a beautiful and edible symbol of life for the italian garden Italian vegetable gardens, along with Italian restaurants bustle with a vegetable that has come to symbolise Easter and even the resurrection of Jesus. The fresh green spears of the asparagus bursting from the cold earth of early spring represent the renewal of life and the start of a new spring/summer. The timing of the arrival of the asparagus in Italian gardens corresponds perfectly to the religious ceremonies of Easter and asparagus is, therefore, eaten in large quantities during the Easter period in Italy. This wonderful vegetable is clearly regarded as an important symbol for practicing Catholics in Italy. The Romans were extremely keen on asparagus and ate the stems fresh in the spring and they would then dry them to be consumed through the winter months. Using Asparagus in the Italian Garden The increasing interest in the ‘formal Italian vegetable garden’ has led to vegetables being used as an aesthetic feature and asparagus is amongst the finest. In spring the shoots emerging from the ground announce the arrival of spring and the fully grown plant possess’ a striking yet subtle form, resembling a feather. If asparagus is allowed to flower it can be combined with other plants with yellow flowers such as fennel to make a dreamy background to any flower border. Growing Asparagus A stunningly beautiful, tall and striking perennial plant- the asparagus provides a wonderful aesthetic feature in Italian vegetable garden. Asparagus grows to height of 1m to 1.50m and bears beautiful feathery foliage with a yellow hue. Although the asparagus is a somewhat complicated and demanding plant to grow, it is, however well worth all the extra effort. Asparagus requires an extremely well cultivated and weed-free soil and, therefore, double-digging should be considered prior to planting. Asparagus has an extensive root system that spreads deep underground, searching to satisfy its high requirement for nitrogen. Therefore, a trench of 30cm wide x 20cm deep should be dug and the soil well prepared. Given this high nutrient intake, it is necessary to add well-rotted manure at the base of the planting trench. Having done this the modern F1 cultivars will provide fresh shoots for up to 20 years. An organic mulch is essential for keeping down perennial weeds around the asparagus crowns and it will also retain moisture. The asparagus is native to coastal regions all across Europe and N. Africa, so therefore has a high resistance to salt, in fact salt was once used to treat the soil in asparagus beds in order to suppress weed growth. A pH of around 6.5 to 7.5 will suit the asparagus best and acidic soil will need to be limed to encourage the alkaline-loving asparagus. One year old Asparagus crowns are usually planted in March and can be planted in rows with 45 cm gaps, with a 30 to 45cm spacing between each plant. Medicinal A substance found in asparagus rhizomes can be used to treat urinary tract infections CLICK HERE TO CONTACT ECOLOGICA