However, by far the best soil type for growing the ‘classic’ Italian plants like the olive, lavender and most other Mediterranean plants is a free-draining, poor, rocky alkaline soil, the type which one would generally find near the coast.
A plant that is growing in the wrong soil will soon display signs of suffering through stunted growth, yellowing leaves and general poor performance. The key to gardening well in Italy is understanding the important effects that soil type and pH have upon the plants that you plan to plant. Therefore, it is essential, to establish this before embarking on planning the plants for any Italian garden project.