TUSCANY IL GIARDINO DEI TAROCCHI The majestic works of Niki de Saint Phalle immersed in the Mediterranean landscape Photographs and text ©Cristina Archinto "La Papessa" It was 1974 when Niki de Saint Phalle, forced to undergo a period of convalescence in St. Moritz, met the art collector Marella Agnelli and wife of Gianni Agnelli. The two women immediately like each other and the artist tells her about the project that has been whirling in her head for a while now. Once back in Italy Marella, together with her brothers Carlo and Nicola Caracciolo, decide to make a lot of their land in Garavicchio, in Tuscany, available to her for the creation of Il Giardino dei Tarocchi, a perfect union between art, nature and spirituality. A place where monumental sculptures with round features and bright colors, unique in their kind, suck you into a fantastic world and psychedelic dreams, while maintaining complete harmony with a soft and typically Mediterranean landscape. The courtyard of the"L'imperatore" Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002) was a celebrated American-born French artist, known for her artistic versatility across multiple media, including sculpture, painting, installation and performance. Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, of French-American parents, Niki spent part of her youth in the United States and her artistic career began in the 1950s, with paintings influenced by the Nouveau Réalisme art movement. However, over time she has become particularly famous for her monumental sculptural works. Saint Phalle's artistic practice in general is infused with symbolism, feminism and a bold and provocative approach. Many of his sculptural works represent vigorous and assertive female figures, often painted in bright and bold colours. Saint Phalle has used art as a tool for personal expression and as a means to address social issues, such as women's liberation and the denunciation of gender-based violence. The interior of "L'imperatrice" The fact remains that one of his most representative projects is certainly The Tarot Garden, a sculptural complex, where the different Arcana of the tarot are represented, a work of love and dedication, created with the help of Jean Tinguely and Doc Winsen, where the imposing and majestic statues seem to come to life. The mythological and mystical figures carved in stone and metal dominate the landscape with their enigmatic presence. Each card represents a unique and complex personality, conveying a sense of ancient wisdom and power. Starting with “The Magician”, as the artist calls him “The great juggler. The God who created the wonderful farce of this world in which we live” and the “Popess, the high priestess of female power”. These two works were built in 1980 together with the most iconic of the architecture-sculptures of this place the "Empress-Sphinx". Placed in a dominant position with respect to the rest of the park, this imposing and opulent figure recalls the Nanas, round and joyful female figures who embody a positive and powerful image of women, born starting from the 1960s. Just as Mondrian had transformed his Paris apartment into a gigantic painting, Niki lived inside the Empress for the entire time the garden was being built. Even today the furnishings are presented as an integral part of the enormous sculpture, a colorful apartment in which the shapes and colors blend with the surrounding environment of the Mediterranean scrub with trees and shrubs resistant to drought and high summer temperatures. "La forza" Plants such as juniper, mastic, phillyrea, helichrysum, cistus, laurel, heather, strawberry tree and alaterno are the frame for these giant works of art. There are also several specimens of olive trees, which, reflecting themselves thanks to the small mosaic-style reflective parts of the works, light up as if they were the real protagonists. Plants such as juniper, mastic, phillyrea, helichrysum, cistus, laurel, heather, arbutus and alaternus are the frame for these giant works of art. There are also several specimens of olive trees, which, reflecting themselves thanks to the small mosaic-style reflective parts of the works, light up as if they were the real protagonists. The mosaics that cover the figures were made with the trecadis technique which consists in the application of fragments of ceramic, glass and mirror, cut irregularly, fixed on white plaster. The purpose of this technique is to be able to create constructions resembling living creatures. An example of this is "La forza" where a tender girl dominates a fearsome green dragon, keeping it tied to an invisible leash, or "The devil" with its multicolored wings. "La'Imperatrice", the stairs of "Il mago" and "La luna" Discovering all the cards with the artist's exact wording is very interesting and opens the door to new awareness. Just like the thought that it took the artist more than twenty years to create this garden, in fact demonstrates how connected she was with this enormous work of hers and the personal commitment she invested in it. Also the presence of a local team of people, which the artist has formed and which continues to maintain the garden, testifies to his willingness to involve the local community a lot and to ensure that his work is preserved and cared for over time. "La temperanza" Niki de Saint Phalle is regarded as a highly influential figure in contemporary art and her work continues to be exhibited in leading museums and galleries around the world. His artistic legacy is characterized by his ability to transform personal pain into works of beauty and joy, inspiring generations of artists and art lovers and walking in his garden is a real path towards art in all its forms , a spiritual journey full of messages, which pushes you to reflections out of the ordinary, almost to the limit. GALLERY Photos ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website Other GARDENS and PARKS Villa Marlia Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto I giardini di Villa Melzi I giardini di Villa Melzi Parco giardini di Sicurtà Parco giardini di Sicurtà Gairdino di Villa Lante Villa Lante parco del Flauto Magico Parco Flauto Magico Bomarzo

