Next week I will leave hot, steamy Brisbane for Europe. As usual I will stop in Helsinki on my way to Italy. I am hoping for snow in Helsinki. They have had quite a bit lately, so I could be lucky.

Bagni di Lucca has had lots of rain and some snow this winter, which is great. 2017 was a very dry year and if this continued there could have been serious water issues. I hope the rain continues for a while.
There should be some daffodils on my balcony at Ponte a Serraglio when I arrive.

I am very keen to get up to Casa Debbio to start work on the garden. Filippo has prepared some beds on one on the lower terraces for artichokes in my absence. They will be the first things planted this season. I am hoping to have these by the end of summer.

I put in lots of bulbs in autumn so it will be interesting to see how many come up. We have porcupines and they are known to enjoy bulbs. I have never managed to get dahlias to grow and I suspect the porcupines may be responsible.
I love the winter views from Casa Debbio. This is what I can expect.


I hope we get some snow.

 

 
Spring comes quickly once it starts and soon my garden will go from this



…to this.




If all my peonies come up I will have 60 plants this year. They are my favourite flower and I’m sure there will be room for more. I have different types and we have flowers from April until June.


This year I will plant annuals so we have colour all through summer.
We will be working hard to get Casa Debbio ready for summer rentals. We think the house is the perfect place for an authentic Italian experience. Vergemoli is a gorgeous mountain village. There are few tourists and the people are delightfully friendly. Our guests are made welcome at the many village parties throughout the summer.
Casa Debbio is a short distance from the village and the only sounds we hear are birds and the occasional wild goat. Sometimes, if we are lucky our neighbour below turns on his music and the hills echo with tango music. Sisto is now in his 80s and his music has delighted the village and surrounds for decades.
Let me know if you or your friends would like an Italian holiday in the gorgeous Tuscan mountains this year.