11875 Gardening

Hi Paul I don't know of you realise there are two groups on the Forum where you might be able to post your query and find advice. "Northern Tuscany" and "Gardening" Both groups are run by Gala Placidia. Also Carole B lives even further north and one of her passions is gardening so she too I'm sure will be able to help you.

Hi Paul. As Sally pointed out, we have a couple of groups which may interest you as there is quite a bit of information there already, particularly "Gardening", as "Northern Tuscany" is a very recent one. Both are public groups, open to anyone interested in those topics.
It is a bit difficult to give advice without knowing more about your location, size of garden, special needs, etc. One advantage that we have in that area is the fact that we get a good amount of rain, so plants seem to thrive.
One piece of advice that never fails is to look at your neighbours' gardens and you will easily find out what grows very well in your area.
There are a few good nurseries in the area, although I do not know if they have any English-speaking staff.
If you tell us a bit more about what you want to do with your garden, we may be able to help you more effectively.
We look forward to hearing from you.

Dear Gala,
Many thanks for your email.
My garden is in Partigliano, about 14 km north of Lucca.The area is about 1/3 of a hectare facing south. Originally it was a small vineyard but the vines have been cut down and the roots will have to be removed.
I intend to stone an area for sitting and would like some plants that would grow around large stones to soften the space. The rest of the garden would be mostly grass with screen planting along the road side.
I would like some feature planting and intend to plant a couple of cypress trees and a few olive trees. I would like to plant lemon trees but a friend told me that they would not survive the winter. Do you think this is true ?
I would be grateful for any help you could offer.
Many thanks
Paul

Hi Paul,
Lemon trees may be a bit of a problem. Some members do grow them in pots but they move them inside in winter. Other fruit trees such as cherry trees grow well in the area. Olive trees and cypresses also grow without too many problems.
For softening the rockery and from the top of my head I can already tell you that rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis and there is a low-growing variety called Rosmarinus prostratus) and lantana (Both Lantana Camara and Lantana Montevidensis) should do very well and they need very little maintenance. Just some pruning to keep them in shape.
For edges, laurel does very well.
A couple of plants that you may consider as it has a lovely scent and I have seen it growing very well in the are are jasmine and the Orange trumpet creeper (Pyrostegia venusta). They flower at different times of the year so they complement each other. Ivy in general does well.
As I said before, the Gardening group may give you more ideas. We have discussed lemon trees extensively and also ground covers. And you can always ask questions, a few of the members are real experts.
Good luck and happy gardening!

Hi Gala,
Many thanks for your help and your time.
This will be a great start for me and will help in planning my work.
I will let you know how I get on.
Best regards
Paul

Hi Paul- below is a list of good doers Ive found grow well in a similar area,also check out the Mediterranean Garden Society who have members all over Italy and some near Lucca I believe. Another must, Beth Chatto's Dry Garden,all species roses-try a trip to Rosa Barni in Pistoia wher youll also find a garden to wander around for tips..terracing is a good idea -for structure and irrigation. Generally all herbs and grey leaved plants.A yes for olive tree on South Facing but a lemon I would put in a giant pot unless you have friendly neighbours willing to check the tree all winter outdoors which would have to be wrapped in horticultural fleece..put the pot in a cantina over winter if you have one - oh and good luck growing grass !

Phlomis,lavander,salvia,curry plant,santolina,verbena bonariensis,artemesia,valerian,perovskia,solanum glasnevin,agapanthus,rosemary(try Tuscany Blue),rosa moschata,jasmine,buddleia...
shas

Hi Paul-a link
[url=http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/about.html]About the MGS[/url]
shas

Dear Shas,
Many thanks for your help and info on the MGS this has been very helpful
Best regards
Paul

hi, i need a good gardening site to refer too,, can anyone suggest me?

Now I wonder why 112inky, who in another post says they are in India....wants a good gardening site to refer to...........?? Perhaps inky can be more specific?

[quote=Paul Mc Ateer;113263]Hi,
I am about to rotovate and replant my garden which is situated on the hills north of Lucca. This is a holiday home so I won't be able to tend the garden too often.Can anyone suggest suitable plants that do not require constant attention and will survive the summer months.
Many thanks[/quote]

You should definitely look for a book by a close friend of mine - Olivier Filippi, a nurseryman in the South of France ([URL="http://www.jardin-sec.com/"]Pépinière Filippi[/URL], near Montpellier) who specializes in plants from and adapted to the mediterranean climate. The English translation is called [I]The Dry Gardening [/I][I][I]Handbook[/I][/I]. On these pages he discussed lots of wonderful plants that are well worth growing and very well adapted to Italian climates. He also ships all around the Mediterranean. Olivier does not believe in irrigating ornamental plantings - just selecting adapted species, planting them with the fall rain, and letting them do their thing on their own! He would be your best bet for a care-free planting.

[URL="http://MediterraneanGardenSociety.org/"]The Mediterranean Garden Society[/URL] has lots of information about climate appropriate gardening. And there is an active Italian Branch. They also produce a quarterly Journal that is written by those who live in the same type of climate, professional and amateur.