On my travels up and down the Campos and many many window boxes later, it seems that mainly succulents and Cacti thrive. The walls of the Calle (narrow lanes) are so high they sometimes block light and for much of the year there is little rain to keep them watered. Ideal for such plants.
The Venetians have to be a little bit experimental too to adorn their property with the green stuff. I loved some Ivy which, although only in a pot, had been trained to climb a wrought iron window covering. Art in a pot.
We made it to the biggest public garden at the Arsenale end of town but we are so spoilt in the UK with our gardens that it was a little underwhelming. Having said that, any green space in a city is good and what can top looking through trees to a glistening lagoon of blue? What Venice may lack in plants, it most certainly makes up for in beauty, architecture, atmosphere and water, water everywhere. Just stunning. The Rialto market provides many fresh fruit and vegetables, all grown on a separate island within the lagoon and imported by boat. The Asparagus and Artichokes were so fresh and I did cook a Courgette which tasted DIVINE!
Back to reality and today at work it was such a beautifully sunny day. The joys of Spring! We achieved a lot. We planted Broad beans, Radishes (grown and hardened off in modules), Peas (netted and protected from the dreaded pigeons with pea sticks). We released the Japanese tea house from its Winter shutters and planted out Wall flowers to nestle amongst Tulips in pots. It all felt pretty good today, progressive, moving forward once again.
