Le palme fioriscono a Venezia - Flowering palm trees in Venice

Happy Whitsunday to all of you !! Today I am forwarding a suprise post - not yet about the Voga Longa which is taking place today, but about flowering palm trees in Venice ?? But yes, we have them too,  and even a real nice quarter where palm trees abound: These palm trees, in full bloom these days in Venice, are tucked away in the area called "sestiere di Santa Croce". So you need to walk a bit farther beyond the "usual sights" in Venice.

Palm tree blossoms in Venice - and on this itinerary, you can see quite a lot of them now in May

Maybe not so easy to find, but accessible when you have arrived at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco (connected to a famous Tintoretto legend - you can still view the ceiling painted by Tintoretto) and its adjacent Church of San Rocco. Continue beyond the church until you come to a square and a cross-roads. Then take the narrow calle to your left, it is called Ramo Cimesin. 

This is how you reach the area: it is not far from Piazzale Roma, and neither from Campo dei Frari ...

Behind Campo San Rocco, continue into the narrow calle shown here on the right side, towards the yellow building, 

In addition to palm trees, there are magnolia - and - mind you - wisteria !!! Unfortunately, at the time when the palm trees are in full bloom, wisteria consist of nothing but lush green foliage.

Ramo Cimensin is a narrow calle, lined with high red brick walls, and with wisteria-wrapped terraces

Turn back now from where you have come, and you get a first look of a palm tree and its yellow blossoms ...

Also, to the right, there are more towering palms tucked away behind the red brick walls, Actually, if you look at these houses and gardens, you could imagine that you are not in Venice but somewhere on the mainland. Still, the absolute calm, without any noise from cars, betrays this feeling. The only thing you hear in these surroundings are your resounding steps on the masegni.

Lush gardens, wisteria, magnolia, pittosporum, ivy ...

Most palm trees you find here in Venice are fan palms, originating from Central China, but also grow in Burma and India - the so-called Chinese Windmill Palm Species (trachycarpus fortunei). This is the most hardy species, but can grow quite high as you can see in the picture. You also find these palm trees in Northern Italy, in Merano. 

Landmark palm trees, this one has no blossoms ... but ...

... if you love palms, you will be very pleased if you walk on ...

Flowering palm trees towering above the typical Venetian brick walls

Glittering sunlight streams through the leaves

Palm trees and pittosporum (white flowers) just coming into bloom

The palm species "trachycarpus fortunei" grows to 12-20 meters tall on a single stem whose diameter is up to 30 cm. Each leaf is 140-190 cm long, the palms are very hardy and tolerant of both colder winters and very hot summers - really well adapted to the soil and the climate of the lagoon.

Now, retrace your steps until you come back to the cross-roads, and turn left into Calle de le Chiovere. 

Cedar, palm tree, ivy, American vines ...

Here is Calle de le Chiovere, and you look back towards the cross-roads and another flowering palm tree

This is a sunny and lively spot, lined with front gardens full of roses behind the iron-wrought gates and fences.

Palm trees plus roses

A typical view of May in Venice

Roses climb up the houses - can these picture convey the warm weather to you (at least it was like that last Wednesday when I took these pictures)

It is worth looking in at the gates, so many flower treasures are hidden

A young fig tree

Venetian spring colors 

Against a backdrop of impatiens flower pots

Finally, it is up to you whether you walk on into the direction of the Frari Church, and on for a break with cappuccino and a fine tartlet - una pastina - Pasticceria Tonolo is just seven minutes from here ...