Apparecchiare un giardino

by Matteo Ragni

Since antiquity, gardens have been defined by order, nature placed in position by and for humans. There arrangements can be both logistical, such as grouping drought tolerant plants together, functional, like collections of herbs and vegetable gardens, and this categorisation is aesthetically pleasing in itself. These concepts are exemplified in Anna Piussi’s garden for Orticolario 2013, centered around a table of which plants are an integral part. The table is set with bowls of edible plants including multicoloured salads, the central tablecloth is a strip of green roof planting, with Sedums, Thyme and other carpeting plants, enlivened by tufts of grasses, on either side of a central water rill. Enclosing this are green arches and tall shrubs dotted with colourful edible berries, and the end walls are majestic evergreen trees pruned into cubes. Inspired by Renaissance paintings of the Last Supper and by the Cardinal’s Table in Villa Lante di Bagnaia, this garden is meant as a convivial space, a  table at which to meet, draw, eat something perhaps spiced by the herbs at hand, keeping our drinks cooled in the refreshing water rill.