Mediterranean MARVEL

The gardens of this estate in Mallorca, which include a wildflower meadow and orchard, are designed to provide interest all year

- WORDS ANNETTE WARREN

ONE OF the first things I do when I design a garden, is to work out how it will flow,' says Alexander Warren-Gash, lead designer and co-owner of Mashamba Garden Design.

When Alexander was first approached by the owners of a recently completed country estate near Puigpunyent in the Tramuntana mountains of Mallorca, his brief for the garden was very straightforward. 'Keep it simple and romantic' - so in essence I had free rein!' he recalls. Choosing the right plants was key to the design. 'I start with statement trees, then list the medium-sized clipped shrubs before filling in the gaps with smaller plants - the flowers and herbs. Once we have a concept that everyone's happy with, we then make the magic happen! It really was a blank canvas - there was nothing there at all.' The soil on the terraces was imported after the house build; 'I always say it's better to invest in proper ground preparation rather than bigger plants in poor soil.'