RE: PLANT HARDINESS

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Peter, try this link:

http://www.virtualitalia.com/articles/garden_zone.shtml

It list the hardiness zones that correspond to our USDA climate zones and hardiness, but for Italy.  It says your new house is going to be in Zone 9, which is where I am.  You can grow just about anything that doesn’t freeze at 30F or will come back.  I grew up in California where summers are regularly over 100F and frankly, 40F feels pretty darn cold to me in the winter, so I would say that Italians and Californians feel the cold more.  Most Mediterranean plants will do just fine during the winter in that, even citrus grows around here.  Fortunately, the tough leaves that make so many plants drought tolerant, also help them survive the occasional light freeze.  You will be high enough up that, depending on your sun exposure, you will undoubtedly have some lightly frosty parts of your garden, but not to worry.

Good Luck – I am jealous!

Karrie Reid

Folsom Foothill Gardener

Zone 9 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu] On Behalf Of Peter Thurman
Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2006 3:32 AM
To: medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
Subject: PLANT HARDINESS

 

Dear All

I have recently joined the MGS and this forum and have a question.

My wife and I live in East Sussex in England but have just bought a house in Italy.

It is 650m above sea level and 5km north of Lake Bolsena in Umbria

Our builders tell us that it is very cold in winter and we will need to have a good heating system.

When I asked if that meant we couldn’t grow plants such as Oleander (Nerium) they said “Oh no, they will grow fine here”.

But, we can’t grow Oleander in rural Sussex (I’ve seen it outside in London recently).

So my question is are the builders right or wrong or is it just that Italians feel the cold more?!

 

Peter