Bring the Wisteria of Tuscany home

The wisteria vine is one of the most beautiful, with its clusters of lavender or white flowers. It blooms in late May or early June in our area.

There are concerns if a gardener decides to plant this vine. The private garden called La Foce in Italy’s Tuscany section between Florence and Rome is an old established landscape. One day a week, the garden opens to the public.

Within the La Foce landscape there are several collections of wisteria, draping from an arbor or covering a pergola. Since the garden was planted between 1925 and 1939, the wisteria has had plenty of time to get established.

The main house is surrounded by a formal Italian garden, which is divided into geometric areas called rooms, lined with boxwood hedges along with lemon trees in terracotta pots. There are several terraces as one ascends a hill where cherry trees, pines and cypresses grow along with thyme and rosemary.

The spectacular view from the house showcases the valley of the Orcia and the Amiata mountain range. As you walk in the gardens, you often see a view of the valley as well.

The wisteria vines take your breath away. The plant, with dropping white or lavender flowers, is everywhere. It is truly a remarkable part of this garden.

Perhaps it is the fact that the wisteria vines are decades old that makes them so special at La Foce. At one time, they certainly were small plants that had to be cared for to present the show they do today.

“The best time to plant wisteria is in early spring. Try to get it before it leafs out if you can,” suggests Barb Pierson, the nursery manager at White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Conn. The size to start with is a large plant, perhaps three- to five-feet tall. A support is always needed for

this plant. The plant is frequently sold with a support already in the pot.

Wisteria initially grows slowly. “Don’t worry if nothing seems to be happening in the first season. The roots are establishing and not giving energy to the leaves yet. Be patient,” Pierson says.

It takes a long time for the plant to flower. “It is unlikely that you will have flowers before three years after transplanting,” Pierson says.

The wisteria vine needs full sun, but the most important demand is plenty of room to grow along a heavy support. The plants like to be pruned which promotes the flower buds.

The location of the plant is also crucial. “The best place to plant it is on pergola that is strong. Away from the house is best,” Pierson says.

Some gardeners prune heavily every year. The best time to prune is during the summer months of July and August.

“If you decide to plant it on a front porch, be prepared to tame the monster often,” Pierson says.

The wisteria at La Foce, planted in masses and away from the house on a pergola or arbor, provides a stunning part of the landscape, especially when you see the vines from a distance.