First Steps.
When I returned to Italy, I started to cultivate some tomato species in the prototype greenhouse.
The first fertilizers were the same used by the intensive hydroponic crops of northern Europe. The goal was to achieve at least the same quality as the hydroponic tomatoes available at the supermarket.
After a few months, the plants grew luxuriant and began to bear fruit. The hydroponic culture actually seemed to keep its promises : the plants reached several meters in height, the foliage was much greener and denser than the plants cultivated in the soil. The tomatoes were comparable to those of the large distribution, but they were far from the consistency and flavor I wanted to obtain.
The challenge was how to obtain quality tomatoes in hydroponics ? Thanks to the help of Massimo S., our agronomist expert in soilless cultivation, we found a recipe of nutrients ad hoc which quickly improved in an exceptional way the taste of our tomatoes.
I spent my days working remotely immersed in the green of my greenhouse, savoring the taste of tomatoes that began to get closer and closer to my memories. That’s where I thought about how great it would be to create a green space where people could relax and eat quality products. I decided to contact my friend Stefano Chiappelli, Chef of Tenuta Bonamico located in the hills of Lucca, asking him a simple question :
"Do you think people would like to eat under a tomato pergola?"
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Stefano ● When Arianna asked me this question, I immediately thought about how nice it would be for our customers to enjoy this pergola inside the estate. In addition to being an immersive and emotional location where people can eat, it is also a space where you can grow tomatoes and not only. I asked Arianna if it was possible to grow the aromatic herbs and edible flowers that are very difficult to find on the market. This curiosity of mine has aroused in her strong interest and she had the idea to insert inside the pergola a "green wall" that will host these plants. It would be a huge fortune to be able to benefit from organic products at zero kilometer to decorate and complete my dishes, for this reason I am glad to have jumped into this adventure !
Arianna ● After talking with Stefano, I had the first renders of the pergola created only for accommodation facilities such as restaurants, hotels and farmhouses such as Tenuta Bonamico. Today, however, the pergola we propose is a very versatile object that is suitable for anyone who owns an outdoor space and wants to optimize it to the fullest.
