Regular guest blogger Clean.Living.Clare has been on her travels, and in search of plants, what else!?
I was lucky enough to spend a few days in the Adriatic jewel of Venice last week. Famed for its beautiful palaces, endless bridges and emerald canals, this city has to be on everyone’s bucket list.
Whilst there, I thought I should check out what plants I could find within this magical city.
With a staggering 20 million visitors a year, spending time in a space just over 4km east to west and 2km north to south, space is tight! So, at first glance, any flora is few and far between.
Any Venetians lucky enough to own enough space to have a garden (albeit small), keep it under lock and key (and high walls) to keep us pesky tourists out and I can’t blame them. There are the odd gardens open to the public (entry fees apply) such as at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Grand Canal, or Ca’Zenobio’s garden in the Dorsoduro district.
However, if you look that little bit further than the tourist trap, you will see that there is flora all around you.
A cute Mandevilla brightens up this ancient nook
Pretty window boxes
Look above the eye line and you’ll be surprised what you can find
Beautiful wisteria dripping down over the walls of the Grand Canal
If you want to escape the tourist-trap shuffle, which is unavoidable for a lot of the year, then there are public gardens to visit a little further afield. Giardini Papadopoli, near to Piazzale Roma offers an oasis of calm. If you are looking for a bit more space, then take a visit to the Napoleonic Giardini Pubblici located in Castello, although if your visit coincides with the Biennale, it might be busier than you expect!
The islands within the lagoon are a great way to go in search of green spaces. Tourists are still plentiful but certainly a lot less that you’ll find in the hotspots of Venice itself.
By heading even further away from the tourist crowds, I found just what I was looking for! A visit to the island of Torcello not only delivered amazing 11th and 12th century Byzantine mosaics, but also green space and gardens!
A garden on the island of Torcello
If you’re a plant lover then you’ll always be on the lookout for some plants I’m sure. Venice certainly won’t let you down, although you’ll have to hunt a little bit!
Question is, did Clean.Living.Clare manage to stay that way during his weekend break…? Find the answer in her latest blog!
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