April 2024

We Love Our Cypresses

We love our cypresses that stand like exclamation marks, winding up avenues and foot paths. Some that stand sentinel up to the castle would surely have a colourful tale to tell? A time when, centuries ago, Reschio was part of the Papal States and these were young saplings.

In early spring we prune the trees to maintain their elegant model looks. Strong winds can loosen branches. Heavy rain or snow can weigh them down and, once branches protrude, they become even more vulnerable to the vagaries of the weather. Once a branch has bent out it will never recover.

At 4 o’clock, their long shadows fall across a meadow, like a gnomon of a sundial, it alerts all in the Tabaccaia that it is time for tea.

Guests gaze from the castle toward Grugliano, impressed by the established avenue of paintbrush cypresses. We love our cypresses for their understated grandeur.