At this time of the year, gardens of country houses glow with bright colours: the fuchsia pink of the Bougainvillea, the bright blue of the Plumbago, the orange of the Bignonia, and the bright red of the everlasting roses. If you have loved and protected your garden in winter and especially cared for it during spring, in summer it will give you – generously – colours, scents and inviting shade: are you ready to enjoy the deserved relaxation in nature?
No rules?
Usually a country garden grows, by its very nature, lively and lush. It would seem that it doesn’t need any rules or advice, yet… here are 5 practical tips to help you make the most of your (small or large) country garden
Lawn and flowers.
A beautiful lawn to walk on early in the morning, barefoot, with dew that refreshes and invigorates: English lawn is always beautiful, always much desired, but it is also a source of many problems. Irrigation, first of all, because a real English lawn (it’s not called that by chance) would by nature be accustomed to thick and frequent drizzle. And then there’s mowing, fertilising, chasing weeds and moles that suddenly fill our beautiful lawn with mounds of earth. However, there are also lawns that can withstand drought, such as flower meadows, which are filled with flowers, especially Bellis perennis, the daisies. The flower meadow requires little care and does not need to be fertilised: it is an ecological solution that gives a very natural and rustic touch to the country garden, especially when it is in full bloom and is populated by multi-coloured butterflies!
A vegetable garden.
It is always a great satisfaction to bring to your table, with some pride, the ‘super organic’ tomatoes produced by ourselves and perhaps picked while still warm from the sun! By now, vegetable gardens have become almost fashionable, and on the terraces of Milan or Rome, multi-coloured vegetables grow, from aubergines to courgettes. So why not dedicate a corner of our garden, well-sunned and well-tended I recommend, to growing our favourite vegetables? Tomatoes, of course, of all kinds, but also onions and leeks, carrots and parsley, radicchio and rucola, and – why not – maybe even redcurrants and succulent raspberries.
Garden furniture
The countryside outdoors is synonymous with conviviality! In country houses, since the beginning of time, many people gather around the table. Family lunches and dinners with friends brighten up the lazy days of our country homes: all you need to do is offer some good wine, healthy cuisine that makes the most of local produce, shepherd’s cheeses, locally produced cold cuts and fruit that smells of sun. So how should we decorate our garden? A nice FRATINO table, for example, is just the thing for us, surrounded by lots of multi-coloured KINDOF chairs, to gather with joy – and bucolic hunger – around the set table!
When we think of garden furniture, let’s not forget hammocks, for afternoon naps (there are the self-supporting ones, which do not require trunks and difficult harnesses), but also the ever-present Chaise longue, ideal for relaxing moments dedicated to reading, scrolling on our smartphones or sunbathing.
Shade and semi-shade, and of course green.
A pergola in the countryside is a must! To enjoy your garden to the full and to find the right place for your FRATINO, you need… a pergola. Wooden, wrought iron, whatever you like. But above all, it must be covered with greenery and, if nature allows, fragrant flowers. Having lunch in the shade of a bougainvillea arbour, dining in the scent of jasmine. What is it that still doesn’t convince you?
The timeless barbecue
There are many types of grills which are electric, griddle, gas, solar or charcoal grills. The important thing is to (enthusiastically) grill, with an apron on, a fork in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Vegetarians, vegans and carnivores – there’s something good to grill for everyone. That’s why barbecues are a must in the countryside, no matter what!
