The thought of designing Italian style patios maybe daunting for most people, however if a few guidelines are followed we can easily suggest a strong Italian theme in our gardens. We should aim to create a shaded patio area near the house, where we can sit and dine ‘al fresco’ […]
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 […]
Written By: Jamie Sue Austin Terracotta in modern settings Terracotta also finds itself in many architectural settings. Once limited to base relief and frieze decorations terracotta has expanded into modern settings with strikingly modern designs. This fireplace by Sergio Valenti ( see our Terracotta Gallery ) mimics 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 […]
Filigrana a Retortoli was first mentioned in a petition for a patent in October of 1527. Filippo and Bernardo Serena, glassmakers from Murano, explained in their request a new method that employed bands of twisted threads and they hoped for a grace period of twenty-five years to protect their innovation […]
History of Murano Glass, part 2: The raw materials used in Venetian glass during the Renaissance differed slightly from their competing Islamic counterparts.
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. […]
The art of Murano glassmaking certainly has a very long and interesting history. The Art Of Italian Glasswork – Past, Present, And Future The Roman Empire introduced glassmaking in the form of vases, vessels, and bottles to the continent of Europe, over 2000 years ago. Its Fall led to a brief […]
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 […]