Leaving my garden at Casa Debbio to come home to Australia is difficult. After watching it grow in spring, planting, weeding and watering I have to leave it behind for the summer.
This year, after a late spring dotted with snow, hail and lots of rain, the garden grew like Topsy.
This is what the entrance to the house looked like at the end of winter.
This is what it looked like a few months later.
The lavender is stunning. I love to walk along the paths early in the morning with the sun shining through the plants. Before I left the flowers were almost open. One day I will be there to see them in full bloom.
The weeping cherry is doing well this year. The wild goats didn’t come this year since wolves have been reintroduced to the area and the leaves are no longer chewed off to goat height. The peonies at the start of the driveway will be finished now, but they were amazing this year.
The terrace below the house is looking great. We lost a few plants to the tricky weather, but the replacements will catch up soon.
Roses, rhododendrons, peonies, delphiniums and ricotta flowers grew beautifully.
We have several fig trees which are covered with fruit, but this one is a favourite. It was caught up amongst lots of acacia and when we cut those down is began to grow.
The frassino, flowering ash, trees put on the best show this year. The mountainsides were dotted with these gorgeous white flowering trees. They don’t bloom every year, but this year they were spectacular.
Last year we planted lavender along the driveway to the house. This year it is waist high.
Wisteria is growing and may cover our pergolas this year.
The area beside the house is thriving. Wisteria is growing along the fence, my favourite peonies are doing well and our tomatoes, raspberries, kiwi and gooseberries are on the way.
I prefer to leave flowers in the garden but there were so many peonies this year I picked lots.
We planted grass in front of the house this year.
Behind the house the hydrangeas and peonies have doubled in size since last year. We have acanthus flowers, wild flowers on the old walls, forsythia and the beech hedge is coming along.
The house and garden have been left in Filippo’s capable hands. We are very lucky to have him. When I return in autumn it will be time to prune the 350 lavender plants, a job that I love doing. The fragrance is delightful and I find lavender flowers in my pockets for weeks afterwards.
Casa Debbio is available for rent and we have time left this August. Next year we would like to rent the house on a monthly basis. If you know someone who might be interested pass on this post. Anyone who loves garden will love Casa Debbio.