The beautiful Italian province of Tuscany has landscape filled with wild-flower meadows, twisted olives and tall conifers silhouetted against an azure sky.
Terracotta-tiled farmhouses, in earthy shades of ochre, muted gold and dusky pink, with their vine-covered pergolas for outdoor summer family gatherings, combine perfectly with the hilly landscape.
It is easy for South Africans to recreate the Tuscan mood in their own gardens. Both places have relatively mild winters and hot, sunny summers, so many Mediterranean plants grow easily here. In addition, many of our indigenous plants, as well as Australian plants, have a Mediterranean “look” and blend well with Italian plants. An extra benefit is that most are water wise.
Tuscan style
In large garden, plant up borders of water-wise Tuscan-style plants and add a vine-clad pergola beside a terracotta patio. Large conifers such as the Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens “Stricta”) can be used to great effect.
Concentrate colourful perennials, annuals and bulbs in containers on the patio. In the borders use plants with contrasting foliage – dark green, grey and yellow are the most appropriate. Aim for an informal country garden look.
In a small garden, choose smaller trees and shrubs, for example, small, upright conifers such as Juniperus scopularum “Skyrocket”. Consider replacing tiny lawn areas with a gravel garden, with plants growing through the gravel.
Appropriate accessories are a patio tiled with terracotta or flagstones, a creeper-covered pergola, and an Italian-style fountain. Café-style furniture is a hallmark of chic Tuscan style, whereas wooden furniture is more rustic. Terracotta containers and urns add to the look.
Tuscan-style plants
Evergreen trees: Columnar conifers, citrus, palms, strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis & cvs.), carob (Ceratonia siliqua), Melaleuca bracteata “Revolution Gold”, olive, yellow wood (Podocarpus henkellii)*, holm oak (Quercus ilex).
Deciduous trees: Sweet thorn (Acacia karoo)*, silk floss (Albizia julibrissin), Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum), leopard tree (Caesalpinea ferrea), pompon (Dais cotonifolia)*, persimone (Diospyros kaki), lavender tree (Heteropyxis natalensis), pride-of-India (Lagerstroemia indica), plane (Platanus x acerifolia).
Large shrubs: Agave, bird of paradise (Caesalpinea gilliesii), powder puff (Calliandra selloi), bottlebrush (Callistemon spp. & cvs.), dodonea, grevillea, pride-of-India (Lagerstroemia indica), bay (Laurus nobilis), Eleagnus x ebbingei “Gilt Edge”, pittosporum, plumbago*, polygala, raphiolepis, Cape honeysuckle*, viburnum, westringia.
Small shrubs: Anisodontea “Lady’s Pink”*, marguerite daisies (Argyranthemum cvs.), rock rose (Cistus spp.), confetti bush (Coleonema spp.)*, Dietes spp.*, euryops*, felicia*, grevillea, lavender, Melaleuca bracteata “Golden Gem”, Murraya exotica, pelargoniums*, rosemary, santolina, roses, sage (Salvia spp. & cvs.).
Perennials and bulbs: Agapanthus*, arctotis*, gazania*, daylilies, bearded iris, statice, Osteopermum spp.*, wild garlic*, anemone, ranunculus and tulips.
Climbers: Mexican blood trumpet (Distictus buccinatoria), bougainvillea, grape vine, mandevilla, petrea, climbing roses, Port St John’s creeper, sky flower, star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), wisteria.
Annuals: Go for bright colours like calendula, Californian poppies, red poppies (Papaver rhoeas), snapdragons, pansies, nasturtium, marigolds, salvias, petunias, verbena, verbascum and zinnias. - Saturday Star
* indigenous