The geraniums on the bridge at Ponte a Serraglio are thriving this year.
I planted them last month and have been taking care of them. There has been some rain, which makes things easier.
I leave for Australia soon and won’t be back until autumn. Annalisa from Bar Italia has kindly offered to let us use her tap beside the bar to water the flowers on the bridge.
I will leave a watering can at the bar. It would be great if anyone interested in keeping the bridge looking good could help out with watering.
Thank you in advance.
Bella Bagni di Lucca 
It may also help if you leave a little sign at Bar Italia asking volunteers to help with watering…..
It is written in bold letters on the watering can.
I wonder what happened to the idea of a tap on the bridge and the various other suggestions
Nothing.
They must add so much to the charm of the village.
They look great on the bridge. I look at it as my front yard and love to see the flowers growing.
We will be there on June 29. We will be staying in Chifenti for three months. I will water them every time we are in town! Thanks for all you do. I love the updates and fotos.
That’s great! Thank you. Have a lovely time in Bagni di Lucca.
Safe travels … and a fitting shot for you to remember!
I find it very difficult to leave, but I like my life in Australia too.
A great feeling!
The bridge and village certainly look lovely with the flowers on the bridge….I’m sure they will be well cared for while you are away.
I will miss Ponte, but I will be back soon.
You are certainly civic minded in your attention to the beautiful Bagni di Lucca commune, may others follow suit. I finally made it there on the 28th May following your hiking recommendation in a previous blog. Story as follows:-
“After a nail-baiting drive up-river from Lucca, the wannabe Grand Prix driver of the little blue bus dropped me in the middle of the village with advice to eat the local produce. ‘Nail-biting’? He drove all the way at full speed nibbling on his right hand and steering with his left. All of the passengers had got off before half-way, maybe they had reached their destinations, maybe not. We were then on our own and he talked to me the rest of the way, turning around as he did so. Coming around one corner a truck was over-taking a bike in the middle of the road and I thought ‘this is it’! But we made it, somehow. I unloaded my fold-up bike and then checked the bus, not a scrape in sight. Either he’s incredibly lucky or he changes buses a lot!
What a beautiful area this is surrounded by lush vegetation on the hillsides and fresh breezy air from the mountains behind. It’s no wonder so many Foreign ex-pats live there, especially English, but also many Irish. Had a great midday lunch for €11, the only customer in a secluded back-garden restaurant (with my own blueberry juice). Then took a trail up the mountain behind where superb stonework walls and seats began to appear nearer to the top. To my mind these are all a lot older than the little ‘chiesina’ at the top (a chapel). The Catholic church has always had a tradition of building on top of ancient ‘pagan’ sites, reclaiming them as theirs. At one hair-pin turn this resting place appeared. If you can see through all the ivy and moss you will see that it was built so that a stream flowed over the wall in a recess about shoulder height. You would stand in there on a hot humid days and let the fresh mountain water cascade over you. Then take a seat to either side to dry off. The Etruscans were known for their manipulation of water, and their stone-working skills. Which the Romans adopted, developed, and made their own (while as conquerors they eradicated the Etruscan language, writing and traditions).
At intervals along the trail there were superbly finished stone benches. The wooden stakes as back supports being added in the present day. There were also stone slabs embedded edge-on at an angle into the path. These were designed to divert rain-water into the ravine beside and prevent the trail being washed away. Simple, clever and practical.
I’ll be back in September fro the grape harvest in the beautiful ‘Mimosa’ agriturismo B&B near Vinci, followed by November for the olives. Promises to be hard work but an experience I’ve been planning during recent visits. (I have photos of that bus trip but cannot upload them here)
I find the bus drivers amazing! One driver was on his mobile phone when his other phone rang. He answered it and had a phone in each hand and steered the bus with his knees…brilliant.
I’m pleased you had a nice walk in our lovely hills. I hope you return one day soon.