Gardens that startle the visitor
Decorating
An Italian perspective on Gardening
An Italian garden to produce fresh organic vegetables for the table.
Italian Gardens and the Glowfly
Glow flies in Italian gardens
The Dahlia in Italy
A Stunning Floral Symbol of the Renaissance The Dahlia has been used in Italian gardens as a fine cut flower from the Renaissance onwards, however, it is also as strong a symbol of the discovery of the Americas as is the tomato, potato or the pineapple. A plant from the […]
Grass Lawns in Italy
Making a Lawn in Italian Gardens There can be nothing more disturbing for me as a garden designer than the sight of a green, English style lawn, in Italy. Ever since the onset of expensive computerized irrigation systems Italy has begun regarding the “English lawn” in Italy as […]
A History of Venetian Glassmaking
Major Events in the History of this Art Form The origins of glassmaking in the area of the Venetian lagoon date very far back in history, with the first reliable reports of activity placing this art form in the 8th century. However, many centuries had to pass before the artisans […]
Italian Butterfly Garden
How to Attract Italian Butterflies into Italian Gardens One of the most spectacular sights in Italian gardens has to be the European swallowtail butterfly flitting, effortlessly over lavender, buddleja, valerian or any other nectar-providing flower. This large and beautiful butterfly is a master of the air and glides from flower […]
Italy and the Mulberry Tree
In almost every authentic Tuscan garden one can find an ancient Mulberry (or ‘Gelso‘ or ‘Moro’) tree, with a large canopy and very thick, gnarled trunk. This curious tree can grow for eighty to a hundred years or more and in Tuscany the mulberry’s large canopy is always pruned drastically […]
Treasure by the Roadside
Italian wild plants and herbs Nothing evokes the coming of Spring more than the scent of wild flowers and plants. About a year ago, I happened to drive to my grandparents’ village for the first time during Spring in decades. Here, in the lovely, mellow rolling hills of the Alessandria province, […]
Irises in Italian Gardens
How to Use Iris Flowers in Italy Members of the Iris family (Iridaceae) have sprung from almost every country- and every corner of this world can boast at having its own variety. But surely for most it must be Italy that springs to mind as the month of April arrives, […]