Sull’isola di Capraia. Nel regno del vento

by Maria Cristina Zaza. Photo Matteo Carassale

 

The gardens for Forte San Giorgio on the Island of Capraia, off the coast of Tuscany, have been designed to blend into the surrounding landscape of a national park, and to withstand the extreme growing conditions. Drought-tolerant plants which can resist strong winds and thrive in the poor soil and rocky location have been planted in waves for a naturalistic effect. The heat brings out the fragrance of many aromatic shrubs, which are the bone structure of the planting along with large succulents, while grasses and Restionacee are vertical counterpoints which play with the slightes breeze. For lawns, Philla nodiflora, a flowering ground cover, has been employed, for a low-maintenance drought-tolerant solution in keeping with the overall aim of sustainability.