PROFFESIONAL LANDSCAPING
When planning a new build or garden renovation, it’s easy to focus on walls, floors, and interiors while leaving the outdoor space as an afterthought. But without a well-designed landscape, even the most beautiful home can feel incomplete.WINTER PLANTS
The new year is now firmly underway, and whether you’re thinking of a refresh of your garden or want to bring some colour into your home, now is the perfect time to start.ICONIC PROJECTS
As the year draws to a close, we take this opportunity to look back on some of the wonderful projects we’ve had the pleasure of designing in 2024. Each one has been an opportunity to bring unique visions to life, blending creativity, functionality, and a deep respect for the natural environment.SUSTAINABLE GARDENS
Living in Marbella, we’re fortunate to enjoy a gorgeous Mediterranean climate – year-round sunny skies, warm breezes, and of course, the long, hot summers. But when it comes to gardening, that sunshine can be a challenge, especially if you’re aiming for an attractive, colourful landscape without the constant worry of watering and upkeep.EFFICIENT IRRIGATION
Following droughts and water restrictions over recent years, it is the responsibility of all of us to make sure we are watering our gardens as efficiently as possible. Here are some tips and guidelines to help you navigate watering schedules and municipal rules effectively.EDIBLE GARDENS
Our focus is on edible gardens, a concept that redefines luxury as the ability to harvest and enjoy one’s own produce.LIGHTING 2.0
Drawing inspiration from the dramatic scenery and lush landscapes of Marbella, our approach is to design gardens that are not just green spaces but experiences to be enjoyed by all the senses.MUST HAVES
In the heart of design, where creativity dances with nature, we, at La Manera, would like to share our best tips on how to transform your garden into a little paradise of tranquillity and style.LUNCH IN THE GARDEN
Just imagine a flawless lunch arrangement in your cherished garden. Your favourite dishes, adorned table with exquisite plates and cutlery—all in place. As you settle down, nothing can disturb the tranquillity of this perfect moment.THE REMARKABLE OLIVE TREE
Olive trees are renowned for their striking, silvery-green foliage and gnarled trunks, which add a touch of Mediterranean elegance and charm to any garden and landscape.AROMATIC GARDENS
Aromatic and herbal gardens hold a special place in our hearts for multiple compelling reasons. While their visual appeal is undeniable, their enchantment goes far beyond mere aesthetics.NEW TRENDS
Gardens have been many different things over time – a welcome green haven for some; an ornate manicured work of art for owners of grand homes; a lifestyle extension to a villa or even a value-added feature in terms of style, investment and quality of life. A garden is the feature that is the first calling card of your beautiful home, the place where your children can safely run around and play, a comfortable area to socialise and relax.DRAMATIC ENTRANCES
Many an architect, interior decorator and landscaper learned to work with space, light, colours and decorative designs in ways that take your breath away upon entering a property, and it’s an art that is as old as the house itself.PRIVATE OASIS
Your garden should be a private oasis; a place where the family can relax, entertain and enjoy fresh air in an ambience of natural beauty and wellbeing.SMALL GARDENS
Having a serene, green area with fresh air and open views adds value and above all quality of life to a home, regardless of whether it is located in an urban, country or suburban setting, but not all properties offer the same space.INSPIRATION
Imagine saying that all food, music, art and architecture are the same? Well, landscaping is the natural form of architecture, and it’s every bit as rich and varied.TIGHT BUDGET
Indeed, many landscaped grounds are gorgeous albeit beyond the reach of most, but we’re here to tell you that while a large budget naturally doesn’t hurt at all, you don’t need one to create a wonderful natural space for yourself.CHILD-FRIENDLY GARDENS
With all the focus on making gardens beautiful, stylish and an added-value accompaniment to the architectural and visual impact of your Marbella property, it is sometimes overlooked that children are in many cases their main users.FRAGANCE AND COLOUR
A garden is much more than a green space, a tamed bit of nature that forms an extension of the home’s living spaces as well as a buffer between nature and the human zone.ZEN GARDENS
Well, in essence a Zen garden is built on a time-honoured Oriental tradition of harmony and balance in an area of transition between the inner house and outer surrounding.FRAMING VIEWS
Views are a very important consideration when choosing a property, and nowhere is this more so than on the Costa del Sol, where sea views, golf views and country and mountain views are such a prominent feature and add so greatly to the region’s unique quality of life. Add the wonderful climate and long outdoor season—and the connection between gardens and views as part of the Marbella lifestyle becomes clear.SMART GARDENS
We’re used to smart gadgets by now, ranging from phones and televisions to even kitchens and entire homes, but have you heard of ‘smart gardens’?EXTERIOR KITCHENS
In Marbella, many luxurious villas and apartment complexes also feature tennis and paddle courts within their groundsENHANCING YOUR GARDEN
Summer is almost upon is, and now’s the time to get your garden ready for ultimate seasonal enjoyment and those long sunny months when the Costa del Sol becomes the place to be.NEW LIGHTING SYSTEM
