12 Evergreen plants for Mediterranean gardens

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There is really nothing worse than looking out upon a bare garden in winter. As the cold weather sets in, deciduous plants lose their leaves resulting in empty borders.

The whole allure of a Mediterranean garden is the idea of a warm and inviting landscape! Luckily, many plants suitable for Mediterranean gardens are evergreen. These can provide you the opportunity to never have a long and boring season again!

​Below I have listed 8 evergreen plants which are perfect for a Mediterranean garden. Not only do they stay green all year they will make you think you really are in the Mediterranean. 
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1. Yucca gloriosa

​Also known as 'Spanish Dagger' this medium sized shrub gives the garden a real Mediterranean feel.  This yucca is native to the South-eastern USA and is remarkably cold hardy.

In summer it sends up a large spear like stem which is full of white flowers. Just beware it does have every sharp, needle like leaves which can pierce the skin.  
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2. Phormium

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Originally from New Zealand this attractive plant is not native to the Mediterranean. However, its bright colours and architectural form make it perfect for Mediterranean gardens.

This shrub now comes in a variety of sizes and colours making it perfect as an evergreen foliage plant. 
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3. Callistemon

​This shrub is very well known for its bright red, bottle brush like flowers, hence its nickname ‘Bottlebrush plant’.

​The 'Bottle Brush' has very similar leaves to the olive tree making it naturally look Mediterranean. Like the Olive, it is also evergreen making it a perfect choice for all year round interest. 
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4. Olive

​Olive trees are one of the most recognised Mediterranean garden trees and look great all year.  The great thing about olives is they also surprisingly cold hardy as long as they are not too wet. These fantastic evergreens do really well on a sunny patio or in a large pot. 
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5. Bay

​Bays are handsome, small, evergreen, trees with dark green leathery leaves. They can actually be used as an effective topiary plant or a low hedge. Bay trees also have aromatic leaves which can be used in various different recipes. 
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6. Rosemary

​There are very few people who are not familiar with this famous culinary evergreen shrub.

​Not only is Rosemary well known for its aromatic smell it is also an effective landscaping plant. Rosemary can form a very attractive low, evergreen, hedge which is a joy to trim! Its closely related creeping variety also makes a fantastic evergreen groundcover.  
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7. Italian Cypress

​​Italian Cypress is one of the most recognised trees in the Mediterranean and especially so in Italy. It is a particularly famous for its association with the Italian region of Tuscany. Italian Cypress can add strong, vertical lines to a Mediterranean garden design during any season. 
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8. Mahonia

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​Mahonia's are tall shrubs with long stems and exotic looking, shiny foliage. They have a palm like appearance making them perfect for Mediterranean gardens. Not only will they stay green all year every winter they come into bloom with long and erect yellow flowers. 
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9. Fatsia

Fatisa japonica is one of those rare plants which looks so exotic but is extremely hardy. Originally coming from Japan, Fatsias have large tropical looking foliage and architectural form. This makes them excellent for Mediterranean gardens with the added benefit of looking great all year. 
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10. Pinus mugo

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Also known as the dwarf mountain pine this small remember of the Pinus family is Native to the Balkans. It has a dense growing nature which can form a busy evergreen ground cover. With its dry grey green foliage this shrub is perfect for a rocky planting scheme.  
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11. Hebe

​Hebes are a very common and popular landscaping plant which is very tough and resilient. These shrubs have leathery leaves and bottle brush like flowers giving them a Mediterranean look. Hebe’s are very drought tolerant and flower profusely throughout the season. 
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12. Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’

​This compact little evergreen is the perfect low growing evergreen for Mediterranean gardens. Not only does it keep its leaves in winter, it possesses a captivating blue colour to its foliage. The Juniper is very effective grown amongst rocks and dry stone walls within Mediterranean schemes.  
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​Thank you for visiting our list of 12 Evergreen plants for Mediterranean gardens. If you need a Mediterranean garden builder why not contact us.

​Below I have included some other articles you may find useful. 

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