On 2014-01-14 14:04:08 +0000, Nick Maclaren said:

In article ,
Martin Brown wrote:
On 14/01/2014 13:05, David Hill wrote:
On 14/01/2014 10:32, Martin Brown wrote:

As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would
be the answer

You sure about that? His footer claims he's at Trinity College Dublin.

The email address used for the first post is @ alice.it

I took that to be a cute munged address that happens to end .it

He says in his follow up post

Actually, the weather here (in eastern Tuscany)
is not that different from the UK or Ireland.
Surprisingly, annual rainfall is greater here
though it rains less often but heavier.
As far as I can see the plants that grow here are much the same as in
Dublin
(though I am no expert).

Going by the Dublin link it could well be that there will be periods
when there will be no one to water the plants.
But as always we are given minimal information in the first instance.

In which case drought tolerant Mediterranean plants that have waxy or
hairy leaves and tolerance of whichever direction the plot faces.

Er, no. Many of those seriously dislike being wet in winter, and
would thrive in Tuscany only in very well-drained soil or at least
partial rain shadow. Others are more catholic.

Astonishing how people can ask for advice without giving any of the
essential information like location, aspect or climate isn't it?

No. Not everyone is expert enough to know its necessity.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I'm pretty sure he's posted before, also about the Italian garden, so
he may not have thought that necessary. As to watering, I daresay he
knows it will be needed and perhaps he has a kindly neighbour or a
gardener! The pretty and mat-forming, so less invasive, Vinca minor
Gertrude Jekyll would be pretty. Ugni molinae might do the job and
would provide edible (by humans) berries and Raymond wonders if grasses
have been considered? But whether it's shady or sunny will make a
difference and it would certainly help to know that. Hostas might do a
good job there in shade or dappled shade.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon