When I worked in Tuscany as a professional gardener, the summers were relentless. Often, it was 100°F (40°C) by mid-morning, not exactly the dream conditions for a little spot of weeding. But one thing that helped ease the pressure was incorporating dependable, heat-resistant ground covers that have evolved to handle the Italian summer without a worry.
Take creeping thyme or prostrate rosemary, for example. Both aromatic, both lovely to look at, but crucially, both unbothered by scorching heat and a lack of rain. No irrigation, no fuss. Just silver-green foliage creeping calmly over gravel, shielding the soil and handling the heat.
