Mediterranean Garden Society
Mediterranean Garden Society
The Balearic Islands Branch of the MGS
The members of the Balearic branch are as diverse as our Islands. The Balearics are a melting pot where people from all over Europe and abroad enjoy the Mediterranean climate and cultural diversity.
We are amateurs, professionals or absolute beginners, but we all appreciate learning about gardens and landscapes, sharing knowledge or simply having good conversations under the shadow of a tree.
Balearics Branch Head is Emma Bannister: read her biography here. Members and prospective members please contact Emma with questions, ideas, suggestions
Activities and challenges
Global warming is happening and these Islands can play and important role to exchange expertise. The increasing environmental protection is fostering their role as a scientific crossroad. For this reason, we are promoting educational activities in addition to garden visits, plant exchanges, botanical outings and other meetings. The aim of the Balearic branch is to promote the interaction and networking in a friendly atmosphere. Eveybody can observe, comment, ask and enjoy!
The photograph at the top of this page shows Finca d’Ariant, Mallorca. These waterwise gardens were created by former MGS President Heidi Gildemeister; her 1,000-hectare estate here has been made over to the Fundación Vida Silvestre Mediterránea - FVSM, dedicated to preservation of the rare black vultures. The MGS visited during the 2018 pre-AGM tour. Photo: Alisdair Aird.
For older reports and articles please check out the archived (non-responsive) Balearics branch page.
Versión española
Forthcoming Events
Saturday April 12 - Son Servera
The Field
Visit to ‘The Field - the new landscape created by Luciano Giubbilei and gardened by Artur Serra Costa. Watch a video of Luciano talking to the MGS about his garden on 27 November 2024.
Friday 16 May - S ’Arracó
Plant exchange and pruning workshop
Visit to an MGS member ’s mature, terraced garden in the SW corner of the island. Plant exchange and pruning workshop.
Sunday 18 May - Pollença
Unusual plant collection
Visit to an MGS members garden in a stunning setting. Highlights include many unusual trees, shrubs and perennials including a very impressive Ombú tree (Phytolacca dioica)
Friday 20 June - Cala Blava
Succulents
Visit to an MGS member’s garden with a ‘global’ succulent garden.
Emma Bannister writes: I am a Landscape Architect and I moved from the UK to Mallorca in the autumn of 2021 to build a passive house and create a dry garden (using Olivier Filippi as my guide) on a sheep grazed dead almond field near Manacor. It is early days; currently the rocks and existing carob trees are the highlights of the garden!
My active interest in gardening started in 1985 when I used to take my toddler to the Canberra Botanic Gardens and our rented house had a garden planted with Australian natives. We returned to England and inspired by the Lost Gardens of Heligan, I restored an overgrown terraced town garden in Northumberland. We then moved to Bath where I did a years gardening training with the Women’s Farm and Garden Association (WFGA), started a gardening business with two friends and then decided to retrain as a Landscape Architect. Before children, I worked in marketing and environmental management for British Airways.
In 2016 I created a Show Garden at RHS Hampton Court.
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN is the registered trademark of The Mediterranean Garden Society in the European Union, Australia, and the United States of America