No. 56 Landscaping · Mediterranean
Terraced Garden Steps Below Arched Villa
Stone steps ascend through planted terraces and stone retaining walls, leading past lavender and cypress trees to a white stucco home defined by shaded arches and terracotta roof tiles.
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
- Three layers: canopy, shrubs, groundcover
- How hardscape and planting share the edges
- Plants suited to the climate, not just the photo





