Gardening in Provence is much different than in the Mid-Atlantic USA!

Growing up, my family and I lived primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US. My mother was a master gardener and, early in my childhood, she was very passionate about gardening. She taught me most of what I know and I am very thankful to her for passing this love of gardening down to me. Every weekend during spring and summer, she and I would spend countless hours outside tending to our gardens. It was a wonderful bonding experience with her and a relaxed setting to have long conversations about gardening and life! I think life lessons learned through gardening could be a future post. But for today, let's talk about the climate differences between the Mid-Atlantic (US) and Provence.

When I first visited Provence 17 years ago I was struck by the immense beauty. The Italian cypress trees, chênes verts (live oaks), rolling hills, oleander, cherry trees, olive trees, lavender fields, sunflowers and poppies. Little did I know back then that one day I would move here full time and need to apply my gardening knowledge to this climate.

Once we moved here I quickly realized that my Mid-Atlantic garden knowledge is helpful but insufficient. The climate and seasons are different enough that I need to adjust my techniques.

The first year we lived in our new home, I watched every month to see how the climate and the gardens changed with each passing week. What bloomed in what month? Did I recognize the plant? How much did it rain, if at all? How warm was it? Did it freeze at night? As all experienced gardeners admit, understanding the climate in which you live is key to having a successful garden. You won't beat mother nature -- you need to work with her! So observing the natural seasons and the impact on your gardens is important.

Here are some of the main differences I have noted:

• Winter is short, but an important time for gardening. In Provence, the winters are short (6-8 weeks) and relatively mild compared to the Mid-Atlantic. Yes, it will get down to freezing at a night during this period, but it rarely snows.Typically the days will warm up to the mid 50's, so you don't have multiple days of below freezing temperatures, which is why you can grow olives, oleander and agapanthus, for example. Plus, on average you have 300+ days of sun in Provence so you don't have long periods of grey overcast skies -- maybe 2-3 days max. This is the rainy season, however, and given how dry the climate is, you become very appreciate of the rain. These mild days do allow you to work in your garden during the winter which make for a perfect time to tackle infrastructure projects like new pathways, garden beds and fencing.

• Spring comes early. By mid February the temperatures are warming up and this season lasts through May when summer starts more in earnest. Almond trees start to bloom their light pink flowers in mid-Febuary, which I use as the first sign of spring! Spring is a much longer season I find here compared to the East Coast where I felt you would go from winter to spring to the heat of summer in a matter of 3 weeks! In March, you can begin planting perennials which is earlier than when I would plant in the Mid Atlantic. Last March, a local village had a garden expo and everyone was buying their summer vegetable plants and flowers. For some of the more delicate herbs, such as basil, you need to still bring inside the house at night till mid-April.

• Summer is hot and dry. You do your gardening in the morning before the Provence sun really heats up. Once July comes, you really don't do much in the garden until September when the temperatures start to cool off in the evenings. The main things to do in the summer is WATER! I have an in-ground irrigation system for the lawns and then drip irrigation for all the planting beds. We water early in the morning to avoid as much evaporation as possible. The summers here remind me more of southern California than the East Coast of the US. During this period it is just too hot and dry to garden, so you tend to relax and appreciate the beauty around you. If you have worked on your gardens in the autumn, winter and spring, you can enjoy them in the summer! With climate change, I will be adding more drought tolerant plants to my gardens over time and of course adjusting the watering as needed. I am currently researching what types of grass do best for lawns in the Provence summer. Whcih ones need less watering and can tolerate the long hot days. More to come on this in a future post.

• Autumn is really like a second spring here. Some rain will return and with it, green arrives again everywhere around you, like magic. It is amazing what a little rain can do! The evenings start to cool off so you get a break from the intense heat. Autumn, like spring, is longer here lasting until December/January. I tend to still do the same gardening projects I did in the US this time of year such as planting bulbs, trimming bushes and preparing the beds for winter, but I just have longer to do these projects and don't have to start them so early as the beds tend to look great until mid-November. This year, for example, we didn't get our first freeze until January so I still had roses blooming at Christmas!

In summary - understanding how the climate is different here is foundational to my ability to garden successfully. I am having fun learning and, over time, will fully adapt to this climate. There is beauty in every part of the world and as a gardener it is important to appreciate the natural beauty around you. Understanding your climate and seasons will help you take full advantage of your gardening.