Italian Gardens
Imagine a fresh, clear-watered pool that contained water clean enough to drink yet also full of water lilies, rushes and a complete ecosystem living harmoniously together. Not only does the ‘ecological’, ‘biological’ or ‘natural’ swimming pool take all the complications out of the swimming pool building process, by avoiding […]
Ever stumbled out in the morning from an all night party, only to find that your beloved Hostas or zucchini have been ravaged by a ravenous group of slugs and snails? Well, if you have – you may have, like so many others, immediately sought revenge in the […]
Wild Artichoke. Ph. Thistle-Garden on flickr (flic.kr/p/fzK7mH) Along the side of the motorway, at the edges of fields and on scruffy wasteland, the most majestic of all of Italy’s wild flowers reigns with nobility. Cultivated Artichoke Protected by the sharpest and most aggressive of spines, Cynara cardunculus has […]
UPDATE, NOVEMBER 2015. The two best parks in Italy for 2015 have been announced: they are the Giardino di Ninfa for the private parks category and the garden at Villa Medici in Rome for the public parks category. “The most beautiful parks in Italy” competition has arrived to its 13th edition in 2015. […]
Italian Gardens: Tradition and Beauty People from the world over visit formal Italian gardens, i giardini Italiani, known for their grandiose yet tranquil ambience. Be it one of the finest Italian Renaissance gardens at Villa Lante in Rome, the renowned garden surrounding Palazzo Giusti with its cypress-lined avenues, or the […]
Anyone who was lucky enough to witness the infamous “Chelsea flower show”, in Spring in the heart of London, will have witnessed the unprecedented increase in the use of vegetables in the ornamental garden i.e. pea plants growing, delicately up wrought-iron supports, ornamental pumpkins and squashes sprawling, boldly through […]
Art Topiary in Italian Gardens: Villa Lante, Bagnaia. Ph. flickr/Roberto Ferrari Italian garden design has always adopted the use of art topiary to establish strong, evergreen structures. From the origins of the Italian style gardens, designers have shaped evergreen plants into both symmetrical, obtuse and representational forms to […]
Harmonizing Planting in Italian Gardens The effect of light and shade is a major component of Italian garden design and is known as the ‘Chiaro-scuro’ effect. As one passes under a dense tree canopy or under a pergola, smothered in wisteria, one experiences differing concentrations of light. This light to […]
Useful Information on Growing Rosemary in your Garden Rosemary, that great Italian culinary herb that is listed in every Italian recipe, an aromatic herb that is used in almost every dish from Scotland to Rome. How though, does one grow the stuff? If you have ever created small herb garden, […]
Colour Schemes for Italian Gardens bee on lavender Ever wondered why a field of bright red poppies look so stunning against the light green grass of a Tuscan field in early summer, or why the deep blue flowers of the Florentine flag Iris look so spectacular set against their spiky, […]