Reflections

 

 

My Garden in Italy - a jewel at the Riviera dei Fiori / Liguria

 

 

 

In December, 1992, I have found by chance this little spot: a garden, belonging to it a studio with a small bath room and a portico (an open hall as a passageway to the garden). I saw the old venerable house during its restoration. I was told that it had been a small cloister in earlier times. This I can well understand, because it stands beside the church of the small village, two kilometers away from the Mediterranean Sea. Although the garden was then full of building material, I felt something like love at first sight. Indeed, the room with the vault cover, belonging to the garden, promised to certainly become wonderful by the renovation. The other larger eight apartments didn't interest me.

 

This garden has developed during the past years into a small paradise. I am occupied for some days almost every month by maintaining the mainly exotic plants and by waiting for their blossoms.

However, my presence is also necessary to trim the plants and to prevent them from suffering of thirst. Also the oranges, tangerines, lemons and loquats (Nespole) have to be picked at the right time. The small, crammed garden, measuring not even 100 m², therefore needs my care urgently. It gives me well-beeing, I can keep myself fit with garden work and indulge in dreams....

 

More about this garden and its surrounding can be seen at

NEERI-ORCHIDS  (= my husband's homepage: see "in Italy")

 

Entrance with roses, behind it the portico (passageway)

 

Geranium and Aloe in the small front garden

 

View from the portico to the south into the garden

 

Outlook to the Mediterranean Sea

 

Bougainvillea / Italianita

 

Trumpetflower / Campsis radicans

 

under Orange- and Tangerine Tree

 

Löwenohr / Leonotis leonurus

 

Aloe in front of Tangerine Tree, at the left in the back Loquat Tree (Nespole)

 

Campsis radicans "Flava"

 

Trumpetflower/ Campsis radicans

 

Aibika / Abelmoschus manihot

 

Prunkwinde / Ipomoea indica

 

Ginster / Cytisus albus

 

Camellia japonica "Conte de Gomer"

 

Dendrobium-Hybrid

 

Anchusa italica

 

Aeonium arboreum

 

Lemon Tree

 

Climbing Rose

 

Aloe

 

Mantis religiosa

 

 

 

Adult Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis) sitting on Aloe leafs

 

more about the young Hylas of summer 2008:  

(some pictures with explanation in German)

Papilio podalirius on Lavender

 

 

 
 

More pictures of this Italian garden and the surrounding

(15 pictures in large format with text in German taken during the visit between Febr. 26th and March 4th, 2006)

 

By the way: I like visits!

Please get in touch with me to see when I will be in my Riviera garden - by  e-mail  I can be reached daily. Erika Rusterholz - photo of August 2009 (to enlarge please click on the picture)