Terrimago.com Passion for Nature photography Terrimago.com the webside for gardens and of the gardens Terrimago is a specialised structure created to enhance and disseminate knowledge of nature and botany and to promote gardens, parks, botanical gardens and historic houses through the production of photographic projects and publications that can be used free of charge. Terrimago fotografie SERVIZI FOTOGRAFICI NUOVO LIBRO Nella sezione Terrimago fotografie si possono trovare, gratuitamente, articoli e servizi fotografici di giardini, orti botanici e parchi realizzati con le fotografie di Cristina Archinto e con testi di differenti autori. Storie di giardini, di piante e personaggi, per raccontare questo mondo da una diversa angolazione, più curiosa, storica e avvincente. The latest photoshoot of gardens and botanical gardens Il giardino dei tarocchi Giardini Meise Botanical Garden Botanical Gardens Royal Villa of Marlia Gardens Garden of Villandry Gardens Engadin Photo diary Palace of Venaria Photo diary TUTTI I SERVIZI Terrimago news A new section: Terrimago news , a place where you can report and keep up to date on everything that is happening in gardens, as places or as protagonists. Exhibitions, events, visits, fairs or courses. Subscribe to the newsletter if you want to stay up to date. If you want to share an event of your own, write to us here and we will spread the information on the website and on our social media. Terrimago On taking pictures To improve your shots ​ Terrimago On taking pictures is a section of Terrimago that develops in a purely photographic field,with the help of Cristina Archinto gardens and landscapes photographer for many years. MORE WORKSHOPS newsletter

LUCCA The Villa Reale of Marlia and its Camellia Photographs and text byCris Tina Archinto Camellia japonica "Bellina Major"" Villa Marlia, an enchanting Renaissance residence located near Lucca, represents one of the treasures of the region. Its beauty is sublimated by the famous Viale della Camelie, where the visitor is captivated by the vision of over forty varieties of Camellia japonica, which with their elegant and showy flowers, declined in various shades of red, pink, white and pink, stand out among large bushes with glossy green leaves. The slight succession of the stream, which carries the fallen petals towards the valley, creates a pleasant sensation of freshness and a certain oriental atmosphere, capable of bewitching the visitor's senses. Camellia is a flower native to East Asia, mainly China and later Japan. The first mentions of camellias date back to China in the third century BC, where the poet Hsu Fu wrote about a wonderful flower that grew in the province of Hunan. Subsequently its cultivation was introduced in Japan where it became particularly popular among the nobility for its beauty and symbolic importance. During the Edo period (1603-1868), camellias were grown in private and public gardens throughout Japan also for their variety of colors. Camellia japonica "Francesca da Rimini" In the West, camellias were discovered in the 18th century by the French Jesuit missionary Georg Joseph Kamel, who lived in the Philippines. Kamel discovered the plant and described it in his work "Herbarium Amboinense" of 1704. However, the actual diffusion of camellias in Europe and their popularity as an ornamental plant can be attributed to the Dutch since 1739. In the past the great innovator of poetry father of the haiku genre, Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), inspired by the nature and landscapes he encountered wandering around Japan one day wrote, "The camellia, sweet, solitary and unpretentious, more than any other plant, reminds me human beauty." Today I'm not sure she would feel the same way about humanity, but the beauty of the camellia has certainly not withered over time. The Royal Villa of Marlia also offers a long history full of characters. Born as a fortress for the Duke of Tuscia, over time it became a noble palace passing from one family to another until 1651 when it was bought by Olivieri and Lelio Orsetti. The new owners, who fell in love with the place, started considerable expansions and embellishments also focusing on the garden with the help of the famous French landscape architect Jean-Baptiste Dye with new arrangements of scenic avenues and gardens with a decidedly Baroque taste. In 1806 it was the turn of Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, sister of Napoleon and then princess of Lucca, who bought the property. The Princess' bond with the Royal Villa of Marlia was particularly passionate and in fact we owe her the major interventions that once again transformed the structure of the palace and its gardens. The model he adopted was that of the Malmaison, the private residence of Napoleon and Josephine near Paris, a residence characterized by the harmonious fusion between the sobriety of classicism and the refined elegance of the imperial period, he also partially redesigned the Park according to the fashion period with English garden: a rare case at that time in