#readingretreatsinruralitaly

[hortushorrei]

Irises from Daria. 😍 #gardeningfriends #irisesofinstagram #beardediris #purpleflowers #mayflowers #mayinitaly #gardensofitaly #ruralitaliangardens #readingretreatsinruralitaly #lamacchinafissa #gardensofinstagram (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/COxV4pOLpyG/?igshid=ykt82s1s4uv0

[hortushorrei]

One garden goal was to make a croquet lawn with the house and the half-moon window as a focal point. It's happening! #newlook #newlawn #croquetlawn #provinciadimantova #afterthefirstcut #sevenam #morninggarden #mezzogiardiniere #inmygardentoday @everrjack #readingretreatsinruralitaly #playcroquet #croquetcomingsoon (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPupjRDrEpn/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

I love hostas, especially my big blue ones! #hostahalcyon #inmygardentoday #gardensofinstagram #provinciadimantova #readingretreatsinruralitaly #mezzogiardiniere #aftertherain #clarksgarden #lamacchinafissa (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/COxVdaertyu/?igshid=ir5mvc48zg6o

[hortushorrei]

Pumpkin tunnel. Greening up. #lamacchinafissa #pumpkinsandgourds #pumpkinparadise #zucche #zucchepiccine #gourds #cucurbitaceae #provinciadimantova #parcodelmincio #readingretreatsinruralitaly #associazioneculturalereadingretreatsinruralitaly (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRPYbUzrVNL/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

There's that view of the power plant that I mentioned in a former post. Photo by Howard Sooley. 😍 #derekjarmansgarden #howardsooley #greatgardens #gardeningbooks #botanicalbeauty #weedandread #readingretreatsinruralitaly #associazioneculturalereadingretreatsinruralitaly #lamacchinafissa #beautyisintheeyeofthebeholder #ruralretreats #ruralgardens #rusty #giardiniinsoliti (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRJF49ZLa70/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

Let's have lunch outside today. #lunch #picnictable #aprilinitaly #readingretreatsinruralitaly #lamacchinafissa #littletulipsfrombetta (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CN40gFqFH2P/?igshid=1kpo8im9ip9mu

[hortushorrei]

The pumpkin tunnel is becoming a thick jungle of mystery and cucurbits! #lamacchinafissa #mezzogiardiniere #inmygardentoday #cucurbitaceae #pumpkinparadise #provinciadimantova #parcodelmincio #organicgardening #gardenwriters #gardenersofinstagram #readingretreatsinruralitaly #associazioneculturalereadingretreatsinruralitaly (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRFQb8lr0uH/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

#tricosanthescucumerina #snakegourd #lamacchinafissa #mezzogiardiniere #cucurbitaceae #inmygardenthismorning #provinciadimantova #readingretreatsinruralitaly #whiteflowers (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQqSGLILBvq/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

Photo: @io_morris The upstairs hallway is home to a few shelves of donated Spanish books and paperworks by Berlin-based painter Juri Zurkan. The English library ends here with books by authors with last names beginning with V, W, X, Y, and Z. A part of an antique loom once used for weaving hemp now holds non-fiction books about Italy from foreigners. From Goethe and Henry James to the less literate American writers of the late 20th century. 😂 #lamacchinafissa #foreignersinitaly ##readingretreatsinruralitaly #associazioneculturalereadingretreatsinruralitaly #henryjames #goethe #italianhours #italianjourney #biblioteche #libraries #jurizurkan #housemuseum #bellatuscany #bellamantova #viaggioinitalia #italienischereise #underthetuscansun #italien #italianjournals #memoir #travelwriting # (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTwgi6NoVbC/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

