Lockdown continues at Casa Debbio and will do until at least 4th May. My garden is the thing that makes this staying at home bearable. Last week I planted pansies between the new hydrangeas along the driveway.
Muffloni, wild goats, have nibbled a few since they were planted, but a couple of nights ago they pulled them all out and tossed them down the hill. They also kicked one of the logs at the edge down to the next terrace. Then one of them left the regular message in the form of a black poo on my doorstep. You have to laugh!
Wisteria is growing well over the pergola, the purple more quickly than the white.
A couple of evenings ago one of my peonies began to open.
The next day it opened along with its neighbour.
The ricotta flowers are growing. Soon they will turn creamy white.
The blue sky makes a stunning backdrop for the ginestra. The Judas tree is flowering on the top terrace.
The ginestra won’t be in flower much longer. The forsythia is already getting its leaves.
I had to buy these lovely petunias.
For lunch yesterday I made cauliflower fritters, delicious. Gardening, cooking and Netflix…lockdown continues. We had a tiny bit of rain last night so I didn’t have to spend most of the day watering.
This stunning wisteria is growing on a house in a nearby village. I drove past on my way to the supermarket last week. I hope mine is as impressive as this in a few years.
How is lockdown going for you?
Beautiful images. As Italy’s stats are declining, ours still increasing … but flattening in some areas. Time will tell.
By: aFrankAngle on April 14, 2020
at 7:36 pm
I hope you stay safe! Things are a bit of a mess right now.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:38 am
The wisteria is so pretty. And those cauliflower fritters look delicious. I’ll have to look up a recipe for those. Thanks for posting your lovely photos. Damn those mean goats!!
By: laura on April 14, 2020
at 7:39 pm
I can send the recipe to you. The goats drive me nuts!
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:39 am
Goats seem to be Arden enemies. They do not seem to like lavender or hydrangeas. And amongst herbs, one of my favorites: sage. Chopped sage with extra Virgin olive oil is great with ravioli or cappelletti.
By: Mulino Dominillo on April 14, 2020
at 7:53 pm
The goats don’t eat lavender, rosemary, peonies, wisteria and a few other things we plant a lot of. Rhododendrons are supposed to make them sick, but it doesn’t stop them chewing mine. They eat my roses, but mostly they seem to survive. I can’t have azaleas at all. Only one camellia has survived, the others all got eaten. We were told not to bother planting grape vines. We have to wrap the trunks of all fruit trees as they like to strip the bark…the joys of living in a forest with wild animals.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:43 am
Hi Debra, I am really enjoying your blogs from way up in the mountains, a place we know and love. Stay safe and well, cheers Gordon ________________________________
By: Gordon Templeton on April 14, 2020
at 8:07 pm
Thank you! I hope you are safe and well.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:43 am
Hi , what is the latin name for your ricotta flower?
By: Jane on April 14, 2020
at 8:10 pm
In one of the comments below I see it is a Viburnum, sometimes called snowball tree. Mine have grown much bigger than I expected them to. We prune them each year, but they have grown tall.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:45 am
Stunning images, as ever. And how do you make your cauliflower fritters?? I got given a cauliflower, and I normally find them a bit boring…..
By: Sue on April 14, 2020
at 8:25 pm
I will send you the recipe I found. I added peas because I like peas.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:46 am
Oh, brilliant, thanks…my email should be on my ‘about’ page
By: Sue on April 15, 2020
at 9:16 am
The wisteria is getting quite lovely! We are doing ok here in Pennsylvania – not sure how much longer our shelter in place order will stay in effect. But we have food, TV, books and sewing & quilting, so it’s all good ☺️
By: sheilasunshine on April 14, 2020
at 9:02 pm
We have to make the best of this situation! Stay well.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:46 am
OH DEB your garden is such a delight to follow.It is interesting to see the changing seasons and new growth & your wisteria is so beautiful. Those awful goats, tell them if they continue like this you will be checking out recipies for goat stew.
By: Camillus Davall on April 14, 2020
at 9:28 pm
I trust not!
By: Irene Hay on April 14, 2020
at 9:49 pm
The garden is a delight. I hope we get some good rain soon to make it even better. I just want those goats to go away. There is plenty of new growth out there in the forest for them.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:48 am
Hi Debra. A few weeks ago I asked you about your ricotta bush as I hadn’t heard of it before. Now that I’ve seen the photos though I realise it is a Viburnum. I have a huge one growing in my garden in the Southern Highlands of NSW. I think mine must be about 40 years old. It is like a huge ball far too high to prune though I do prune the sides. We call them snowball trees. It’s amazing to see in full blossom and last year we had heavy winds and it looked like it had been snowing. Thanks for the lively photos. I wonder what deters goats. Maree
By: Maree on April 14, 2020
at 10:12 pm
Thank you for giving me the correct name. The plants were given to me buy a friend who called them ricotta plants. The flowers do look a bit like balls of ricotta if you squint. We tried to keep the plants small and round but they have grown very tall and leggy, not what I wanted at all. The flowers are beautiful so they can stay for the moment.
Fencing is the only thing we could do for the goats, but the property is too big and it would cost a fortune. Deer could probably jump over a fence anyway.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:53 am
There are quite a few varieties I think. Mine puts out long canes from the base. It must be 40 years old and is about 4m high and perhaps 5m across. It has obviously been let go by the previous owners and those long canes have become thick drooping branches. I think perhaps it needs to be cut back each year after flowering.
