Where to get classic English & Italian Style Pots
Bob Atchison - Pallasart - Hagia Sophia
last year
last modified: last year
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (8)
Related Discussions
My Italian Garden Tour
Comments (9)Thanks for the pictures. Would you be thinking of Iris Origo? I think she wrote several books about her life in Val D'Orcia. If I remember correctly, she lived in the area near Siena. However, I believe she was married to an Italian. Considering that my father's parents were from Collodi, I've been very remiss in not visiting the Garzoni Villa. The last time we were there, the gardens were "in restauro". By the looks of your photos, they look much better than in past years when we would peak in, and then postpone a tour for another time. We've never been to the Villa Massei, but several years ago a friend from Lucca took us to see Villa Bernardini, and another Villa near to it where an American writer lives (she wasn't home). I think they were south of Lucca, in the foothills. Last year, we finally visited the Villa Pfanner inside the walls of Lucca. Although not for me, I am beginning to appreciate how my grandparents' decorating and gardening taste and style were shaped - very formal. I would love to see Villa Massei. Glad to see that you also went to Umbria, whose reputation is "greener and prettier than Tuscany", which I suppose the Tuscans dispute. LOL....See Moremediterranean/Italian style garden
Comments (5)I don't garden in your climate zone, so can't offer specific advice on what mediterranean plants will be hardy enough for your area. Firstly, Italian gardens are mediterranean climate gardens, so they are simply one form of medit garden. Medit gardens often do use hardier subtropicals for effect, but these will typically need supplemental summer irrigation to get them through the long summer dry season; up to 8 months long here in California, usually at least 6 to 7 months long in most of the Mediterranean proper. Mediterranean gardens will all typically emphasize plants adapted to this winter growing climate with a long summer dormancy period. This tends to favor evergreen trees and shrubs with foliage that is adapted to conserve moisture. As a result, we have lots of plants with waxy small leaves or grey hairy leaves, both protections against moisture loss. Succulents are actually not well represented as native plants in most true mediterranean climates, although there are many South African plants such as Aloes, Ice plants, and Agaves and Sedums from temperate parts of Mexico that are now well represented in Mediterranean climate gardens around the world. As to a style of Mediterranean garden for your climate, the Italian approach with lots of clipped hedges, a water feature, use of gravel as groundcover, and primarily evergreen trees and shrubs might be easily replicated in your local climate. Perennials such as Lavender, Rosemary and bulbs might be possible in your climate, but many will not take zone 5 conditions. The Italians are famous for growing many more tender classic plants such as Bougainvillea, Citrus, Oleanders, Gardenias, etc in beautiful terra cotta pots, which can be taken into enclosed greenhouses/conservatories for the winter. This may be an option for you as well if you have the room indoors. It would probably be more practical to try locally hardy plants that replicate the look, and will tolerate your mostly full shade conditions. As the typical mediterranean garden is usually associated with full hot sun, shaded areas in the gardens are usually reserved as retreats from the sun, and given over to patios under a grape arbor with a collection of shade tolerant container plants such as clivias, Boston ferns, Cymbidium orchids and the like. There are plenty of good photo books on Mediterranean gardening and gardens, try looking for some in your local library to get style ideas. Some of the classic plants in almost any true Mediterranean area garden would include Olives, Figs, Almonds, Myrtle, Lavenders, Phlomis, Rosemaries, Oleanders and Cistus, along with Boxwood hedges. In the mildest parts, this would also include Bougainvillea, palms, Aloes, Jasmines, Passion vines, Bird of Paradise/Strelitzia, Proteas and succulents such as Agaves, Beschornerias, Echeverias, etc....See MoreA more english style rose with Stephen's Big Purples color?
Comments (22)Hi Mrs T. My WS2K is new to me this year I bought it late spring as a bare root from the DA website. I potted him up in a 10 gallon nursery pot. Within a month it was completely leafed out and full of buds. After that first flush, it quickly set another set of buds. I am really impressed so far. The growth is upright but not real big yet because I think its been too busy blooming lol. I had my eye on this rose for a couple years and I'm so glad I finally ordered it. Right now I'm really obsessed with quartered-shaped roses and this one is consistently quartered. All my dark purplish reds are way more pink in my summer heat. WS2K is pinker than it would normally be in cooler weather in the photos. My dark purple reds like Munstead Wood and Young Lycidas darken up nicely in cooler weather. Its already been 100F a few times and humid..WS2K didnt skip a beat, as far as flower development - even in a black pot in full sun. It would probably do even better in the ground but we have nematodes here so he will probably stay in a pot....See MoreWhich countertop and floors for English-cottage-style kitchen?
Comments (49)Thanks, everyone! You've given me a lot to consider. Here are the main things I'm going to be looking at possibly changing: -- I'm going to take one more look at seeing if I can find natural materials for our countertop and flooring. There's apparently a place an hour away that has some quartzite and light-colored granite countertops and also limestone floors, so we'll see if we can go next week. I do agree that natural = more timeless, but it has been so hard to find natural materials that I like and that will be easy enough to care for. If I *can't* find anything I like with one more trip next Friday, then I'm just going to go with the tile I found and one of the marble-look quartz countertops I've been considering. -- I'm going to consider possibly adding a softer edge to the Shaker cabinets. Our cabinetmaker has some modified Shaker options. -- I'm going to ask the cabinetmaker if he can add legs to the cabinets so they look more old-fashioned. -- I'm going to consider using a more cottage-y style tile for the backsplash. (Thank you to Petula for recommending Winchester Tiles!) I did also love the idea of checkerboard floors, but because we have an oddly-angled transition from the hardwood, I don't think a checkerboard floor (which generally looks best installed diagonally at 45 degrees) would look right with that transition. I also love the soapstone recommendation, but I think that would look best if we were going the checkerboard floor route...See More- Bob Atchison - Pallasart - Hagia Sophia thanked sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
Related Stories
ARCHITECTURERoots of Style: Where Did Your House Get Its Look?
Explore the role of architectural fashions in current designs through 5 home styles that bridge past and present
Full StoryECLECTIC HOMESHouzz Tour: Classic Spanish Style Gets a Modern Edge
Rounded curves, modern furniture and vintage ads mingle beautifully in a 1930s Los Angeles home
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDES15 Ways to Get the English Cottage Look
Look to nature, inexpensive fabrics and small swaps to conjure a country-house vibe
Full StoryTRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURERoots of Style: Your Home May Have a Renaissance Classical Past
If Georgian, colonial revival or Italianate details are in your house's mix, you might have the 15th century to thank
Full StoryTRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURERoots of Style: Italianate Architecture Romances the U.S.
With its towers, cornice details and more, Italianate homes have been enchanting Americans since the 19th-century romantic era
Full StoryTRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURERoots of Style: Classical Details Flourish in 21st-Century Architecture
Columns, friezes, cornices ... if your home has features like these, it may have been influenced by ancient designs
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNGet the Look: California Wine Country Garden Style
Design your garden for laid-back outdoor living inspired by Napa and Sonoma
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNGet the Look: New England Garden Style
Stone walls, clipped hedges and flowering borders contribute to this traditional look
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESGet the Look: British Colonial Style
Mix a far-flung empire with adaptive travelers and what do you get? The ultimate blending of global styles at home
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNGet a Mediterranean-Style Garden Even Far From the Sea
Some lavender here, a water feature there, and your garden just might feel transported to a balmy seaside locale
Full Story
Bob Atchison - Pallasart - Hagia SophiaOriginal Author