Italy. After the fall of Napoleon, Elisa had to leave his kingdom in 1814, and the Villa Reale passed to the Bourbons who made it their summer residence, becoming the protagonist of splendid dance parties, with illustrious guests including princes and sovereigns. When the decline of the Bourbons arrived in 1861, the villa was abandoned to its sad fate, the assets were confiscated and auctioned off and many ancient trees in the Park were cut down to produce timber, until the arrival in 1923 of the Count and Countess Pecci-Blunt who bought the villa in Lucca and the following year commissioned Jacques Greber (1882-1962) a French architect, urban planner and landscape architect, to restore the park and gardens, with the aim of combining tradition and innovation. Woods, streams, bucolic elements were created which completed and enriched the romantic framework of the gardens but above all built the lake, still a very important element within the ecosystem of the park. Since 2015 it has been owned by Henric and Marina Grönberg, a Swedish entrepreneur and designer, who bought a very neglected and disused property with the aim of restoring and preserving its historical and artistic heritage and opening it to the public. Their hard work of restoration has allowed to recover the original aspect of the villa and the rehabilitation of the park, all put to the test by a terrible windstorm that occurred a few months after the start of the works which knocked down many ancient trees . Today the result of their efforts can be seen and the villa with its park is definitely worth a visit. The facade of the Villa Reale Present in the park in the lake area are two specimens of weeping willows, positioned as if they were two wings to the distant villa, which in this season are tinged with that delicate light green due to the new leaves. The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) is a tree native to China and present in different parts of the world. Always present in parks and gardens, it is often planted near watercourses because its roots are able to retain the soil and prevent erosion. The name "weeping" derives from the characteristic of its thin and flexible branches that can hang down to touch the ground giving the impression that the tree is actually crying or as Lewis Carroll suggested in Alice in Wonderland "It was a meadow of grass tall and flowery, with a stream running by, and over which hung a great weeping willow which seemed to stoop to listen." Two specimens of Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) GALLERY Photos ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website Other GARDENS and PARKS Giardino di Villandry Giardini di Villandry Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto I giardini di Villa Melzi I giardini di Villa Melzi Parco giardini di Sicurtà Parco giardini di Sicurtà Gairdino di Villa Lante Villa Lante parco del Flauto Magico Parco Flauto Magico Bomarzo Parco Villa la Grange

Bruxelles Meise Botanical Garden Photographs and text by CrisTina Archinto A part of the forest with a carpet of Allium ursinum At the Meise Botanical Garden, also known as Jardin botanique Meise which is located about 10 km northwest of Brussels, Belgium, you walk, walk and walk again! It is currently the largest botanical garden in the world and at the end of the day you feel all those kilometers but they were worth it. ​ Its history is quite ancient, it begins in 1796 when the Austrian government decided to create a botanical garden at the castle of Bouchout, in Meise. The main focus of the garden was to grow medicinal and food plants. Over the following centuries, the botanical garden developed considerably, also thanks to the collaboration with the University of Louvain, until it became the National Botanical Garden of Belgium. Today it covers an area of 92 hectares and is home to over 18,000 plant species from all over the world, many of which are kept in the garden's greenhouses. In addition, the garden carries out important biodiversity research and conservation activities, working in collaboration with other botanical institutions around the world. Rododendron Fortunei and Rododendron Gladis rose Entering the forest, the first enchantment is in front of the vast collection of azaleas and rhododendrons located in the shade of centuries-old specimen trees. This collection has ancient origins and is one of the most important in Europe, including many rare and endangered species from all over the world. The first azalea was planted at the Botanical Garden in 1796, but the real expansion of the collection took place under the direction of Édouard Morren, from 1869 to 1892, who made many botanical expeditions to Asia, Africa and America, where he collected numerous azalea and rhododendron plants. In addition, Morren was a pioneer in the creation of azalea hybrids, achieving results that earned him numerous prizes at international botanical fairs. Today, this collection comprises more than 2,500 species and varieties of azaleas and rhododendrons. During flowering, which usually takes place between April and May, there is this explosion of colours in various shades of pink, red, purple and white. A true visual experience. the Botanical Garden also organised an annual azalea festival, during which guided tours, lectures and other activities focusing on azaleas and rhododendrons are organised. Azaleas and rhododendrons The scientific name of the genus of azaleas, Rhododendron, was given only in 1753 by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who classified the plants in detail in his "Species Plantarum". The name "azalea" instead, derives from the Greek "azaleos", which means "dry", and refers to the ability of plants to tolerate dry soils. ​ Azaleas and rhododendrons, even if they are plants belonging to the same botanical family, that of the Ericaceae, have many differences between them such as flowering: azaleas have funnel-shaped flowers with five lobes, while rhododendrons have bell-shaped flowers with ten lobes. As for the leaves, those of azaleas are generally smaller and thinner than those of rhododendrons. Additionally, azalea leaves tend to be softer and lighter. Even the natural habitats are different: that of the azaleas are usually native to wooded areas of the temperate and subtropical regions of Asia, Europe and North America, while the rhododendrons are more common in the mountainous regions of East Asia, North America and Europe. The difference is also in the size; rhododendrons tend to be larger and slower growing than azaleas. The winter greenhouse The Meise Botanical Garden is also home to a large collection of trees from around the world, many of which are of significant rarity, beauty or cultural significance. Like the Giant Sequoia trees native to California which are among the largest trees in the world. Ginkgo biloba is an ancient tree that has been described as a living fossil and has a long history of medicinal use. The Atlas Cedar is a tree native to North Africa that is known for its resistance to drought and environmental degradation. And the Wollemi Pine a tree that was discovered only in 1994 and was believed to be extinct for over 90 million years. Egyptian Geese The current greenhouse, also known as the "winter greenhouse", was built between 1952 and 1958. It was an innovative structure and had to replace the old greenhouse destroyed by the war, with a heating system based on geothermal energy and a natural ventilation system which allowed the humidity to be controlled inside the greenhouse. The winter greenhouse now houses a large collection of tropical and subtropical plants, including many rare and endangered species, including many species of Araceae, such as Colocasia gigantea. In addition to the winter greenhouse, the Meise Botanical Garden also houses other specialized greenhouses, including greenhouses for carnivorous plants, orchids and palms. Walking through the vast garden you can also reach an artificial lake, an important breeding and rest area for numerous species of migratory birds such as the Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptica), originally from sub-Saharan Africa. This goose is a large bird, its wingspan is up to one and a half meters. They have a distinctive black head and neck, grayish-brown plumage on the body and a white tail and live happily in large groups often near fresh water like here, and are beautiful to look at. GALLERY Photos ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website Other GARDENS and PARKS Giardino di Villandry Giardini di Villandry Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto I giardini di Villa Melzi I giardini di Villa Melzi Parco giardini di Sicurtà Parco giardini di Sicurtà Gairdino di Villa Lante Villa Lante parco del Flauto Magico Parco Flauto Magico Bomarzo Parco Villa la Grange

FRANCE LOIRE VALLEY The Gardens of Villandry Castle Photographs and text by Cristina Archinto The Gardens of Villandry are part of the last of the Great Castles erected during the Renaissance in that historical environmental context which is the Loire Valley. The French nobleman Jean Le Breton had it built on the remains of an ancient medieval fortress built in the 16th century. In the 19th century the garden underwent several transformations, until 1906 when Joachim Carvallo and his wife Ann Coleman bought the castle and started a major restoration, including the gardens. At the time, the gardens were in a state of total abandonment and degradation and the photographs of the time make us understand how little was left of the glorious past, and only strong determination and in-depth studies have allowed the Carvallos to recreate the splendor of once. He, a Spanish doctor and botanist with a very strong passion for horticulture, she, scientist, American heiress of iron and steel magnates, together with their knowledge and their heritage have created a true garden of wonders, restoring the areas, such as the Italian garden and the herb garden, the water garden and the labyrinth, sometimes in the French style, sometimes in the Romantic or Renaissance style Today the Ornamental Garden is the main attraction of the gardens of Villandry. In a purely Renaissance style, it is made up of nine parcels all of the same size, but each with a different geometric pattern created by vegetables and flowers. In the boxes are planted vegetables of amazing colors that bewitch; blue leeks, red cabbage and beets, jade green carrot tops, and so on, giving the impression of a multicolored checkerboard, all carefully selected to ensure the best aesthetic but also culinary performance. But there are also tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, peppers, beans, carrots, onions, cauliflowers, broccoli, lettuces, spinaches and many others, all grown according to sustainable agricultural principles, using organic and integrated cultivation techniques, without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. In short, natural products grown with environmentally friendly techniques and used in the kitchen of the castle restaurant and sold to the public during the summer. The Ornamental Garden, on the other hand, is conceived as an extension of the halls of the Castle of Villandry and develops