Today is a public holiday in Italy; an Italian friend described it as the day the Italians celebrate losing the war. What ever it is for today is sunny with the wind coming from the south so not as cold as it has been. Many have gone to the sea, not to swim but to enjoy the beach and have a good meal in a restaurant.
Tuesday is the day when Cathy at Words and Herbs asks us to share one view of our garden so that we can see its progress through the seasons.

Tuesday View 25th April 2017, moving forward a little to stand by the large Cyprus at the edge of the terrace
Do visit Cathy to see her view this week and others who regularly join, thanks for hosting Cathy.
I know I am in a different part of the world when I see the grays in your garden and those Cyprus trees. I love those trees and there is really nothing quite like them that I can grow. They make such a statement in your beautiful garden.
Yes, you’re right, today’s views with the Cypresses couldn’t be anywhere but Central Italy.
I like the California poppies. xx
They’re very easy to grow in free draining soil.
Is that a bee I see in the Eschscholzia californica? I like the pale pink more than the orange that I have acquired. Amelia
Look for the Thai silk selection or there is a creamy white. Not it isn’t a bee Amelia it is a chaffer bug, or pollen beetle, they destroy many of my flowers by eating the pollen.
You have a whole lot going on in your garden now. Thanks for sharing.
This is definitely the best time of year in my garden. when it gets really hot and dry it will look very different.
Christina’s garden grows for weeks and every day is more beautiful. I love the Cypress with the Rosemary. The Iris are all very nice: I love them. The Iris “Rustic Jewel” has a color and a wonderful striped color gradient: I had never seen it. The flower of Eschscholzia “Silk Thai” has a pale pink color as delicate as silk. The photos are magnificent. I hope you have a good holiday and a good week. Greetings from Margarita.
It doesn’t feel like a holiday to me, because I’m not Italian, but it was a good day to be out in the garden.
The new growth everywhere has softened the effect of the view now, especially with the grasses and silvery foliage, and as it fills out it looks so lovely. The irises and poppies are beautiful – Rustic Jewel and the Thai silk poppies go perfectly with each other.
It is amazing how quickly the view softens and shapes merge and change in relation to each other. I’m trying to eliminate the orange poppies from this area and just have the delicate shades of the Thai Silk.
Everything looks fresh and well watered. Those poppies are the loveliest colors.
It hasn’t rained for at least three weeks (it’s supposed to be wet all day tomorrow) so it isn’t well watered but the large Island is planted with drought tolerant plants so they are fine.
Lovely view, Christina. All your Iris, lavender (I think) and E. ‘Thai Silk’ makes me yearn for June when ours will be in bloom.
As usual it’s all happening too quickly here.
I know the feeling!
Gorgeous bearded Iris!
Thanks Kris
What a lovely space you have made! I especially love that view of the large island with blue irises . Very cold here still.
It’s not all that warm here Linda; I particularly like the view along the path where the blue Irises are, especially at this time, so I had to include it even though it isn’t part of the usual ‘view’.
I love the combination of the golden CA poppies with the white Iris. Also those ‘Thai Silk’ CA poppies are wonderful. CA poppies seem very happy in your garden. They struggle a bit in mine – too much moisture, I suspect.
Mine is certainly very dry.
That patch of blue iris is especially striking, Christina – and thanks for the close ups of the Tai Silk C poppies. They are certainly very different from the more ordinary ones. I have been finding a few self seeded C poppies here – but always in cracks in the path and not in any of the beds!
Those californian poppies are superb – I am so jealous! I have a bit of trouble with self-seeders. Lovely view Christina – superb grey/green plantings and the irises are heavenly
The Thai Silk poppies are lovely, they don’t spread as fast as the orange ones though!
“The day the Italians celebrate losing the war” – sounds like something my father would have laughed at on the country of his birth! The colors are so similar on the Iris and the Eschscholzia.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen your garden looking as lush. I’m sure the coming heat will have an effect but it’s amazing how the newer plantings have grown in so well. It really seems to enclose you as you walk through and must be a very relaxing space now.
I can’t even picture the box and perovskia anymore. Also a wonderful space, but so different.
The space now is more inviting. But it is nice to think that you remember how the garden used to be. That’s very special.
Oh iris ‘Rustic Jewel’ is indeed a jewel of an iris Christina. I wonder whether it flowers for long. My very limited experience of irises is that they are fleeting beauties.
Rustic Jewel lasts quite well but yes they don’t last very long, but I like the sword-like foliage and that looks good for most of the year.