Flowers of Tivoli

Tivoli is situated to the east of Rome, this area was popular from ancient times onward with Rome's moneyed classes, who built summer retreats in the area.
Villa d'Este built in 16 century occupies a stretch of hillside below Tivoli with spectacular views over the plain towards Rome. The most striking part of the Villa d'Este is its terraced garden with shady trees, fountains and plants.
Maybe some of you, my friends, have been to Villa d'Este or have seen the film 'Three coins in the Fountain' and will recognize the garden's places.
When I had been strolling in the Villa, went out to the balcony of grand facade and saw the gardens. It came as a sudden surprise. I'd seen a number of paths and stairs that led down through the slopes to fountains surrounded by shrub roses and irises, citrus trees with ripening oranges and lemons, calla blooming in fountains.
Now I want to show you pictures that you would be able to imagine beauty of gardens, to hear a sound of cold running water. 
 

I liked numerous plants that flowered there in May, because the weather was not yet hot and bright greenness decorated fountains and alleys.
Many climbing roses grew along the warm southern walls of the villa. This early flowering surprised me, because we have no roses in bloom in May. The scent of roses was felt from a distance.

 
During this May week-day gardeners were doing their job with trucks, shovels and shears. They were picking up fallen leaves and wilted flowers, trimming lawns, cleaning garbage off the fountains. The most valuable varietal potted roses were directly put in urns. I liked how gardeners carefully treated plants.

I've read a lot about the gardens of the Villa De Este in Tivoli, and decided to go there no matter what kind of weather would be.

Tivoli is easy to reach from Rome, and the Villa D'Este is a two-minutes' walk from the bus stop. I was lucky with the weather, it was warm enough without wind and rain. The trip in a local bus was pleasant too so that nothing has spoiled great impression of the fountains and flowers. 

Here is my video about gardens of Villa D'Este:

 

GBBD in Mid-Ausust 2016

Happy Garden Blog Bloom Day! 

The summer is in full swing, where have flown June, July to? I'm wanting to stop some summer moments to recollect them in long dark winter months. I love every morning watching my garden bathing in sunshine or rainfall, or moving under wind.
Now I show you my plants in mid-August. The four pond water lilies are flowering, and the last one is a yellow Nymphaea. Isn't it a beauty?

This year gladioli bulbs aren't well in bloom, I think they are too old, I need to exchange them or grow new ones of 'kids'. This one gladioli is my favorite, very old bulb. What is your experience in growing gladioli?

Hostas  near the pond as always bloom well, Asian lilies decorate my front garden.
New rose (don't remember a name) survived this winter and blooms quietly between tuja and geranium. Phlox, clematis 'President' and monarda weren't damaged this winter as well and are in bloom along the path to the patio. By the way only 2 of 6 clematis survived, it's very pity. 

Verbascum grows near the fence and it hadn't been seen because of the blackcurrant bushes. Right now its lemon-yellow flowers appeared highly.

And what a treat to see this tiny fuchsia that started to open buds. It looks like a little ballerina :)

I hope you, my friends are enjoying summer, I wish you warm days and a few rains!

A Set of Veggies for Borsch

Here is August, a time when I finally see harvest in my small vegetable garden. Today I have picked up veggies for borscht (beetroot soup): these are 2 beets, 8 young potatoes, 2 carrots, celery and a few pods of peas.
I've planted potato for the first time and I'm glad having young potatoes for borsch, they aren't big but it's not necessary a lot.
Beetroot is also not big, it will continue growing until September, so now I've taken the 2 biggest ones.

Pea is excellent this summer, the pods are full of sweet peas. I'll tell you a secret: I bought a pack of dry pea in a supermarket and sowed it instead of to buy expensive colorful packets of pea seed in Garden center.  
Last year I planted a big thick carrot and it gave me million of seeds, now I have carrots grown from my own seeds. So I do not need to buy carrot seed some years :D

I've noticed a very pretty zucchini on a bed near the green house, maybe I'll use it for my borsch too. 

Red and blackcurrant berries were completely picked up and now wait for my 'sokovarka' (casserole with special arrangements for obtaining juice from fruit when heated over a fire). Then I'll make jam or jell from juice and sugar. 

At the right below is blueberry, that grow in the woods and it was picked up 2 days ago. I want to freeze some and to make jam of the rest of berries. Blueberry jam needs more sugar than blackcurrant one. I love cooking the blueberry pie on winter holidays.

That's all for now; mushrooms, gooseberry, blackthorn and cucumbers are in a queue. 
Do you have any crop in your garden now or later? What do you do of it?