on the second terrace, between the Vegetable Garden and the Water Garden. A canal divides the Ornamental Garden into two green halls, known as the First Hall and Second Hall. The Renaissance design of this part of the gardens of Villandry is the result of a collaboration between the Sevillian artist Lozano and the painter and landscape architect Javier de Winthuysen for the First Salon, while the Second Salon was designed by Joachim Carvallo. The parterre designs in these rooms clearly evoke the Andalusian style. At the southern end of the estate, is the Water Garden. This French “boulingrin”, or grassy ground, bordered by grassy banks called glacis, consists of an ornamental pond in the center in the shape of a Louis XV mirror, embellished here and there by square lawn parterres and a network of perpendicular avenues and by four secondary ornamental ponds. The current water garden dates from the early 20th century and was built when the gardens of Villandry were transformed into a jardin à la française (formal garden) in the 18th century. The redevelopment of the park in the 19th century in an English romantic style led to the replacement of the classic ornamental lake with one with more natural lines. Based on the 18th century plans, Joachim Carvallo recreated the ornamental pond and gave this area the clear and regular look it has today. After Dr Carvallo's death in 1936, his descendants work to preserve and develop the Villandry estate with the rigor and self-sacrifice that make gardens extraordinary. The Garden of simples is a creation of the 70s; as for the Garden of the Sun, inspired by a design by Joachim, it was inaugurated in 2008 and celebrates the centenary of the restoration of these exceptional gardens in grand style. Today, the gardens of Villandry are one of France's most popular tourist attractions and are admired for their beauty and botanical mastery. Walking through this place is a source of continuous amazement, the natural geometries are the protagonists and they are everywhere like the chromatic combinations that fascinate and amaze. In these gardens you have the clear sensation that nothing is left to chance, therefore "natural", but at the same time you perceive "nature" in a profound way. GALLERY Photos ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website Other GARDENS and PARKS Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto I giardini di Villa Melzi I giardini di Villa Melzi Parco giardini di Sicurtà Parco giardini di Sicurtà Gairdino di Villa Lante Villa Lante parco del Flauto Magico Parco Flauto Magico Bomarzo Parco Villa la Grange Labirinto della Masone

Who we are Terrimago è una struttura che si avvale di diverse collaborazioni, professionisti e appassionati di territori e giardini, per i singoli progetti o per i servizi on line. Tutti servizi fotografici di Terrimago.com sono di Cristina Archinto . Collaborano Carla De Agostini, Livia Danese, Patrizia Staffico, Alessandra Valentinelli, Paco San , Stefania Bellingardi Beale, Greta Arancia Sanna, Alessandra Boraso. ​ On line è possibile acquistare le pubblicazioni realizzate da Terrimago. ordine on line Contact By purchasing the book you will support Terrimago and its project to enhance and spread the culture and knowledge of gardens, botanical gardens and parks. The cost of the book is €26 each + €4 shipping within Italy. With the purchase of at least 3 copies, shipping is free. For payment we require a bank transfer, the data will be sent to you once the order form is received. Indicate which book or workshop you are interested in I agree to the Terms and Conditions Send Your form has been sent successfully

LOMBARDY VILLA MELZI GARDENS The geometrical taste of green Photographs Cristina Archinto Text Carla De Agostini I t was in 1808 that Francesco Melzi d'Eril, Duke of Lodi, Grand Councillor, Keeper of the Seals of the Kingdom of Italy and a personal friend of Napoleon's, decided to build his summer residence at Bellagio on land with a stupendous view of Lake Como. Thus Villa Melzi and its gardens were created, taking advantage of the natural terraces and the variety of views in which it is immersed, playing on the curved paths that cross the property throughout its extension and connect the points of interest, the architectural furnishings and the numerous sculptures with historical and mythological subjects placed among the rich vegetation. At the entrance to the property, in the direction of Bellagio, one reaches a small area laid out as an oriental garden, with a characteristic pond, surrounded by Japanese maples and camellias that create a brightly coloured ensemble. The garden alternates majestic century-old trees with exotic and rare species, grouped in wooded patches, planted in rows along the shore or isolated in the grassy carpet. The refined taste for the exotic that characterises the Villa Melzi Gardens finds its most graceful expression in the numerous species of historic camellias, now about 250, that can be admired in the park, especially near the two entrances, at Loppia and Bellagio. Many of them were born from seed and are mostly related to the main species of Camelia japonica, but a large number are cultivars of great historical-botanical interest, created in the nineteenth century. Villa Melzi also picks up the tradition of topiary art, which in Italy reached excellence in the late Renaissance. At that time, the taste and sensibility of Humanism, whose philosophy is based on the idea of Promethean man and his triumph over nature, inspired the creation of gardens carefully subordinated to the geometry of forms, then the rediscovery of