Wildlife Friendly Garden Design

Contemporary Country Home Son Macía, Mallorca, Spain

Fall 2023 Installation.

A new contemporary villa with infinity pool located on a beautiful plot nestled between small mountainous hills near Son Macía. The clients, both designers themselves, requested a Mediterranean landscape that respects the surrounding countryside. As a first time purchase of a large Mallorcan estate, the clients wanted a thoughtful design that addressed a new garden around the home with a future plan for integrating the more distant areas. They are fond of birds and wildlife habitats. The first phase of the project included developing the landscape surrounding the immediacy of the home. Facing south, shade structures were important to extend outdoor living. Upon entering the home, a custom COR-TEN planter with floating bench and sculptural olive tree provides shade while framing the view of the surrounding hills. Two custom steel pergolas were designed to cohesively blend to the existing architecture of the home and provide shade for a dining terrace and future outdoor kitchen. The parking and front entry to the home were redesigned to provide greater privacy while giving importance to the entry garden of the home. Planting was reimagined to respect the existing soil and surrounding landscape using olive, cypress, fruit and citrus trees. A diverse selection of plants including ornamental grass, native shrubs and perennial plants attract birds and wildlife, while edimentals (both ornamental and edible) and kitchen garden provide a food source and seasonal interest.

Terrain: mountainous hills with some protection from winds, soils weak and calcareous, the upper hill of the property with sea views, surrounding countryside with sheep grazing.