Miguel Urquijo – New planting in Mediterrean-Steppe climates

One of Spain’s leading garden designers looks at how to ‘break the mould’ by using plants in a very different way to the rigid classical formality which has so dominated garden making in the Mediterranean region. He explains how randomness, repetition and  intermingling are key to creating more naturalistic and fluid designs, which respond to the forms of the natural landscapes of the region. He considers maintenance, particularly the importance of pruning to sustain the long-term performance of the regional woody flora. Miguel’s working context is a climate that in places is more ‘steppe’ than classic Mediterranean.