More container gardening in Italy

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Italian towns and cities are so different from those here. The older buildings are constructed of exposed stone and bricks, which I find quite appealing because of the sense of history they convey. The thing about all that brick and stone is that it looks cold and uninviting, so it seems that the Italians soften that with touches of green where they can – which means lots of container plants.

A flowerpot overflowing with blooming flowers can add so much colour!

A flowerpot overflowing with blooming flowers can add so much colour!

Now add a few more pots of plants for more visual appeal.

Now add a few more pots of plants for more visual appeal.

Or, you know what? Use bigger containers and you can grow bushy plants clustered together to look like a garden right outside your front door!

Or, you know what? Use bigger containers and you can grow bushy plants clustered together to look like a garden right outside your front door!

And if you use a really big container, you can grow a really big plant!

And if you use a really big container, you can grow a really big plant!

I noticed that there are lots of nice varieties of big terracotta pots over there. Here, a rose plant shares space with lower flowering plants.

I noticed that there are lots of nice varieties of big terracotta pots over there. Here, a rose plant shares space with lower flowering plants.

Or, cluster lots of small container plants in artistic patterns to create this masterpiece outside the cathedral in Pienza. It's a seasonal attraction set up by flower nurseries, we were told.

Or, cluster lots of small container plants in artistic patterns to create this masterpiece outside the cathedral in Pienza. It’s a seasonal attraction set up by flower nurseries, we were told.

A closer look at part of the arrangement at Pienza. All of the plants are grown in small green pots that are the same size. I can't imagine the amount of planning that goes into doing this.

A closer look at part of the arrangement at Pienza. All of the plants are grown in small green pots that are the same size. I can’t imagine the amount of planning that goes into doing this.

Outdoor cafes and restaurants make good use of container plants to create privacy screens.

Outdoor cafes and restaurants make good use of container plants to create privacy screens.

And this very creative ...hedge? ... caught my eye in one of the hill towns.

And this very creative …hedge? … caught my eye in one of the hill towns.

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Container gardening in Italy: Great window dressing

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We recently travelled to Italy, and besides enjoying the food and culture, the sights were pretty spectacular, too. Since this is where I share my love of gardening, I’ve decided to show you some of the lovely window plants we saw along the way.

Although Italy is a much bigger country than Singapore, it has some pretty built-up cities. I was happy to see these apartment windows in Rome sporting pretty plants.

Although Italy is a much bigger country than Singapore, it has some pretty built-up cities. I was happy to see these apartment windows in Rome sporting pretty plants.

Some places had something simple, like this pot of ivy sitting on the window ledge.

Some places had something simple, like this pot of ivy sitting on the window ledge.

Others had a mix of different plants sitting on the window ledge.

Others had a mix of different plants sitting on the window ledge.

Yet others had wall-mounted holders for their plants.

Yet others had wall-mounted holders for their plants.

This was a very tasteful combination of tall plants on the ground with wall-mounted flowering plants. I noticed that the cornucopia basket seemed to be in vogue in some places.

This was a very tasteful combination of tall plants on the ground with wall-mounted flowering plants. I noticed that the cornucopia basket seemed to be in vogue in some places.

Finally, my favourite one, in San Gimignano - simple but homey.

Finally, my favourite one, in San Gimignano – simple but homey.

There will be more, because it was late spring and there were lots more flowers and plants to be seen… ;)

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The artistic brinjal

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The first purple brinjal on this plant - a rather sizeable one, compared to the earlier ones we've grown.

The first purple brinjal on this plant – a rather sizeable one, compared to the earlier ones we’ve grown.

The new eggplant or brinjal plant has finally started bearing fruits, and I’m happy to see that these are bigger fruits than our previous plants had. The first fruit was just over 20cm long, which is quite respectable, in my books. I would have left it to grow a bit bigger, but the plant had a number of flowers and I thought I’d let it put its energy into conceiving and growing new fruits, so I harvested the fruit.

What intrigued me once I had it off the plant, was how pretty it was. Just look at the pretty streaks in the colouring that follow the contour of the fruit – it’s like someone decided to paint a green brinjal purple but didn’t have enough purple paint to do the job properly but tried to keep spreading out the purple paint anyway…

See the streaky pattern in the skin of the fruit?

See the streaky pattern in the skin of the fruit?

No wonder artists have looked to nature for inspiration for ages!

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What does “miniature” really mean?

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I can’t believe it’s been more than a year since the Weed family gave us a banana sucker to plant. “This is a miniature banana plant,” I was told. That put visions of a cute little 4 to 5 foot high banana tree with a comb of bananas the size of pisang emas in my head. Accordingly, I planted it just outside the kitchen and couldn’t wait to see the cute little banana tree grow.

Well, it grew…

The banana sucker when it was first planted last March.

The banana sucker when it was first planted last March.

…and grew …

Just over a month later, it was growing well. I especially liked the red marks on the leaves.

Just over a month later, it was growing well. I especially liked the red marks on the leaves.

…and grew …

Another 3 months down the road, it was still growing nicely.

Another 3 months down the road, it was still growing nicely.

…and grew …

Add another 5 months to the last photo and you reach this point when I expected fruits to start forming. This was in January.

Add another 5 months to the last photo and you reach this point when I expected fruits to start forming. This was in January.

… until I finally caught a clue that “miniature” was relative, as compared to “normal” banana trees…

So this is the beast we currently have. All my notions of "cute miniature banana plants" are swirling down the drain...

So this is the beast we currently have. All my notions of “cute miniature banana plants” have swirled down the drain…

The plant is now taller than I am, with nice, big leaves that block the sunlight and get in the way. Obviously, I had no idea it would grow this big and spread out this much, or else I would have planted it elsewhere!

The plant has been told it that it’s time for it to start producing fruits (hey, the method worked with the pumpkin plants earlier this year!) and I hope to see the spade leaf appear soon, heralding the arrival of the fruits. (See Weed’s post on banana harvests)

The new banana sucker is now 5 months old.

The new banana sucker is now 5 months old.

There is already a new sucker, that is going to be moved to a more banana-friendly location very soon. In the meantime, we have to wait and see if my ultimatum worked. Even if it does work, it will be a few more months before the fruits are ready for harvest (I think). Live and learn.

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