Instead they have soft grass dotted with small and large flowers growing naturally along the sides. By the sidewalks, bunches of flowers grow naturally and creep through cracks.
Additionally, the less harsh winter allows for lots of greenery to be grown on window balconies. In almost every country I’ve visited, most windows have balconies that are filled with plants and flowers.
Finally, I’ve seen lots of wildflowers in the mountains! When I was hiking around Lake Como and the Amalfi Coast, there were a plethora of flowers mixed in with the trees.
Flowers here find places sheltered from pedestrian traffic, such as grassy park areas, roadside hills and cracks in walls and sidewalks. The climate helps a lot, too. Italy gets plenty of sunshine, and just enough rainfall during spring, so many flowers are able to grow naturally without much help from people. Even in more urban areas, including Milan, flowers thrive in window boxes where they can get daily sun and occasional watering.
Flowers can be harmed by pollution, drought and people stepping on them or over picking. In Milan, construction and concrete also limits where they can grow.
Some wildflower areas are at risk of being cleared for development. While we’re not too worried about natural flowers, it’s still important to protect our green spaces and let flowers grow wherever we can! Not only are they beautiful and can brighten your day, but they also help pollinators, including bees and butterflies, survive.
