Sempreverdi equilibrio di emozione

by Anna Piussi

 

Traditional Italian gardens rely on evergreen hedges, which give the garden year-round structure and formal elegance. The English border has more perennials and grasses, giving it greater variety. There are advantages and disadvantages to both: box hedging has been decimated by blight and requires constant treatments to stay alive, while different evergreen species are being tested for disease resistance in historical gardens which rely on a single species formal structure. On the other hand the mixed English border, which can be recreated even in Mediterranean climates, can be gappy and unstructured at times, and requires more specialised maintenance. A successful contemporary garden can rely on both evergreen and deciduous plants, in a mix that balances the year-round presence of evergreen material, freely growing or topiarized, interwoven with looser and colourful perennial planting for seasonal interest. Give each plant the necessary space to reach maturity, without overcrowding, and experiment with the proportions of each type. Balancing the stable elements of the planting with looser textured ones is an emotional experience.