Alpine Plants

Yesterday, I started to mention the wonderful gardens of the Villa Ciani. So today we'll have a little more of that, starting with another view of the lake with Azaleas to add a little colour.

Along the water's edge, more formal bedding plants were just beginning to get into their stride.

Here too, an intricately wrought gateway would have once led to a very grand mooring place for the Ciani brothers.

Dotted among the summer bedding, strangely clipped and shaped conifers added some height and architectural interest.

It wasn't only the formal gardens where floral colour was to be found particularly on our trip up Monte San Salvatore.

Many had been deliberately planted...

but plenty of wildflowers were growing there too. This turned out to be a new 'tick' for my list - an orchid called White Helleborine.

The alpine Pinks were another 'tick'.

as were the Alpine Rock-roses.

More tomorrow...