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 […]
Italian Restaurant Decor While the standard image of Italian restaurant decor revolves around chequered table-cloths, images or statues of grapevines or of major Italian tourist attractions, the truth is, restaurants in Italy are decorated in diverse ways. It all depends on the provenance of the cuisine being served, and the […]
Tips on Mediterranean Garden Style The Italian Peninsula is long, as I’ve mentioned before. It runs from cool mountain ranges in the north (the Dolomites), which host wild azaleas and delphiniums- to scorching, baron, almost desert like terrains in the south, hosting some spectacular wild cacti and succulents. This, essentially, […]
Gardens in Italy Jonathan Radford’s Approach ecoLogica: How many times have we found ourselves breaking our backs in the garden, in order to sustain our dream of creating and maintaining a perfectly green and ordered, ‘English-style’ garden, convinced that we are getting closer to nature in the process. The difficult […]
A Look at Armani Casa and Missoni Home Collections Esteemed Italian fashion houses are quickly working their way into the realm of home fashion and furniture. Many have realized that the same clientele that buys their clothing and accessoriese each season is seeking a style for their entire lifestyle including […]
Light fixtures that speak of art and create atmosphere Before discussing lamps and other lighting devices that in Italy represent a vast area of artistic production, it may be of some interest to the reader to be informed that the attention to detail in home decorating in Italy extends to […]
How Italian Gardeners Use The Moon Since time began human beings have been fascinated and bewildered by the presence of the ever changing ephemeral moon that has been a constant presence and sensual mystery in the night sky. From when humans began cultivating their own crops they noted the subtle […]
Jonathan Radford’s Approach ecoLogica How many times have we found ourselves breaking our backs in the garden, in order to sustain our dream of creating and maintaining a perfectly green and ordered, ‘English-style’ garden, convinced that we are getting closer to nature in the process. The difficult tasks performed to […]
Italian Inspiration for Newborns If you have a little one on the way, consider taking inspiration from two of the enchanting places in Italy when decorating your baby’s nursery: Tuscany and Venice! A nursery inspired by the hillside towns and countryside landscape of Tuscany is the perfect haven to relax […]