By: Maree on April 20, 2020
at 10:24 pm
Thanks Maree! I thought it looked a little like Viburnum. Jane
By: Jane on April 14, 2020
at 10:51 pm
The wisteria is looking so lovely. Lockdown here in WA continues as well. Our regional borders are closed and police/army are manning the roads to control unnecessary travel between regions. I am only leaving the house to do grocery shopping. We are fortunate to have the outside space to move about our block. Take care and stay safe Deb.
By: Kerry & Jim on April 15, 2020
at 12:27 am
Yes, we are lucky to have a lovely space to be in right now. I am quite self sufficient and am OK with my own company. I could do with some sewing to keep me busy when the gardening is over for the day.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:55 am
Yes I know what you mean. Sewing certainly fills in time.
By: Kerry & Jim on April 15, 2020
at 6:59 am
Such naughty goats. 😅 You have such lovely plants in your garden. 😍
By: anotherday2paradise on April 15, 2020
at 1:04 am
The goats drive me crazy! The garden is looking good. We need some serious rain. The forecast says rain next week…fingers crossed.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 6:57 am
Hi Debra from sunny qld. When we were at high school together who would have though that we would be able to converse from different parts of the world!? Love your posts and garden. I’ve just planted pansies and they are coming into flower but we are in autumn going into winter. Stay safe. Look forward to your posts.
Judy Plant nee Kelly
By: Judy Plant on April 15, 2020
at 5:00 am
Hello Judy! It is more than 50 years ago that we were at Miami High. Time flies. It is a strange world indeed.
Pansies are such happy little flowers. I hope yours do well.
Stay safe!
By: Debra Kolkka on April 15, 2020
at 7:00 am
Lock down is going, had my 3rd hot meal. Looking at your photos makes it better. I had a home years ago, the same issue with our neighbours goats. They got loose and ate all our potted plants.
By: Avalon 🦄 on April 15, 2020
at 1:49 pm
I’m pleased you like my garden. We are surrounded by forest so I expect wild animals to stroll through. This year seems much worse than usual. I don’t know why.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 16, 2020
at 5:25 pm
Most animals, all pets for sure, are parallel lifes. Talk to them. As if you talk to small children or yourself. They still have initiative knowledge. Find out what’s true, what’s going ti remain. Thanks for the photo abd reply.
By: Avalon 🦄 on April 16, 2020
at 6:57 pm
Always look forward to your post and your garden pictures…I’m thinking when we get to Italy I might need to see it in person 🙂 Take care!
By: Linda K on April 16, 2020
at 12:23 am
Please let me know if you wish to come to Casa Debbio. The house is for rent in spring, summer and autumn. Maybe this year is not the right time, but things will go back to normal eventually.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 16, 2020
at 5:26 pm
That would be amazing… we’ve got Italy and your area on our radar for when we can travel again. Stay safe!
By: Linda K on April 17, 2020
at 2:42 am
I never tire of photos from your beautiful gardens. I did have to laugh however about the goats. Last week friends were complaining about rabbits nibbling in their gardens. I’ve linked to your post to twenty something friends of mine who I thought would enjoy reading about wild goats…maybe rabbits aren’t so bad. 😊
By: Karen on April 16, 2020
at 2:08 pm
The goats seem worse this year. Usually when there are people at the house they stay away, but they are quite bold this year.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 16, 2020
at 5:27 pm
I wonder if you have more goats because fewer people are in the woods during your lock down. They would stay father away if they ran into more people everyday. Sadly now that they know what a feast you lay on, they may make you part of their permanent route…..like my deer.
By: Jane on April 16, 2020
at 7:49 pm
I think you could be correct. There are fewer people wandering about so the goats probably feel safer coming closer to the village.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 17, 2020
at 7:37 pm
HI Debra we used to have a problem in our garden whenever we bought and planted pansies, petunias, etc and certain shrubs. We found out about a product we got at Bunnings called “Scat” in a spray pack. It doesn’t harm the plants etc but it did deter the possums which were a big problem here. Love your garden and can imagine your horror and frustration with goats.
By: Camillus Davall on April 17, 2020
at 12:09 am
Possums eat parsley and basil if I plant it at home. I have given up! There are possibly more goats this year because there are fewer people wandering in the forest because of lockdown. There are often walkers and mountain bike riders along the paths here.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 17, 2020
at 7:39 pm
Deb, when all this is over, maybe we could have a fencing bee!
By: Paddy Hintz on April 17, 2020
at 12:18 am
The property is too big to fence and the deer would jump over it anyway. I just have to put up with the wild animals.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 17, 2020
at 7:40 pm
Could I have the fritter recipe too Deb? Casio Debbio is looking divine. The wisteria is wonderful; looks like a movie setting. You seem to be isolating very well.
By: Christine colluns on April 17, 2020
at 1:56 am
I’ll send you the recipe. Isolation is just fine here at Casa Debbio.
By: Debra Kolkka on April 17, 2020
at 7:41 pm
That’s good that there’s an end in sight for you. We don’t have a date for ours so people are a bit in limbo at the moment. And ricotta flowers? how interesting! I’ve never heard of those before.
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on April 20, 2020
at 12:19 am
Beautiful images ..
By: Quotableoverload on May 1, 2020
at 4:12 am