Mediterranean / Dry gardening

Similar! I have a very untraditional (English) garden other than two climbing roses that were here for a while already when we moved in 33 years ago: Mexican feather grasses, sedums, lavenders, grapevine (Vanessa), festucas, red valerian, olive tree in pot, Mexican fleabane, cosmos and zinnia (both originally from southern USA/central America). I just love the whole vibe. I don't water that much once established, other than in very warm spells. I also have a pond area with ferns, marsh marigold and native water plants, which is a nice variation.

I also have a clematis, that never does very well. Microclimates I guess.

I'm also a recent advocate of wood chip mulch. It looks great and is a great conditioner for our builders rubble soil and retains moisture.

I had an acer dissectum, which was wiped out by last year's heat wave. Hey ho. Horses for courses and all that!

 

Re my earlier post:

Does anyone else in the south-east of England have success with Oleander? If so, does it need winter protection?

I'm not locked into Oleander, but it's a good example of the style I'm looking for. Thanks!

 

I've never had much luck long term with Oleander, I seem to get a black stem disease, but not tried it for a few years, I know of a couple of places that had pretty big bushes of it, that is until last winter.
Possibly not been totally wiped out will come back from the roots as they were well established.

 

How about Pomegranate or Leptospermum, Callistemon, Feijoa, Olive

 

I'll have a look at those, @pete. From experience, do you think they'd make it through a winter?

 

It's always a gamble but of those i would say leptospermum is the least hardy depending on type and you need to do some homework on Callistemon, but the rest have been hardy in my garden for over 30years.

 

Out neighbours' oleander survived this winter. I have leptospermum scoparium and myrtle microphylla, those went ok through this winter too.

 

Pretty mild in Portsmouth I would think.

 

I'll throw another shrub in, Lagerstroemia ,the crape myrtle.
Likes hot spots.

 

Had 3 cold spells over the winter. It was down to -5c, one cold week per month. Everything froze solid. Lost my fragrant geraniums. Callas seemed goners, but sprang to a life in spring. Hercules was in ground, and a regular one in broken pot. Of couse still mild compared to the North regions.

 

That's actually mild to me in Kent, minus five would be my usual absolute minimum in a normal year it was minus 7 or 8 last winter and not above zero for over a week.

 

Forgot to add. Luma apiculata, both plain and variegated leaf are doing well.

 

Even Leptospermum should be OK. I've got the red and pink double-flowered ones and Callistemon 'Hot Pink' and red rigidus in open borders here and they've sailed through the nasty winters.

 

I did have Leptospermum scoparium but it died one winter a long time ago but I now have L. silver sheen which has proved really hardy.