Mediterranean Climate

“Wait,” you say, “we don’t live in Italy.”  Well, you’re right. 

We live in San Diego County, one of five areas of the world that share a unique climate category known as Mediterranean.  Along with the areas bordering the Mediterranean Sea, South Africa, parts of southern Australia, and areas of Chile, California has a climate dominated by three characteristics; warm, dry summers, mild, wet winters, and a relatively low annual rainfall.

These conditions have given rise to a group of plants that are, by nature, drought-tolerant.  This Mediterranean plant palate is large and diverse which allows us to plant landscapes that are beautiful and, at the same time, water-wise.

• Tom starts the program with a visit to a front garden in Solana Beach that he transformed over a year ago, illustrating how a drought-tolerant landscape does not have to look barren and dry.  In fact, the variety of winter blooms in a Mediterranean palate can give such landscapes a very colorful off-season.  Once established, a Mediterranean landscape can do with little water compared to the needs of turf.  In fact, the automatic irrigation system can be completely turned off as the weather cools and winter rains arrive.
  
  If you’re planning a change, take stock of your existing landscape.  It’s tempting to wipe the slate clean when planning a new landscape, but resist it if you can.  Find out if any of your existing trees and shrubs are drought-tolerant.  If they are, they’ll fit right in to the new landscape and provide a large structural anchor that is usually missing in new gardens.
  
  While the idea of a drought-tolerant native California garden is romantic, it is really limiting.  While there are many plants native to California, the few that are native to our area of the state go dry and dormant in the summer, and are very fickle in an imposed landscape.  Choosing from the larger Mediterranean plant palate will give you the same water saving needs, but with more choices and better results.
  
  Benefits of a Mediterranean landscape over a space dominated by turf include:
   
• Noise reduction and pollution reduction.  Mediterranean landscapes do not require the weekly ‘mow and blow’ of front lawns.  They do not require a program of herbicide or pesticide use to keep them looking nice, since they aren’t susceptible to many of the blights that affect grasses and other water-thirsty plants.
  
  

• Water reduction.  Mediterranean landscapes require a lot less water to remain lush and healthy during the summer months and, once established, virtually no water during the winter.

• Wildlife attractant.  Birds and butterflies love the variety of flowers and berries offered in a Mediterranean plant palate.