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

In article , says...

David Hill wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

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

Unfortunately I don't know of a "more appropriate group".
Do you?

Actually, the weather here (in eastern Tuscany)
is not that different from the UK or Ireland.

Tuscany is 10 degrees further south which must make a difference to
light heat and growing seasons; and Dublin is not known for its
scorching summer heat.

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).

Ah, the olive groves of Dublin...

Janet.

On 14/01/2014 14:04, Nick Maclaren wrote:
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.


Well the Catholic ones should do well.
I remember when I was in Rome for the 1960 Olympics there was a lot of
Persicaria affinis being used, esp. on the banks around the main stadium.
A very under rated plant I think.
David @ a yet again wet side of Swansea Bay

In article ,
kay wrote:

Sarcocca/Danae/Ruscus and periwinkle (Vinca) will form a solid
barrier in time, and will do better with you than in the UK or
Ireland. There may be other such plants, too.

I really wouldn't like to try to force myself into the middle of a patch
of Ruscus to get at some stray unwanted plants that had found its way in
(or do some maintenance work on the house)

Wimp :-)

Ruscus isn't more than scratchy - I wouldn't change out of shorts
to wade through it. But you might be someone who objects to
hairline scarring on your legs - I don't.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

sacha wrote:

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.

Thanks to you and all the others for the advice,
which I will read through carefully and see what is available.

The waste plot does not get very dry, at least in winter and spring,
and is reasonably sunny.
The house is in Anghiari, which is quite high.
Someone suggested nasturtiums might not grow here.
In fact my wife brought some seeds over from plants in Ireland,
and they grew like wildfire.
My impression is the the plants that people grow here
are more or less the same as in Ireland or the UK.
My wife is the gardener and has planted standard UK/Irish plants
in the garden, roses, jasmine, lavender, ceanothus,
ivy (variegated, not for me), geraniums, tulips, etc.
They certainly grow more vigorously than they would in Dublin.

The local garden centre (very good, I think, or at least very helpful)
advertise their roses as being British.

Sunflowers are a popular crop for the farmers round here,
though I am afraid tobacco has become more popular in the last 2 or 3 years,
I am sure due to some change in taxation or subsidy.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail: gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

On Tue, 14 Jan 2014 08:43:07 +0000, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Mon, 13 Jan 2014 19:24:49 +0100, Timothy Murphy
wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

Periwinkle would be evergreen, nasrurtiums annual.
Shrubs, I'd plant sarcococca.

Pam in Bristol

I did not see that the OP is in Italy, but I remember seeing in
Madeira in February a huge pile of rubble completely covered in
nasturtiums, with nothing else growing through.
Obvisously high ground in Italy does not compare with Madeira, but I
recalled it being good for waste land.

Pam in Bristol

In article ,
Pam Moore wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

Periwinkle would be evergreen, nasrurtiums annual.
Shrubs, I'd plant sarcococca.

I did not see that the OP is in Italy, but I remember seeing in
Madeira in February a huge pile of rubble completely covered in
nasturtiums, with nothing else growing through.
Obvisously high ground in Italy does not compare with Madeira, but I
recalled it being good for waste land.

Yes, but it won't prevent weeds from growing through it, unlike
periwinkle.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 15/01/2014 13:57, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Pam Moore wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

Periwinkle would be evergreen, nasrurtiums annual.
Shrubs, I'd plant sarcococca.

I did not see that the OP is in Italy, but I remember seeing in
Madeira in February a huge pile of rubble completely covered in
nasturtiums, with nothing else growing through.
Obvisously high ground in Italy does not compare with Madeira, but I
recalled it being good for waste land.

Yes, but it won't prevent weeds from growing through it, unlike
periwinkle.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


I remember looking at the nasturtiums in St. James Park last year. They
didn't get round to flowering much but the huge overlapping leaves would
appear to totally block the light for anything underneath them.

On Wed, 15 Jan 2014 15:04:56 +0000, stuart noble
wrote:

On 15/01/2014 13:57, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Pam Moore wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

Periwinkle would be evergreen, nasrurtiums annual.
Shrubs, I'd plant sarcococca.

I did not see that the OP is in Italy, but I remember seeing in
Madeira in February a huge pile of rubble completely covered in
nasturtiums, with nothing else growing through.
Obvisously high ground in Italy does not compare with Madeira, but I
recalled it being good for waste land.

Yes, but it won't prevent weeds from growing through it, unlike
periwinkle.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


I remember looking at the nasturtiums in St. James Park last year. They
didn't get round to flowering much but the huge overlapping leaves would
appear to totally block the light for anything underneath them.

I guess not flowering because the soil is too rich! They do best in
rubble!

Pam in Bristol

In article ,
Pam Moore wrote:
On Wed, 15 Jan 2014 15:04:56 +0000, stuart noble
wrote:

I remember looking at the nasturtiums in St. James Park last year. They
didn't get round to flowering much but the huge overlapping leaves would
appear to totally block the light for anything underneath them.

I guess not flowering because the soil is too rich! They do best in
rubble!

Probably. However, the leaves are transparent enough that some weeds
(not all) will germinate and grow above them.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 15/01/2014 16:16, Pam Moore wrote:
On Wed, 15 Jan 2014 15:04:56 +0000, stuart noble
wrote:

On 15/01/2014 13:57, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Pam Moore wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

Periwinkle would be evergreen, nasrurtiums annual.
Shrubs, I'd plant sarcococca.

I did not see that the OP is in Italy, but I remember seeing in
Madeira in February a huge pile of rubble completely covered in
nasturtiums, with nothing else growing through.
Obvisously high ground in Italy does not compare with Madeira, but I
recalled it being good for waste land.

Yes, but it won't prevent weeds from growing through it, unlike
periwinkle.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


I remember looking at the nasturtiums in St. James Park last year. They
didn't get round to flowering much but the huge overlapping leaves would
appear to totally block the light for anything underneath them.

I guess not flowering because the soil is too rich! They do best in
rubble!

Pam in Bristol

The summer was too late. Mine didn't flower either, despite germinating
in every nook and cranny.
I think I recall Monty saying one had strangled a mature box plant in
his garden. Formidable once they get going!