I am at Casa Debbio waiting patiently for spring, to begin planting the terrace below the house. I am also waiting for Rocco and Filipo to build a low fence which will form part of the new garden.
Here is my sunrise this morning.
We are 600 metres above sea level here, so it is a bit cooler than Bagni di Lucca. There are few signs of spring in the forest around Vergemoli.
If you look closely though, there are signs. This may not look like much to you, but I am thrilled to see it.
It is a bud on my magnolia tree in front of the house. We cut the pine trees last year and I planted the magnolia in the hope it will eventually supply shade over the terrace where we have lunch.
I love mufloni, the tiny wild goats that live in the forest around us, but the little devils have eaten all the leaves of my camellia and have been picking at the rhododendrons. I will have to fence the plants until they get a bit bigger.
I wish my bright bird would frighten the goats.
My wild daffodils have come up.
The ones I planted are appearing.
Some tiny ones have appeared in a pot. (I forgot about these)
Here are some of the plants I have started buying for the new garden. I am going to need about 100 lavender plants, some azaleas, roses, peonies, hydrangeas and anything else that will fit into my pink, lilac and white theme…there is some work to do.
This afternoon I watched a bright orange helicopter, that looked like a dragonfly buzzing around, fly backwards and forwards to the river below Vergemoli. It seemed to be picking up long poles and delivering them somewhere in the mountains.
It isn’t much of a photo, but it took a slightly different route each time and would appear where I wasn’t expecting it.
Buds are appearing on my fruit trees and my weeping cherry is about to flower…I can’t wait to see that.
I will show you the transformation that will happen here in a couple of weeks.
This terrace behind the house will turn green any day now. The hazelnut, chestnut and cherry trees will have leaves and blossoms. There will be a carpet of blue flowers and lots of wild flowers. My neighbour tells me that people have been find truffles all over our area. Maybe we will find some.