george clooney trees

while googling mediterranean cypress, i came across a map showing the natural and naturalized habitat of this favorite tree of mine. the map looks very similar to the map of olive country. so, it’s no surprise to me that cypress is as associated with the mediterranean basin as olives are.  after nine years of biannual visits here, i still get a thrill every time i see a perfect cypress, or even better, a row of perfect cypress, or best of all, an allée of perfect cypress leading up to a country house where an aperitif waits.

by the way, in our family we call these george clooney trees. because when my mom came to visit us last time we were here, she had just watched a television show about george and amal’s estate in italy, and all that she remembered about it was that it was surrounded with these skinny cypress trees. so for the rest of the trip, and now for the rest of our lives, she points out every single george clooney tree we drive by.

mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)