Give your garden a Mediterranean flavor by adding some lovely plants that naturally evoke images of this romantic part of the world. Whether or not you’ve got Old World architecture, Mediterranean-style plants add unique beauty, as well as an alternative to a water-thirsty landscape. In fact, whenever this precious resource grows scarce – whether because of drought or population growth – people’s interest in Mediterranean gardens peaks. And with good reason: It’s elegant and soft, richly fragrant, and the plants are quite useful in the kitchen. So while that Mediterranean look is based in design from classical civilizations, the way you use the plants make the style distinctly your own.

Italian cypress is the most outstanding tree in the Mediterranean, but it can grow pretty large. A new dwarf form known as Tiny Tower® is perfect for smaller urban gardens and limited spaces.

Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer

French lavender is remarkably heat- and drought-tolerant, with flowers much like those of its English cousin.

Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer

In the North, Russian sage makes an ideal alternative to tender English lavender.

Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer

Nothing serves up Mediterranean style better than terra-cotta, whether in pots, statuary, fountains or pavers.

Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer

Potted citrus allow you to move plants around with the seasons: Bring them out during the summer, then move them indoors to enjoy in the winter months.

Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer

Lamb’s ear is usually a groundcover of fuzzy silver leaves, but in spring, spikes of blooms rise up to give it a far more interesting character.

Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer

What makes these plants so unique is how they evolved around the Mediterranean Sea in rainy, mild winters and long, hot summers. They grew rich with aromatic oils, which take the place of water, keeping plants alive through long months of no rainfall. Many selections have silvery or gray foliage, which reflects sunlight to keep the leaves cooler. Some even have a leaf surface covered with fine hairs known as “pubescence” that actually shade the skin of the leaf.

There are a handful of signature plants native to this mild region that’ll give any garden the classic Mediterranean look, as well as some cold-hardy alternatives you can use to get the same feel further north. For example, the cigar-shaped Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) is the most widely recognized tree in Europe. Unfortunately, it’s only hardy to USDA hardiness Zone 7. But if you live in a colder region, you get the same form and color with ‘Skyrocket’ juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’), which takes winters to Zone 4. And luckily, the juniper also has the same low water requirements.

The lavender flower fields of southern France define the dominant blossom color of this region. These delightfully fragrant subshrubs are among the most coveted of Mediterranean plants, but they vary considerably in cold hardiness. For very hot Xeriscape gardens, choose French lavender (Lavandula stoechas), which offers many hybrids hardy to Zone 7. If you live in a cooler climate, get the same look with English lavender (L. angustifolia). Some hybrids are hardy to Zone 5, and they’ll take winter’s cold and damp weather far better. Cooler regions can use Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) for the same Mediterranean feel. This blue-flowering, silver-leaf beauty is native to Afghanistan and is hardy to Zone 4.

When it comes to Mediterranean-style groundcovers, not much can beat fuzzy lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina). It’s definitely a silky-soft children’s favorite, and it’s cold-hardy to Zone 4. Hailing from the Byzantine region of Persia, this plant can take a cold and dry climate in stride. It’s not uncommon to find colonies of creeping lamb’s ear spreading out from the base of a sundial or classical statuary. And this beauty is truly exceptional when curious lavender-tinged stalks bloom in spring.

We can’t forget to include potted citrus, which makes an exceptional accent for Mediterranean-style gardens! They’re typically seen potted in large terra-cotta containers, which means they’re easy to bring indoors for the winter for even Northern gardeners to enjoy. Kumquat and Meyer lemon are among the two most popular selections. Both are gorgeous as decorative accents and produce great fruit. Use your potted citrus singly, in pairs to flank a fountain (or other garden ornament), or pot up an entire set for each corner of a terrace. The beauty of the pots is that you can move them around as you please.

The wonderful thing about Mediterranean-style gardens is that they really work just about anywhere. So Northern gardeners need not lament their separation from the warm-winter species of this romantic region! The key is to seek alternatives from colder climates that share the look and feel of the classical plants that define these sun-drenched gardens. So if you’re dreaming of a French chateau, an Italian villa or a Spanish stone cottage in North America, plant it right and your dream just might come true.