Expert: nick mccann - 9/12/2008

Question
Dear Nick,
I would be very happy if you could help me with choosing the plants for my terrace.
I live in house in the hill just outside Florence in Italy. I have a terrace where I need to put a pergola to create a shady area outside my house. The terrace faces south-east and the pergola will be about 4m by 4m. My idea was to plant Banksia banksia roses or banksiae lutero roses in containers on the terrace and have them climbing up and over the pergola.  The question is - Will the roses grow well enough and produce flowers, from containers? Will it be too hot for them on the terrace? In summer it can get up to 35° in August and september and the terrace has no shady areas. What other plants could I use? I need something which is evergreen. What about ivy or Trachelospermum jasminoides ( which grows well in general in this area)?  

Thank you very much.

Meryn

Answer
Hi Meryn, Roses will do fine in this condition, but you must assure that the containers are mulched over so the soil doesn't dry out to quick, and remain cool; I don't know the climate zone in Florence, but if it is warm enough, Bouganvellia  might be a good choice, but they can't handle winter temps below freezing. I am assuming you want a flowering effect, so another good choice would be Mandevilla or Allamanda, but again, I need to know your climate zone....Nick:)