In front of the apartments lies our dream (one of the many): a 3-hectare park where, one by one, we planted 1600 trees.
When this part of the countryside was still farmed, here there were vast expanses of corn and wheat. Now we have planted European oak, elm, ash, hazel and wild cherry trees.
It was an epic challenge because we wanted to make use of regional funds, so we had to choose indigenous trees, which would have been at home here.
And then Enrico and I wanted to plant them ourselves, because we are (almost) crazy.
We don’t like “polished” gardens, where the trees are all domesticated, withheld and contained like little obedient soldiers.
We both like trees that express character, that can push back if they have to, that are free to scratch you if they so please, that you will listen to if they have to put their limbs on you.
And then we mustn’t forget the Tregnon, which is the irrigation canal to the south of the property.
We wanted to respect the distance constraints, of course, but we also wanted it to blend in with the trees.
So we planted them to follow its winding course, echoing its bends, respecting its wishes.
Now, every day, we fuss over these small trees, as they grow, like two mother hens.
We have a picture in our minds of how they will become once they are tall, strong, and wonderful.
Enrico and I went around looking, asking, and calculating. In ten years’ time, this fertile land will give us a large, luxuriant wood, and up until that moment, smaller plants and leaves will grow and strengthen.
The history of the park
It was 2011, and the agritourism project was still in the planning phase. Enrico was dreaming of recovering dilapidated buildings, but also of using the large space around the brick houses to become a green oasis among the expanses of corn and tobacco.
So, at the end of November that year, Enrico and his trusted surveyor Marchiella asked the mayor of Sanguinetto for a meeting so they could get permission to plant forest trees.
The mayor told them that there was financing available for this type of initiative but that it was necessary to get to work immediately, because the deadline to present the project was at the end of the year.
In just a few weeks, with the help of Confagricoltura, a plan was presented for reforestation with medium-long cycle forest trees, for two and a half hectares of land.
To make a long story short, the Veneto regional authority approved and financed the project.
Now, a few years later, we can see the fruit of this opportunity we seized.
About 1600 trees and bushes have grown so far, spread out over 25,000 m2 of land.
- There are trees with a medium-long cycle: European oak, ash, wild cherry, lime, and walnut.
- Secondary plants: elm, maple, and hornbeam.
- Bushes: hazel, privet, and elder.
It is worth saying a few words about the European oak. Due to the immense dimensions it reaches, it is also called the giant of the Bassa Veronese.
Enrico and I get great satisfaction from the thought of having planted so many trees that will be there for many years to come, even when we are not around anymore.
The park-wood is cordoned off on one side by a sizeable canal, while on the other side it is closed off by the houses of the agritourism.
Bird houses
Walking among the trees, from time to time you may encounter something unexpected, which at first strikes you as something out of a fairy tale. These are bird houses.
Made by our dear friend Massimo, who builds them with great skill in his free time.
The bird houses are made of precious larch wood from the Val di Fiemme. They are truly unique pieces. There is a fairy tale castle, a mountain hut, a samurai mask, and a house in the forest.
Over time, the natural wood has taken on the typical grey colour that you commonly find high in the mountains.
This is one way we are repopulating the environment with numerous bird species.
This is another reason why, especially during hunting season, a great number of animals find shelter here, from great tits to herons, and it is not uncommon to spot hares and foxes.
Depending on the season, you can taste forest fruits, from cherries in June to jujubes and figs in September, or walnuts in autumn, naturally all organic and available to our guests.