Plants at Ariccia, Italy

The principal plant featured is a Verbascum or Mullein, whose silvery leaves are covered with fine hairs, and whose soft yellow flowers are thrown up on tall spires. Ariccia, in the Roman Campagna, not far from Lake Nemi, was a favourite stopping-off point for artists heading south for Naples - they often stayed at the Locanda Martorelli hotel in the town centre.