All of my Florentine friends know about Wisteria Lane because the TV series “Desperate Housewives” was a big hit over here.  They were amused and a bit puzzled when I called our street Wisteria Lane one day.  That was because they didn’t get the connection to the blooms right away since wisteria are called “glicine” in Italian.   There’s a lot of greenery in Florence, and a lot of gardeners who pride themselves on the showy displays that wisteria blossoms are famous for.  Once they appear in early spring, my walk home is a riot of pale lavender canopies popping over walls.

Wisteria, Florence, italy 2016

They are so delicate, so fragile, such a refined color.  And such a surprise to find so many in a city setting.  They grace many entry gates and doorways along our street

Wisteria Entry, Florence Italy, 2016                                                                                   

and they cascade over driveway doors, spilling their buds into flyaway trails.

Wisteria Driveway, Florence, Italy, 2016                                                                         

They love to live in protected gardens and seem to pop up in the wild when a city street becomes a country lane…….

Wisteria Garden, Florence, Italy 2016

Wisteria Country Lane, Florence Italy 2016     

But one of my favorite wisteria sightings for years now has been my supermarket’s parking lot!  There’s a giant and very old wisteria tree just carrying on with its display smack in the middle of a usually very crowded parking area.  The proprietors, in a wonderful display of good taste and style over commercial gain, have actually erected supporting structures around the tree.  It’s a joy to see in the spring, a little gift to those customers who take a moment to look up.

Wisteria Parking Lot, Florence, Italy 2016