Salvador Dalí's '60s terrace embodies the Spanish landscapes that inspired a generation of modern artists – now, Mediterranean gardens are trending again

Archival images of the surrealist painter's terrace show the cypress trees, olives, and limestone that exemplify the Costa Brava – it will never go out of style

Salvador Dali in black and white against a window
(Image credit: Terry Fincher/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/ via Getty Images)

The landscapes of Cadaqués, a town in the Catalonia region of Spain, have a special place in art history. Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, and Gabriel García Márquez all spent time there, with the native plants inspiring many of their works. It only makes sense, then, that surrealist painter Salvador Dalí owned a home in the area.

The terrace on his home in Port Lligat in the 1960s embodies everything that makes this part of the Costa Brava so beautiful.

Textured planters filled with cypress, olive trees, and bougainvillea sit at various heights across the travertine tiles. Native grasses line the edges of the home. The whole look is backed by the minimalism of his limestone and terracotta home. It's practically a masterclass in Mediterranean gardening.

salvador dali in his spanish garden

(Image credit: STILLS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

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The beauty of this garden style has power long beyond the scope of the 60s; it's emerging as a popular garden trend for 2025. For instance, Google data shows that ‘Mediterranean garden ideas’ are up 53% in the past three months. This is largely due to its aesthetic and practical appeal.

Ali Wooldridge, garden expert and co-founder of luxury outdoor furniture company Gardenesque, explains: 'A Mediterranean design will not only be low maintenance and drought-tolerant, but its palette is both light and heat reflecting to keep you cool throughout the heat. These qualities can also create the illusion of a bigger space, meaning it can cater to both large social gatherings, as well as being a calming retreat to relax in all summer long.'

salvador dali in his spanish garden

(Image credit: STILLS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Luckily, creating a Mediterranean garden is just as simple as its color palette.

Ali suggests: 'Warm earthy tones, such as terracotta and burnt oranges, as well as rustic stone, will transport you to the Med. Add these tones through a water feature, garden seating or dining sets, or pots and planters for a simple yet impressive effect.'

salvador dali in his spanish garden

(Image credit: STILLS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Summer container planters are the perfect vessel to bring these plants into your garden.

Ali explains: 'Italian terracotta pots are perfect for this style of garden, as the authentic clay gives a beautiful, iconic, washed finish. Terracotta pots are not only a classic Mediterranean feature, but their hard-wearing qualities will ensure your garden will have a touch of the Med all year round.'

She continues, 'You can even top the pots with gravel or pebbles to hide the soil to create visual interest, or covering with moss can also give a Mediterranean feel.'


Salvador Dalí's garden is the perfect inspiration for creating a stunning, timeless outdoor space. As Mediterranean gardens grow ever more popular, these images will never leave our minds.


Sophie Edwards
News Editor

Sophie is a writer and News Editor on the Celebrity Style team at Homes & Gardens. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly passionate about researching trends and interior history. She is an avid pop culture fan and has interviewed Martha Stewart and Hillary Duff.

In her free time, Sophie freelances on design news for Westport Magazine and Livingetc. She also has a newsletter, My Friend's Art, in which she covers music, culture, and fine art through a personal lens. Her fiction has appeared in Love & Squalor and The Isis Magazine.

Before joining Future, Sophie worked in editorial at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens brand. She has an MSc from Oxford University and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.

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