Piazza S. Silvestro finally gets trees almost a decade after the square's restyling.

Rome's central Piazza S. Silvestro is to have an injection of greenery after the city planted four trees in the square: two melias and two jacarandas.

The arrival of the trees, whose white, purple and fuschia blossoms should bloom in the spring, comes a decade after the piazza ceased to act as bus depot.

The new-look, pedestrianised square, designed by architect Paolo Portoghesi, was unveiled in April 2012 by the city's then mayor Gianni Alemanno.

However Romans soon lamented the absence of greenery in the piazza, particularly in the summer months when there was no shade to escape the heat.

The drive to plant trees was pushed by green councillor Nathalie Naim and, under Alemanno's successor Ignazio Marino, the plan was approved in 2015, with the approval of Portoghesi.

The trees were planted yesterday, 27 January, in the presence of the president of Rome's central Municipio I, Sabrina Alfonsi, who said the project cost €36,000.

Photo La Repubblica