Penelope Cruz’s 2000s Mediterranean-Style Planting
In 2026, climate-resilient gardening is in. No one wants to spend hours and hours of time, energy, and money filling their garden with plants only for unprecedented heat to turn all of their greenery instantly brown. Thus, clever homeowners are turning to consistently arid regions, like the Mediterranean, for planting inspiration.
California, where extreme weather has been the norm for years, has been especially good at planting for dry conditions, and Penelope Cruz’s former Hollywood Hills home is the perfect guidebook. Photos of the property where the actress lived from 2005 to 2011 showcase a gorgeous Mediterranean garden, complete with palm trees, banana plants, and ornamental grasses. The beautifully arched greenery is a gorgeous complement to the smooth angles of her Spanish-style home.
It demonstrates that beyond being practical, drought-tolerant planting can be the chicest choice for your home.
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Penelope Cruz’s Spanish style home in Hollywood Hills, 2006
(Image credit: Alamy)
To explore this phenomenon further, Homes & Gardens spoke with Peter McDermott, gardening expert at YouGarden, to get to the bottom of how we can take inspiration from gorgeous Mediterranean planting to make our gardens more resilient. We also curated an edit of plants and tools inspired by Penelope Cruz’s front garden. From effective shears to fan palms, here’s everything you need to emulate her timeless style.
Recreate Penelope’s Look at Home
American Plant Exchange Windmill Palm Tree
This premium windmill palm tree is carefully grown and shipped by experienced nursery professionals to ensure top quality. Cold-hardy and adaptable, it thrives in USDA zones 7-11, making it a versatile choice for many climates.
If you don’t have a Spanish-style home yourself, a terracotta planter like this angular one can help recreate the energy. It’s especially striking when paired with pretty tropical plants.
Live Bird of Paradise Plants
If you want to add an absolutely showstopping plant to your tropical display, there’s no better choice than the bird of paradise. Climate permitting, their sculptural blooms are absolutely stunning.
Create a lush, living backdrop with the Green Giant Arborvitae, a fast-growing evergreen that brings structure, greenery, and natural privacy to your garden. Its rich foliage remains beautifully vibrant year-round, while its elegant upright form creates a striking screen without requiring constant upkeep.
Natural stones help to keep Penelope’s outdoor design looking balanced. If you don’t want to commit to expensive hardscaping, this stylish planter is an easy way to bring the aged charm of stone into your garden.
Keeping tropical plants pruned is the hack to keeping this drought-tolerant look manageable – and these curved-handled pruners are perfect for accomplishing the task. Expert-approved and ergonomically designed, they’re a must-have.
Peter tells Homes & Gardens: ‘People often come back from holiday wishing they could recreate that Mediterranean look at home, and the good news is that many of the plants we associate with Spain, Italy and Greece actually do surprisingly well, particularly during warm summers. The secret is choosing plants that are naturally adapted to sunnier climates. Once they’re established, many require less watering than people think and can help create a garden that feels like a little escape abroad.’
As we see in Penelope’s yard, many of these arid-climate-friendly plants are actually trees. For instance, symmetrical king palms behind the house give her low home a sense of drama and height. This same effect is replicable in any home.
‘Palms create immediate impact and can transform a garden into something that feels much more exotic,’ advises Peter. ‘Phoenix palms and fan palms are particularly good options for sunny, sheltered spots and are becoming increasingly popular with gardeners.’
Fruit trees, like Penelope’s banana leaves, are especially effective because they offer both visual and aromatic benefits. Peter states: ‘Container-grown citrus trees, figs and bay trees are brilliant for adding fragrance, texture and a real Mediterranean atmosphere. They work particularly well on terraces and patios where people can enjoy them up close. In fact, this has been our strongest-ever year for citrus tree sales since launching in 2011, with lemon trees proving the standout favourite. We’ve seen lemon tree sales increase by 613% year-on-year on TikTok Shop, which suggests more people are looking to recreate that Mediterranean feel at home.’
Planting a climate-resilient garden doesn’t have to mean compromising on style. With careful planning and an eye to the future, planting like Penelope Cruz’s is well within reach.
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