I am a keen gardener back in the UK and decided to visit a couple of garden centres in the region of Italy where i am currently working. I did not spend a great deal of time at A&A Mazzini as they close for lunch at 12:30 but what I saw was excellent. Excellent stock of indoor planting available...not really my scene, I admired and passed through a much wider and better variety than two other centres I visited. However, there were 2 or 3 benches dedicated to some very good looking bonsai from beginner to serious enthusiast, bonsai growers in the UK have their own sources of plant and materials, but A&A Mazzini appear to have everything a beginner, or serious grower would need. Stocks of specialist compost, growing media and fertilisers were also available at good prices; bonsai, Orchidacea, ericaceous. January is not a good tiime to visit for plants; herbaceous perennials annuals or even bulbs, however Trees!! I saw a good variety of 10year old or older root balled trees, all in perfect condition, ideal for planting over the next 6 weeks; Acer, Catalpa, Ginko as three I have at home with many others probably more in tune with the Italian market. Additionally over 1000 stock of container grown trees, with permanent irrigation set up. Fruit in particular looked good with nicely trained espaliers amongst all the stock. Bumping into Signor Mazzini on exiting he informed me that all the tree stock is grown by them locally from seed or cutting etc and is grown on prior to lifting and preparing for sale. A very good reason why the prices seemed very reasonable, at least compared to Britiah centre prices! I may have a longer term job in Italy, if so and if I buy somewhere here, A&A Mazzini will definately have a number of visits from me, in parting I noted some tubs of aquatics, frozen over but clearly with a variety of stock....so not just a centre for arboriculturalists. read more