You see, not only does it have an effect on the kind of lighting and ambience created, as well as on energy consumption, but voltage has practical and safety connotations.MAINTENANCE
When we speak of maintenance the focus is usually on the house itself – keeping the structure and technical infrastructure of a property to a high standard, as well as the state of the home’s interior and exterior upkeep in general. However, as your garden often surrounds your home or at the very least forms an important part of the living space it offers you, good maintenance of the garden and other outdoor areas is also an integral part of a home’s state of health and its appeal.PRIVATE GARDENS
It is a place where we can safely step outside and take in some fresh air, and thanks to the decreased amount of traffic on the roads, the air we are breathing is much cleaner than it has been for some timeGARDEN FURNITURE
It’s a joyous reawakening, and if you’re decorating a new home or thinking of giving new life to your garden and terrace, then now is the ideal time to start thinking about some outdoor decorating.BENEFITS OF NATURE
The Norwegians use an expression: Friluftsliv, which is an amalgamation of the words for free, air and life, but it is probably best translated as ‘outdoors lifestyle’.TROPICAL GARDENS
Marbella is an upmarket resort town that stands out for its climate, setting and lifestyle, and while the properties and amenities on offer here play a central role in this, the greenery that surrounds us in this beautiful corner of Europe cannot be underestimated either. Whether it’s the natural scenery that surrounds us or the private oases we create in our own gardens, both form part of what makes Marbella so special by providing gorgeous green zones in which to enjoy peace, privacy, spectacular views and enjoy the wonderful climate while relaxing, entertaining or exercising in the pool.NEW STUDIO
The family-run landscaping company that has a proud history of creating living works of art not just in and around Marbella, but also in other regions of Spain and abroad.CONCRETE AND PAVEMENTS
Beyond the expected greenery, flora and soil, the relatively grey materials of concrete and paving can be utilised to add genuine aesthetic appeal to any garden, no matter how large or small. There are also few green areas, whether private, residential or commercial, that wouldn’t benefit from a feature using rock or stone.LANDSCAPE DESIGN FOR HOTELS
In fact, hotel landscaping is fascinating in its own right, for while it tends to involve working on a significantly larger scale than on a private garden, there is far more to it than that. It involves far more, as the look, functionality and nature of a hotel is completely different.MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
Planting a garden on the Costa del Sol needs to take the climate into consideration. To start with, there are months of hot sun with no rain, but that doesn’t mean the only plants that will survive are succulents, such as cacti.XEROPHYTIC GARDENS
Using Xerophytic plants in your garden is the ideal way to ensure an attractive, low-maintenance and drought-resistant garden that looks great and cheerful even at the height of summer! It may sound a somewhat exotic name, and indeed, the term comes from classical Greek, but Xerophytes are in essence a family of plants that have evolved to live in environments with little water.VERTICAL GARDENS
The growing popularity of including a vertical garden within old and new property developments is not just a fashion fad, nor the inclusion of a feature that is merely aesthetically pleasing.WATER ELEMENTS
The gentle sound of low courtyard fountains soothes the ear, and adds to the feeling of coolness that the fountain’s water already gives us. The relaxing sound of water, whether from fountains, water gullies or handrails, invites us to feel more at peace and in harmony with the environment. The Nasrid Dynasty, great masters in the art of using water, brought their skills to Andalucía during the period of Moorish rule.LANDSCAPING AND SALE
First impressions are important when selling a property, and before any buyer sets foot inside your home, they will see its exterior and the garden. Showcasing your garden in the best possible light can therefore not only ensure a sale, but add greatly to the value of the property.VEGETABLE AND HERB GARDEN
Starting a vegetable and an aromatic herb garden, which some refer to as ‘backyard gardening’ is simple with the help of La Menara, and we believe you’ll be delighted by the benefits it can bring you.PATIOS & CORTIJOS
A skilled landscaper will use the home or other structures as a starting point, a fountain of inspiration for his or her designs, blending the natural design with the manmade elements so as to enhance and accentuate the architecture as well as allowing it to blend into the overall surroundings.LA MENARA
Today there is no reason why beautiful landscape designs cannot also be sustainable and in harmony with their surroundings. Not inclined to simply repeat the same designs, we approach each project as an individual creative process that begins with the land’s setting, orientation, gradient, drainage and a host of other characteristics that not only enhance the final visual impact but also easy (low-cost) maintenance, enjoyment and environmental credentials. Put differently, we work hard to reflect the essence of the spot and transform it into a uniquely engaging and beautiful place to be.
