Skillfully designed terracing transformed a breathtaking Mediterranean dry garden on a hillside in Ibiza, providing panoramic vistas.
Hangin' out in the stunning isle of Ibiza? This ancient, magical paradise's got something for every taste! Got a hankerin' for wild parties and neon lights? The beaches are callin'! Prefer a more chill vibe? Let's ditch the crowds and slide into the island's verdant, untouched countryside.
Deep in the hilly heart of rural Ibiza lies a rustic farmhouse nestled among centuries-old olive groves and dense forests of Aleppo pines. Step off the beaten path, follow the windy country roads, and you'll find this enchanting piece of heaven away from the world of man-made amusements.
Juan Masedo, an Ibizan gardening wizard, carves out a realm of natural wonders here that harmoniously blending the farm's history with a contemporary Mediterranean aesthetic. His goal? To harness the power of native flora to create a harmonious balance between artfully designed spaces and Ibiza's spectacular natural beauty.
So when Juan was invited to transform a crumbling, central Ibiza property in 2018, he saw the perfect opportunity to craft a masterpiece.
The lowdown on an Ibizan garden:
- What: Private, breathtaking Mediterranean haven
- Where: Ibiza, Spain
- Size: Approximately 5,000 square meters (enough to get lost in...)
- Soil: Generally calcareous rock, with some clay soil in the terraced areas
- Climate: Balmy Mediterranean with long, dry summers
- Hardiness zone: USDA 10a
Set on a hilly wooded hillside is this traditional whitewashed farmhouse surrounded by age-old stone walls, that organize the land into a series of terraces. Juan's green thumb brought this historic Spanish farm back to life while adding a modern twist, transforming the terraces into a tapestry of sun-loving plants from across the Mediterranean.
The owners were keen to rekindle the farm's agricultural past and create a low-water Mediterranean oasis exhibiting native plants, olive groves, citrus trees, and an organic vegetable garden.
When Juan wanders through a site, he does so with a sixth sense for each location's essence. He starts by cleaning, clearing, and carefully relocating existing vegetation to create a blank canvas ready for his artistic brush.
The image that emerged in Juan's mind as he traversed this farmland was full of texture and color. He envisioned harnessing local materials like sand, gravel, Ibizan marés stone, and a plant palette of blues, greens, and earthy tones, dotted with pops of sunshine yellow.
The garden's various levels are interconnected by curving gravel paths and stone steps, but it's the planting that weaves everything together. Key species are echoed throughout the site, connecting the garden with the sprawling landscape that encompasses it.
Structural plants include the island's ancestral trees (olives, carobs, almonds, and pomegranates), with the Peruvian pepper tree adding a touch of exoticism. The shrubby layer is dominated by native species, while generously sized groups of drought-tolerant plants, like prickly pear, Erigeron karvinskianus, and Limoniastrum monopetalum, create simple yet eye-catching combinations.
Don't rush through this garden – linger and marvel at its timeless beauty. From the edible produce on the olive trees to fragrant carpets of herbs and stone-draped pool framed by ancient olives, every inch of this garden is a tribute to Ibiza's land, history, and people.
Mediterranean marvels: 8 must-know dry-climate plants
- Helichrysum cymosum
- Myrtus communis subsp. tarentina
- Helichrysum petiolare
- Teucrium fruticans
- Limoniastrum monopetalum
- Pseudodictamnus mediterraneus
- Capparis spinosa
- Pistacia lentiscus
Fancying a sneak peek into Juan Masedo's magic touch? Check out his Instagram feed @masedo_jardines. Early postcards from the garden reveal a lush, verdant landscape reclaiming its legacy as an enduring symbol of Ibiza's island spirit.
- Juan Masedo, masterfully blends the farm's history with a contemporary Mediterranean aesthetic in his gardens, creating a harmonious balance between artfully designed spaces and Ibiza's natural beauty.
- The Ibizan garden, a private Mediterranean haven, spans approximately 5,000 square meters and is set on a hilly wooded hillside, surrounded by age-old stone walls that organize the land into terraces.
- In this garden, Juan uses native flora such as olives, carobs, almonds, pomegranates, prickly pear, Erigeron karvinskianus, and Limoniastrum monopetalum to weave the various levels together, creating a tapestry of sun-loving plants from across the Mediterranean.
- Native plants, olive groves, citrus trees, and an organic vegetable garden are cultivated by the owners to rekindle the farm's agricultural past and create a low-water Mediterranean oasis.
- Wander through the Ibizan garden, and marvel at its timeless beauty, as every inch is a tribute to Ibiza's land, history, and people, with edible produce on the olive trees and stone-draped pools framed by ancient olives.