the ars topiary with its pruning techniques to shape plants into decorative forms. This style has its roots in Roman times, with an influence from Greek art, when, in other words, thanks to the Empire, cultural trends were reunited and intertwined in the service of a new aesthetic. The first experiments were carried out in the new gardens of suburban villas, desired by aristocratic families. The Roman garden acquired an interweaving of poetry, sculpture and Hellenic painting, which gave rise to a truly new landscape composition, which would later become the basis of the Italian garden. In the gardens of Villa Melzi, symmetries can be appreciated, not only for their geometric taste but also to celebrate the beauty of the essential characteristics of nature itself: not only gardening but art, through the precise choice of colours and shapes, such as the umbrella pruning of the plane trees or the particular positioning of centuries-old trees and exotic species, where Ginkgo biloba, red beeches or camphor trees enhance the view around them, together with shrubs, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Love and precision stand out at Villa Melzi, in the care of the greenery, in the architectural variety of parapets, balustrades, marble busts, in the galleries of citrus trees, which create an unusual and fascinating play of geometries, in which to lose oneself without paying attention to the passing of time. THE CAMALLIA IN HISTORY In Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera , the protagonist Fermina Daza refuses the camellia offered to her by Florentino saying that "it is a flower that pledges". And it was precisely as a pledge of love that camellias arrived in Italy in 1760, a gift from Admiral Nelson to Lady Emma Hamilton, who had them planted in the garden of the Royal Palace of Caserta. Very similar to the rose and large in size, the flowers of the camellia originate in China and Japan and belong to the Theaceae family. Ornamental camellias were immediately considered a rarity destined for the few, a display not only of power but also of refined tastes. Over time, the history of this flower has taken on many facets and meanings, but the most widespread is undoubtedly the symbol of love, devotion and esteem. The camellia achieved great fame with Alexandre Dumas' novel The Lady with the Camellias , first published in 1848, in which Marguerite Gautier was inspired by the courtesan Marie Duplessis, who used to pin a white or red camellia on her dress, depending on the season. This fashion shared by both men and women soon became a classy detail on the lapels of gentlemen and in the hair of ladies, and would remain pinned to their necklines for a long time. In 1923 Coco Chanel took to the catwalk for the first time dresses with broches (brooches) of white chiffon camellias, modelled on the Camelia japonica Alba plena , whose structure of overlapping petals is thought to have suggested to her the double C cross; in those same years Proust called them camélia à la boutonnière (Camellia in the buttonhole). Over time, the camellia went from being a flower of nobility and luxury to being more democratic, but in gardens it still retains its air of a refined flower. GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO LINK Official website More Gardens and Parks Parco giardini di Sicurtà Parco giardini di Sicurtà Gairdino di Villa Lante Villa Lante parco del Flauto Magico Parco Flauto Magico Bomarzo Parco Villa la Grange Labirinto della Masone Giardino di Kenroku-en Giardino dell'impossibile

VENETO SIGURTÀ GARDEN PARK The enchantment of tulips from ancient Persia to the Mincio Valleys Photographs Cristina Archinto Text Carla De Agostini D espite the cold weather at the end of March, the tulips in the Sigurtà Garden have sprouted! On the border between Veneto and Lombardy, in Valeggio sul Mincio, the 60 hectares of the Park have become colourful thanks to Tulipanomania, the richest tulip flowering in Italy, the second richest in Europe, with over a million bulbs. The route of about 10 km along porphyry paths enchants the visitor among fairy-tale glades and monuments in memory of the Sigurtà family. Punctuated by sweeping views of the Mincio, the itinerary crosses small bridges, sheets of water, reaches the flowerbeds of the Great Grassland Carpet and the floating, rotating islands in the Laghetti Fioriti. Every corner is a surprise, not only for the tulips but also for the daffodils, mosses, hyacinths and fritillaries. The arrangement of the flowers is the result of an in-depth study that guarantees perfect colour, with hundreds of multicoloured shades. And spring after spring, the flowerbeds are renewed, always offering new spectacles. The property, first owned by the Contarini family, then by the Maffei family, was purchased in 1941 by Giuseppe Carlo Sigurtà, who opened it to the public in 1978. The area soon became a nature park and in 2019 the Sigurtà Gardens were awarded by the World Tulip Society for excellence in promoting and celebrating the tulip. Today Tulipanomania is a real festival that exalts its beauty. The history of the tulip starts in the East: from the Persian delband, which means headdress or turban. The first cultivations took place in Turkey where it became very popular in the 16th century. During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, numerous varieties were developed and exported from his court to Vienna, then to Holland and England. The choice of the name Tulipanomania recalls the Tulip Fever that broke out in Holland in the first half of the 17th century. In those years the demand for tulips reached