villi niitty edition one autumn/winter ‘08
favourites SECRET GARDEN
Los jardines de Alfabia
galanthus nivalis LOVELY FRENCH LAMPS
villi niitty edition one ’08
Welcome to the very first issue of villi niitty magazine! Stimulating gardens, creative people and fascinating stories inspire us every day here at villi niitty. We would like to share these inspirations with you. In this first issue you can read about the secret gardens of Alfabia and don´t miss our plant feature on snowdrops... Enjoy! Else & Vesa Leivo
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CONTENTS 4 4 5
4 favourites unique choices for the upcoming season
6 secret gardens a visit to the secret gardens of Alfabia, Mallorca
9 galanthus
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the first flower to bloom in your garden
6 ON THE COVER: Plaid Clara 149,- eur and coffeecup with saucer 6,50 eur. All products from www.villiniitty.fi
Published by the staff of
villi niitty
Copyright 2008 All rights reserved
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favourites Unique choices for the upcoming season
Brighten your entrance with this classic lamp in french design. Votives are good to group together for a display.
179,-
Morning delight Breakfast has never tasted better, than when you serve it on nice tableware... The Bloom lamp is inspired by nature, and works in a contemporary or period setting.
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favourites
Be kind to your little
Sneeboer makes the most lovely garden tools, all handforged in the Netherlands. Quality that shows and will bring you years of garden pleasure.
24,90 eur
garden helpers and bring them some food when it gets colder. These brightly coloured feeding cups attaches straight to your window for a real close look.
for birds villi niitty edition one ’08
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Secret gardens Los jardines de Alfabia
Hidden in the mallorcan countryside a moorish ancient garden combines elements of formal design with striking planting
Walking up the steps, with the refreshing sound of running water you are instantly enclosed by these ancient, lush gardens. Watercourses, called alfagras (little irrigation channels), serve both a practical and a decorative purpose here in this Moorish-style garden. Benhabet, a Moorish governor of Inca is believed to have created the garden in the 13th century. Situated at the foot of the Tramuntana
mountains, the gardens are easily reached from Palma. Leading on further into the welcome shade is a pergola, absolutely covered in bougainvillea, wisteria and grape wines. An extraordinary range of trees ourishes in the gardens, including cedar of Lebanon, poplar, date palm, lemon, magnolia, walnut, eucalyptus and acacia. The use of box hedging gives a formal structure to the straight borders that leads you past water features and fountains.
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Jardines de Alfabia Carretera de Sollér 07110 Bunyola, Mallorca tel:+34 971 613 123 www.jardinesdealfabia.com The gardens of Alfabia are open Mon-Fri 9:30 am to 5:30 pm Saturdays 9:30 am to 1 pm
Peace and tranquility is to be found in the English gardens that were added in the 19th century holding several beautiful ponds filled with pastel-coloured waterlilies. The hacienda with its working garden has a small juice bar, where you can sit under the palms and enjoy a freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice. You leave Alfabia with new inspiration and a sense of having discovered a secret garden. WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ELSE LEIVO
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galanthus nivalis Snowdrops are the messengers of spring and the very first flower to bloom in the garden. They signal the end of winter and are extraordinarily hardy, especially the common species. Many people think that there are only one type of snowdrop, at first sight that might seem to be the case, but if you take a closer look you will be surprised at the variety this genus shows. Plant the bulbs in light shade, they grow in most soils, but make the best plants in heavier moist soils. They are most successfully transplanted while growing (in the green), and dry bulbs often take a season to settle down before flowering. After several years the bulbs start to grow too tight and you should dig them up and divide them to keep them happy flowering year after year.
an attractive carpet in shrubberies and wooded areas. If you are looking for a snowdrop that’s a bit more unusual, then ‘Viridapice’ is worth looking out for. Each of the long, delicate flowers The common snowdrop, has three petals with a large green mark on their Galanthus nivalis, grows in the tips. It makes an unusual accompaniment to wild in southern Europe and other spring flower bulbs such as aconites and the Caucasus. These look really early flowering crocuses. lovely planted under trees and bushes in the garden. In the spring of 2009 `Flore Pleno´ is a charming filled snowdrops can be ordered variety that is easy to grow. “in the green” for delivery in Finland It spreads well quickly forming
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