Re: Plant people
- Subject: Re: Plant people
- From: J* S*
- Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 15:25:10 -0700
I want to echo what Tim and Anthony have said about "our Alessandra". I too,
am one of her devout "fans"!
The gardens of the American Academy in Rome are something that all Americans
can be proud of. Redesigned in 1990 by one of America's leading landscape
architects (and Academy alumni) Laurie Olin, the basic design has been refined
and augmented over the ensuing years by Alessandra's superb plantsmanship. It
remains completely Italian in feeling, complementing both the ancient and newer
buildings. The exquisite pruning of the Holm Oaks, the gallery of Laurus
nobilis that runs the width of the garden of the Villa Aurelia, the newer olive
grove at the edge of the recreated campagna Romana, all recall Roman landscape
history. But the newer fruit orchard with vegetables and flowers behind the
(now much lamented rosemary hedge), the new secret rose garden, the hydrangea
look-out, and the vining Caesalpinia, to only name a few plantings I can
remember; these are all Alessandra!
I am disappointed to have never seen La Mortela, but I have seen her other
garden, La Landriana. I'm sure that both of these will soon sport those fine
touches and elegant displays she's so good at. I hope too, A. will send some
of her great photographs to Sean for addition to the garden section. I so love
the view out the back side of the Villa Aurelia, through the yellow blooms of
the Caesalpinia and over the city, that I keep it on the background of my
computer screen - it keeps work not so hard!
--
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jan Smithen,
Upland, California
jansmithen@earthlink.net
Sunset zone : 19
USDA zone : 10
http://home.earthlink.net/~jansmithen/
Visit the Los Angeles County Arboretum
Victorian Rose Garden website at:
http://victorian-rose.org/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