such a peak that every single bulb fetched incredible prices: in 1623 some bulbs cost as much as a thousand Dutch guilders. Considering that the average annual income at the time was 150 guilders, bulbs became an asset to invest in, exchanged for land, livestock or houses. ​ ​ In 1630, to meet the demands of the market, there were more than 140 different species of tulips registered in Holland alone: single-colour hybrids, multi-coloured with streaks, strokes or flaming leaves, all competing to create the most beautiful and rare tulip. The record price was set for the most famous bulb, the Semper Augustus, which sold in Haarlem for 6,000 guilders. In 1636 they became Holland's fourth most important export, but by the end of that year the 'Tulip Bubble' had reached its peak and burst, sending many people broke. The fever resumed in England in 1800, where the price of a single bulb reached fifteen guineas, a sum that was enough to ensure a worker and his family food, clothing and shelter for at least six months. But no other country in Europe matched the level of tulip mania of the Dutch. ​ Today's Tulipanomania at the Sigurtà Garden has the theme of the ecological garden at heart; awarded the European Award for Ecological Gardening, the Park raises public awareness by promoting visits on foot, by bicycle, in an electric golf-cart or in a little retro train that follows the Itinerary of Enchantments with a multilingual guide. The creation of the Labyrinth, inaugurated in 2011 on an area formerly used as a car park, is along the same lines of thought. One thousand five hundred yew trees grow there, more than two metres tall, creating natural geometries on a rectangular area of 2,500 square metres. From the tower at the centre of the Labyrinth, you can admire the Great Oak, which has stood for over four centuries. At the end of the visit, you will have the feeling that you have not seen everything. The great variety of places will be the perfect excuse to return and discover the Garden, in search of new colours and blooms at new times of the year. THE TULIP IN HISTORY "Art could not feign a simpler grace, nor nature form a more beautiful line" wrote James Montgomery, a Scottish poet, at the end of the 18th century. Tulips, a bulbous species belonging to the Liliaceae family, were first mentioned in Western Europe around 1554 under the name tulipa, from the Latin genus, or tulipant. The word probably derives from the Persian دلبند delband 'turban' because of its similarity to the flower. One of the oldest tales dates back to ancient Persia: the young prince Farhad learns that Shirin, his great love, has been murdered. Overcome with grief, he throws himself off a cliff. In reality, it is a jealous rival who has spread this false rumour to hinder their relationship. So to symbolise eternal love and sacrifice, tradition has it that where the young prince's blood has dripped, tulips have grown. Even today in Iran, where the tulip is a national symbol of martyrdom, also used as a symbol in the 1979 Islamic revolution, it commemorates the martyrs who died in the battle of Karbala in 680 AD. The vicissitudes of this flower are varied and reach as far as Europe, in Holland to be precise, where in 1636 demand for tulip bulbs grew to such an extent that people began to invest in them on the stock exchange. Newspapers of the time, for example, reported the story of a brewer from Utrecht who traded his brewery for just three tulip bulbs. Flowers became jewellery for ladies, enriching their intrinsic meaning: giving a tulip as a gift can mean unconditional and perfect love, or it can be used to toast the achievement of a goal, it can allude to vanity, or reflect the philosophical attitude and transience of life. It is not by chance that we find a tulip vase next to Seneca's bust in the painting The Four Philosophers by Flemish artist Pieter Paul Rubens, recalling the disappearance of the two characters in the centre of the painting, so dear to the painter. GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO LINK Official website More Gardens and Parks Gairdino di Villa Lante Villa Lante parco del Flauto Magico Parco Flauto Magico Bomarzo Parco Villa la Grange Labirinto della Masone Giardino di Kenroku-en Giardino dell'impossibile Giardino di Ninfa

CAMPANIA BOTANIC GARDEN OF NAPLES By CARLA DE AGOSTINI On May 18th 1809, a 'Royal Botanical Garden for the education of the public and for the multiplication of spices useful to health, agriculture and industry' opened in Naples on Via Foria. The decree by which Joseph Bonaparte established it in 1807 concisely expresses the educational, medical, economic and productive aims of the new place. The foundations on which the Parthenopean kitchen garden is based will immediately distinguish it for the multiplicity of its functions and for its diversified plant heritage. Today it is managed by the Federico II University and is the second largest in Italy, after Padua, for exotic plant groups: twenty-five thousand plants of nine thousand species combined. After being devastated by Allied troops during the Second World War, the garden was reborn in 1948 with the construction of new greenhouses, the modernisation of the water supply and the increase in the collections of Cycadales, succulents and ferns. At the time of its foundation, the city of Naples was dominated by the French, and it immediately became one of the most prestigious scientific institutions of southern Italy. The first director was the Italian botanist Michele Tenore and it was he who, in a career spanning almost fifty years from 1808 to 1860, scientifically organised the