[Santa]

Hello all,

I'm new to the MGS forum and am incredibly impressed with the fantastic amount of knowledge to be found here. I have a very specific issue that I'm hoping for a little help with.

About three years ago I moved from the Costa Blanca to Brittany. Having never shown any previous interest in gardening I found a sudden passion for it here. Next month my family and I are returning to the Costa Blanca and I would like to take a number of my treasured collection of plants. However gardening there is a very different prospect to here in our very Northern European climate and acid soil and I'm not sure how kindly some of my plants would take to the transplantation.

I'm happy enough with roses, yuccas, phormiums, salvias, crocosmia, gaura, trumpet vine and Russian sage making the move, but I also have:

Hydrangea macrophylla
Rhododendron Cosmopolitan
Canna
Asters
Dahlias
Echinacea
Lilac
Hebe
Fucsia
Pieris

Can anyone suggest how would be best to proceed?

Thanks in advance!

[David Bracey]

Take the lot and suck it and see.  You will be surprised how many mediterranean plants benefit from a Northern climate including Gaura, Miscanthus, Cercis, Hebes, Pieris, Hydrangea,Lilacs, etc . 

[David Dickinson]

Hi,

I don't have a garden but I do grow canna in pots with success. I have to water them as they are in pots. The water is very calcareous. There are lots of cannas around in parks both in the ground and in tubs. How much water they get, I have no idea. Summer average temperatures are 35°C and occasionally 40°C with little rain from Jun-Aug. So, certainly give those a try.

As for hebes, they are regularly sold here but I never see them on balconies. This suggests that, like my attempts, they are not suitable. Mine were very quickly infested with scale insects and succumbed within weeks.

Good luck and post us some pics of the "before and after" type as you develop your garden