Gardening in Italy

This special "guest gardener" segment is brought to you by the whole country of Italy! 😁

Yes, one year ago today we had the unbelievable privilege of getting on a plane bound for Italy for 10 incredible days!
So crazy what has happened there in the year since. 😞 I'm hoping they bounce back quickly knowing that people just can't stay away from that gorgeous place!

So much to see and do!


While there, husband took pictures of art and architecture and I took pictures of.....

..... weeds. 😆

I just wanted to show that they have the same weeds we do! I felt so connected!


Although their dandelions are a bit different 😄

It's crazy - you'd be walking through the streets of Rome and in between the sidewalk and building or in a crack overhanging the Venetian canals  -  little bits of life peeking out!

I have hundreds of this same looking weed clogging my gardens all year!

I also took endless pictures of people's balconies, stoops and roofs because it seems that every residence and even businesses have potted plants - sometimes even trees!

Trees on balconies were common!

One neighborhood in Rome had lemon trees lining the street!

In the middle of a square near Roman ruins - beautiful arches!

Or above a cafe - glorious garden on a balcony!

Every balcony overlooking this canal in Venice has flowers!

 And we turned down a deserted little street and found this magnificent hotel entrance!!

Or got lost (intentionally) in a Venetian neighborhood and suddenly popped out from narrow lanes into this wide open courtyard!

There were many beautiful flowers blooming while we were there including poppies everywhere!
Lining the railroad tracks on our way out of Rome...

We took a day trip to the coast and got to hike through the fields where I was in awe that they are farming and gardening on these man-made terraces on cliffs!

That's not landscaping for postcards.....they are actual, working farms!

Our bus ride there also yielded views of the endless Tuscan farms, orchards and vineyards...they're known for their excellent soil, so agriculture is in abundance!

And then there were the Boboli Gardens at the Pitti Palace in Florence!

Ooooohhhhhh, I could have gotten lost in there for days!
Absolutely huge and absolutely gorgeous!

The delicious freshness of the food is testimony to their gardening and local sourcing lifestyle. And yet again I am amazed by the amounts of green found everywhere in these large cities overseas...come on, America, get it together! 😞

Well, for my part, I'll just have to enjoy my own little slice of accidental / imperfect paradise and fondly remember the gorgeousness I was able to enjoy overseas!