard full sun xeriscape in San Francisco with a retaining wall, mulch and a wood fence.

Our Portfolio

SoCal Concepts, Inc.

This is an example of a mid-sized mediterranean front yard partial sun garden in Orange County with a retaining wall and mulch.

California drought-tolerant garden

Kaiser Gardens

This is a California xeriscape succulent garden. Clients wanted color and texture with drought-resistant plant materials. They enjoy garden sculptures, so we included a Buddha and a Roman bust planted with succulents. The previous owners of the property left behind some old San Francisco cobblestones, which we incorporated into the new design, using them as garden steps. We built low, raised beds out of stone, also existing on the property, and used containers along steps and against existing concrete walls to soften the hard surfaces.

Gärten gestalten!

Mediterranean sloped full sun xeriscape in Dusseldorf with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers for summer.

Davis, Ca

Zenful Gardens

Beginning with a brand new conceptual design, we helped turn an old lawn, into a Mediterranean style outdoor living space. Complete with a new patio, custom boulder fountain, uplighting, olive tree, hand stacked rock wall, steel edging to help create depth & structure, and a hand-selected grouping of plants and boulders to give this yard exceptional character.

Casa de Olivares

gimme shelter interiors

Shuffle board court gives purpose to narrow, backyard space.
This is an example of a mid-sized mediterranean backyard full sun xeriscape in Los Angeles with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Broadmoor Residence- Maintenance and Construction

User

Design ideas for a large mediterranean backyard formal garden for summer in Denver with a retaining wall.

Stone Masonry Walls (decorative) and Landscape Art Feature

Reyes Landscape Construction

This project consisted of stone masonry decorative walls at the front of the estate leading to the gated entry, where we also installed a decorative stone elements.

Planting Details

Schwartz and Associates Landscape Architecture

David Schwartz
This is an example of a mid-sized mediterranean front yard full sun garden in San Francisco with a retaining wall.

Lilian Rice, Estate landscape, Rancho Santa Fe, courtyard, pavers

The Design Build Company

Landscape and hardscape renovation - of Lilian Rice historical Rancho Santa Fe home. The Design Build Company designed the rear patio loggia, terraces, and courtyard along with fountains and mediterranean landscape plantings

Mediterranean Garden Design Ideas with a Retaining Wall

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.