I don’t really like roses, but I learned many years ago that, to be a successful gardener, you simply grow what grows well. Soil is the key to a good garden. The soil of southern Tuscany is mostly clay, with some sediment of tufa. Tufa is composed of calcium carbonate and silica. One prevelant soil-type in southern Tuscany is the famous crete sinese. The crete sinese is basically clay with a bit of pulverized rock salt and gypsum. It usually has a rich reddish-tan color and a course clay texture. Certainly clay soil is not the best growing medium for a garden, unless amended with organic material, but roses seem to love it.

*Rich Crete Sinese in the Foreground, Just Tilled and Ready to be Prepared for Planting a Winter Grass*

Roses thrive in this soil, and their robust growth is enhanced by the temperate climate of southern Tuscany. Even during the dog days of summer, the temperature tends to drop by 20 degrees in the evenings. While I’m sure a little fertilizer would go a long way to enhance floriferousness, fertilizer really isn’t essential to use in the crete sinese to produce fine, healthy plants. If anything could be added to this soil to amend it, I would recommend something to enhance drainage. There is always a risk with clay that it will not drain well during the rainy season. On the other hand, as southern Tuscany seems to become drier and drier every year, a good, strong rain is always welcome in the garden. Pests and diseases are rarely a problem, with good air circulation and plenty of birds, lizards, ladybugs and local vipers to eat whatever might want to munch on the roses.

The photos below are roses, blooming in the Fall, that were planted in the garden from 5-liter pots purchased the prior Spring at the local nursery.

Roses in Tuscany

Sculpture Exhibition at San Galgano