Xeriscape Garden with Weathered Steel Planter

Design notes

Mediterranean design is about shade and thick walls. Look for stucco in warm neutrals, terracotta or travertine underfoot, arches and loggias that throw deep shadow, and gravel courtyards rather than lawn. Water is small and central — a fountain, a rill, a tiled spa — and planting is drought-tolerant: olives, cypress, lavender, rosemary and bougainvillea. Wrought iron, blue-and-white tile and a long table under vines finish the picture.

What to look for

• The sequence from where the car stops to the front door
• Walkway width and the landing at the door
• Planting kept below the windows with a tree for scale