Landscape of the Italy Pavilion or Potted Plants Galore

   It has been a landmark year for us at DHB, not only did we have some nice things to say about the Italy pavilion last April, but we also included it in our shake to randomize series as well.  See? You can't say that we aren't making a valiant effort to find positive things in the most hated of World Showcase pavilions.  And today we're going to look a little further into something I've always loved about the area...its landscaping!

   First of all, welcome to the Italy pavilion at Epcot.  A swath of land covered in concrete that wouldn't be out of place on Staten Island's south shore.  This area is home to many gaudy shops, three decent restaurants, and my beloved donkey cart. 

   While landscaping here is very minimal...as it would be in certain ancient cities of Italy...the use of space is brought to life in a really fun way.  

   The space is littered with groupings of very pretty terra-cotta pots filled with brightly colored flowers! While the pots blend really nicely with the surrounding area (hey, terra-cotta is italian after all...) the flowers add a nice pop of color to the abundant beiges of the landscape.

   A quick Google search confirms that this is a pretty common way to garden in metropolitan areas of Europe where bonafide Earth can be harder to come by.  The wonderful thing about this technique is that the landscape is always changing!  I've noticed these pots, and the types of flowers within, change pretty often in the pavilion.  A neat way to change things up a bit...

   Even in the corners of the pavilion where there is actual tangible ground to plant in, pots are still incorporated, which is pretty cool.

   CANT YOU SEE HOW HARD I'M TRYING TO LIKE THIS PAVILION!?!?!  Actually, these terra-cotta pots have been on my list of things to blog about for ages, and I only recently took the time to photograph them.  I almost wish it was more overdone in this area, to help add a softness to the harsh concrete lines of the land.  That would make the overall experience much more welcoming, but I'll take what we got. 

   What is your favorite and LEAST favorite pavilion in world showcase?  Let us know over on Twitter or Facebook!   Or, better yet, tag us in a photo of yourself IN said pavilion on Instagram!