Things I'll Miss About Italy #2937493875: An Abundance of Flowers

We leave Italy in just two short days.  Recently I’ve been making a list of all of the things I will be sure to miss about this wonderful country, and an item near the top is the abundance of flowers.  Flowers are seemingly everywhere here, and because walking is our most frequent mode of transportation, we often get to stop and enjoy the scents.  Here are a few of my favorites and statements of whether or not I might encounter them back home...

True jasmine: Lately the scent of jasmine as been abundant in the area near the Castiglion Fiorentino train station.  The aroma is strong and spell-binding, and it has became a thing of comfort for me, a sign of nearness to home here in Italy.  True jasmine doesn't grow in Texas, but other varieties do.

[picture source: http://animals.pawnation.com/jasmine-poisonous-chickens-5187.html]

Calla lilies: Graceful, tasteful, and startlingly white, these beautiful flowers are also a frequent sight here in Italy.  They can grow in Texas, so I might also see them there.

 [picture source: http://flowerinfo.org/calla-flowers]

Magnolias: Magnolia trees and their flowers are one of my absolute favorites.  When not encumbered by small spaces, these trees can reach enormous sizes.  Their glossy leaves are breathtaking and contrast their striking white blossoms.  They are native to the southeastern U.S., so I will continue to see many of these at home.

Antique roses: Unfortunately, most of the experiences I have with flowers at home are the random findings around campus and the floral section of HEB, so whenever I see roses, they are your typical, average medium-sized variety.  Here in Italy, the majority of the roses I've seen (they're so abundant!) have been of the antique variety.  These also grow in Texas.

-Macy Hicks