You're right, Z. aethiopica is the hardiest, and the variety 'Crowborough' the hardiest of all. All require very moist soil. The only problem in a pot might be the risk of the pot freezing in winter - the need to keep the plant fairly moist increases the chances of this happening, so if you can provide some sort of protection for the pot during winter, worth a try.

I agree with Bamboo. Don't know what temperatures you get in Bologna in winter but do I know that one January in Firenze I was amazed to see some heavy frosts. But you shouldn't have too many problems growing in the ground. But, as Bamboo says, if you must grow in a pot and are likely to get frost then do protect it.

Hi Gattina - Z. Aethiopica is a very popular plant in SW France, where you often see swathes of it in peoples gardens. Temperatures there can go down to -15°C, although some French labels state that it will not survive less than -8°.

Thank you so much everybody! Given what you say, I think I might try giving it a go. Z. Aethiopica sounds like the right choice, although I am a tad concerned about the "moist soil" bit of the equation. Hey, I can water it, can't I?
It amuses us when people are surprised that we get low temperatures out here, Sarraceniac - It's not all sunshine and ice-creams, you know! We live about 1,650' up a mountain and get winters 6 months long, with deep, deep snow, often starting in November (not this year, thank goodness) and it has been know to still be hanging around at the beginning of May. We watched the weather news from the UK last year during your "salt" crisis, and although it sounds horribly smug now, we just thought "What a load of wusses! All this fuss and only a few inches of snow, when we regularly get snowed in, have to bribe the council snowplough driver each year to dig us out on a regular basis, and carry snowchains in the car by law from the beginning of October until April." Even down on the southern tip of Italy and in Sicily, snow is not that rare. Our weather does tend not to be nearly as damp, year round, as your does, though.

Every year we have snow and every year we don't expect it! :-)

There's the difference, Andrew, every year we have snow, and very luckily for us, every year our council is ready and waiting. If there is a heavy snowfall overnight, by daybreak the roads will have been cleared and gritted. We are mightily impressed, as you can imagine.

Same here! We were amazed when driving South to visit my daughter one January, and on approaching the Sierra Navada range near Madrid saw at least 12 snow ploughs parked at various places near the roads. No snow - but they were ready for it because it happens every year at some point. Just as it does in Britain - as you say Andrewr - but it always seems to catch the Councils by surprise, then they claim it's the "wrong kind of snow" in an attempt to excuse their tardyness.

I grew one of these last year for the first time,Gattina..not sure if it is the same variety as the one you want,but there is a pic on my photo's..page 4 ,last one on top row,in July..and info on growing method...It isn't hardy here,so when the floiage died down,I took it out of its pot and dried it off,like tuberous Begonia's,and Dahlia's..now inside somewhere dry and frost free...and hoping it survives for next year..maybe this will be helpful...:o)

Thank you, Bloomer - it looks the same, doesn't it? Is yours perfumed at all?

No, its not the same, Gattina - Bloomer's one (having had a look at the picture) has spotted leaves - any Zantedeschia with spotted leaves isn't hardy. 'Crowborough' has leaves which are plain green.

I grow mine as a marginal in a pond along with astilbes, hostas and lobelia cardinalis. Every autumn , i move them deeper into the water so the crowns are about 4" below the water surface. This gives them perfect winter protection and they come up each year

Thanks Bamboo..I didn't know all spotted ones weren't hardy..so I might buy a plain green one,at some point..most helpful,both to me and Gattina ...

I must say, though, as Andy says he grows his in water, I've seen them in a friend's pond (Crowborough I mean) and they are magnificent grown as a water plant.

I think I'd better dig out a pond, then, especially since I particularly like all the plants you mention, Andy. How big a pond do you have to accomodate all those?