Hi Nollie, I am down in South West France in Haute-Garonne. Similar climate to yours. Have you looked at the evergreen Euonymus? These should do well, as they are fine in my garden. They can tolerate good pruning and clay soil.
Hi Floralies, Would love to hear what else grows well for you if we have similar conditions! I did inherit a huge Euonymus, pale green with cream edges, that’s about 4m high and nearly as wide in another part of the garden so yes it grows well here. I rather like the look of the burning bush variety that would contrast well with the pale stone wall and maybe be less rampant in a border. By dark foliage I guess I was thinking initially thinking purple or black for maximum contrast and to offset the fiery colours of the hot (colours as well as temperature) perennials I have just ordered, but am open to all your sound suggestions. I do have one sad looking peach tree, Wayside, that suffers in the winter cold and wet. Summers are way hotter than I thought, up to mid 30’s. Thanks all for giving me so many options I didn’t know existed, now I just have to make a decision and work out where and how to get it!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I did want to mention this plant which may be suitable, I'm not sure, but it has that dark foliage you desire. Sambucus 'Black Lace'. Elders tend to be easy and grow almost anywhere including dry conditions. I grew it on a dryish bank site. For me it would grow into a large shrub, so I can't quite fathom the height given on this link as 1 metre, that's not my experience. 6 to 8 foot at least, even small tree like, but easily pruned. http://www.french-gardens.com/plants/sambucus.php
Hibiscus do well here. I tend to grow a lot of Salvias and Hemerocallis, also Oleanders do well unless the winter is very severe. Would a Campsis trained on the wall suit?
Another one to add to the list, thanks Marorena. So far I have whittled it down to the following three to try:
Pittosporum Tenuifolium Purpureum - the favourite, love the purple foliage and flowers Euonymus Alata Burning Bush - great fiery colour, should cope here Physocarpus Diablo - lovely dark foliage, but for the part shade furthest end of the hot border where hopefully it won't bake to a crisp and the white flowers won’t clash too much. I also like the Amber Jubilee for a protected area near a pergola.
I have found a French online nursery - jardiplante - which can deliver all three, or four, or.... 😀
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
...and also thanks Floralies, I would be cautious about Oleander because one of my dogs is a bit dim and chews everything but the campsis might work here, if it could take my sometimes cold wet winters. I love salvias, have some and plan to grow lots more!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Posts
http://www.french-gardens.com/plants/sambucus.php
Pittosporum Tenuifolium Purpureum - the favourite, love the purple foliage and flowers
Euonymus Alata Burning Bush - great fiery colour, should cope here
Physocarpus Diablo - lovely dark foliage, but for the part shade furthest end of the hot border where hopefully it won't bake to a crisp and the white flowers won’t clash too much. I also like the Amber Jubilee for a protected area near a pergola.
I have found a French online nursery - jardiplante - which can deliver all three, or four, or.... 😀