The knots in wood are usually seen as imperfections. That's often where the board will break and where nails seldom go in without some difficulty. During the Covid pandemic and closure of La Macchina Fissa, I began to use scrap wood to make objects for the garden and home, celebrating what is often seen as a flaw. The objects are all made from wood that was donated by friends to keep us warm. Scraps got burned, but nice bits were saved and made into garden trugs, small shelves, and more. Selling these objects at markets has helped Reading Retreats keep going. Thanks for your support! ☺🔨♻ Love, Clark #algropdalein #readingretreatsinruralitaly #gardentrugs #toolboxes #madeinmantua #lamacchinafissa #mezzofalegname #mezzogiardiniere #graziedicuore❤️ #provinciadimantova #parcodelmincio #ruralitalianretreats #ruralitaly (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQIl50nLf3o/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

Need another table for your wedding tomorrow? No problem! I can make you one from free wood! 😉😎#mezzofalegname #lamacchinafissa #associazioneculturalereadingretreatsinruralitaly #weddingvenue #gettingreadyforawedding❤️ #aliceanddenis #readingretreatsinruralitaly (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTYGx2KInK6/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

Polemonium caeruleum for David Hollington. #polemonium #polemoniumcaeruleum #davidhollington #florilegium #blueflowers #lamacchinafissa #readingretreatsinruralitaly #bloomingearlythisyear #inmygardentoday #gardenersofinstagram #instagardeners #provinciadimantova (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/COFsu9xF3hl/?igshid=mqh965rfq53x

[hortushorrei]

Photo: Benedetta Andrigo. Artwork: Molly Wasser #gardensheds #woodblockprint #mollywasser #lamacchinafissa #housemuseum #associazioneculturalereadingretreatsinruralitaly #readingretreatsinruralitaly (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTJ8LNSIZhx/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

Marco, Gaia, and the goats! 😍 #lamacchinafissa #caprettetibetane #nigeriandwarfgoats #charliethegoat #provinciadimantova #associazioneculturalereadingretreatsinruralitaly #borgovirgilio #goatsofinstagram #readingretreatsinruralitaly #weekendaway #greengardens #goatherd #parcodelmincio (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTJ4DuJIorC/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hortushorrei]

Seeds!

My friend in Pennsylvania sent loads of seeds my way, and I just wanted to record them here to remember what arrived. Let’s do it in Latin, alphabetically. 

Abelmoschus moschatus ‘Mischief’

Agastache foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee’

Allium christophii (Star of Persia)

Amaranthus ‘Elephant head’

Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Golden Fleece’

Briza maxima (Greater quaking grass)

Campanula americana (Tall bellflower)

Capsicum annuum ‘Fish’

Red Mountain stem lettuce

Centaurea americana (American Basket flower)

Chenopodium capitatum (Strawberry spinach)

Cicer arietinum ‘Kabouli Black’ garbanzo beans

Crepis rubra (Pink Hawksbeard)

Cucumis melo var. dudaim (Queen Anne’s Pocket Melon)

Desmanthus illinoensis (Illinois Bundleflower)

Gomphrena haageana ‘Strawberry Fields’ (Globe Amaranth)

Ipomea nil ‘Keiryu’ (Japanese Morning Glory)

Ipomea nil ‘Kikyo Snowflakes’ (Japanese Morning Glory)

Lathyrus chloranthus (Yellow Sweet Pea)

Monarda bradburiana (Bradbury’s Monarda)

Persicaria orientalis ‘Shiro-gane Nishiki’ (Varieg. kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate)

Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Fort Portal Jade’

Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Nonna Agnes’ Blue’

Physalis sp. (Ground Cherry) ‘New Hanover’ PA heirloom

Solanum atropurpureum (Malevolence)

Solanum lycopersicum (Barry’s Crazy Cherry Tomato)

Succisa pratensis ‘Alba’ (White Devil’s Bit)

Tagetes minuta (Black Mint)

[hortushorrei]

Alberto Frignani, our favourite piano tuner, came to tune two of our three pianos today. Our paintings by @mariagorton seem even happier now with a perfectly tuned piano beneath them! #mariagortonart #mariagorton #australianartists #oiloncanvas #housemuseum #associazioneculturalereadingretreatsinruralitaly #readingretreatsinruralitaly #laccordatoredipiano #pianotuner #lamacchinafissa #provinciadimantova #borgovirgilio #pianoforte (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTFlhNQomGl/?utm_medium=tumblr