garden and promoted its innovative botanical concept to Europe's leading botanical institutions. The initial importance of research was soon complemented by the social importance of architect Vincenzo Paoletti's decision to enhance the landscape by creating a "public promenade" for visitors, with wide tree-lined avenues and pleasant paths through the greenery. This choice has continued to the present day, with free access to the vegetable garden to allow everyone, from children to the elderly, to enjoy a place of such great interest all year round. The garden now boasts a Filiceto, a Palm Grove, a Desert area and a collection of Cycadales of considerable importance. In the Filiceto, located in a hollow, the conditions of shade and humidity necessary for growing ferns are reproduced. From the Latin fĭlix, the Filiceto is surrounded by a belt of trees that protects the area from excessive sunlight, while streams and an artificial pond, together with abundant and frequent watering, maintain the ideal microclimate. From here, where water reserves are plentiful, an ecological itinerary begins, illustrating the importance of water in biodiversity, and ends in the desert, where water resources are scarce. In the collection of succulent plants of the Desert, arranged on sandy soil to prevent stagnation and with some specimens covered in winter, there are remarkable specimens of mammilaria, notocactus, Wilcoxia Viperina, Opuntia and American Agave. The primitive world of the Cycadales holds the record for the oldest seeded plants alive today, and the Botanical Garden has one of the most important collections of these in the world, both in terms of the number of species and genera, so much so that some of the genus Dion are grown only in Naples. Also of note here is the Cycas revoluta donated in 1813 by Maria Carolina Bonaparte, consort of the King of Naples Joachim Murat, in gratitude for the Terrazza Carolina, a structure of the garden that has now disappeared. At present, the plant, which is almost 200 years old, has reached a remarkable height of about 5 metres. Cycas revoluta is the only species of the Cycadaceae family that has had great success as an ornamental plant; it is widely found in parks and gardens in mild climate regions. The common name Cycas is not a diminutive but is linked to its similarity to palms: it derives from koykas, a word of Greek origin used to indicate an unidentified palm. The garden also includes a citrus grove, the Chalet, an area designed for the visually impaired, and the Serra Merola, which recreates tropical rainforests and the coastal ecosystem of Mexican mangroves. The most recently established area is dedicated to the plants of the Bible, hosting some of the species mentioned in the most significant episodes of the Old and New Testament, such as myrrh or olive trees. The area reserved for Magnoliophyta is still under construction and will show the evolution of flowering plants, in line with the most recent discoveries in Systematic Botany. A visit to the Parthenopean garden represents not only an opportunity to learn about and explore the world of botany but also a unique opportunity to enjoy an unexpectedly calm, unique and original Naples just a few steps from the busy Via Foria. Translation Greta Arancia Sanna GALLERY Info: Official website Magnolia Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO more botanical gardens and nurseries Orto Botanico di Zurigo e la Serra Malgascia Giardino Botanico Nuova Gussonea Orto Botanico di Catania Orto Botanico di Ginevra Centro Botanico Moutan Orto Botanico di Palermo Roseto di Roma Chicago Batanical Garden

LAZIO NINFA A MARVELOUS GARDEN Thanks to Gelasio Caetani’s foresight, today we can enjoy the beauty of an English garden amongst the nicest of Europe, which was nominated in the year 2000 as one of “Italy’s Natural Monuments”. In 1921, the Caetani family restored a number of ruins in the ancient medieval city of Ninfa, a few kilometres away from Cisterna di Latina. Among these renovations was a baronial palace which was transformed into the family’s summer estate, as well as a garden at the foot of Mount Lepini. At the same time, Ada Wilbraham, Gelasio Caetani’s mother, who was an expert botanist, planted the first cypresses, holm oaks, beech trees and rosettes, which she had collected throughout the course of her vast international travels. The most credit must be given to Marguerite Chapin, Roffredo Caetani’s wife, and to her daughter, Leila. Starting in the early thirties the two ladies transformed Ninfa into a beautiful English garden, and chose to emphasize its natural beauty. The only exception were areas in which flower beds were planted, the land they grew on was left, to some extend to itself, consenting to the natural growth and cycle of plants. The blessed southern exposure, south of Ninfa, which is protected from the winds by the Lepini Mountains, is ornate with numerous karst springs and crossed by the River Ninfa, which have allowed the growth of tropical plants such as the banana, the avocado and the manned gunner from South America. As one strolls through the medieval ruins, he or she may encounter thousands of diverse and rare species worthy of note, such as poplars, birches, pines, cypresses, cherry trees, Japanese maples, hornets, acanthuses, ornamental apple trees, roaring rose bushes, magnolias, irises, bamboo shoots, camellias and honeysuckles. The particular plant choice is purposeful in the sense that it allows for a year round flowering, and allows for a self-serving caring process. Macerated nettle, lime, propolis and a variety of insectivorous birds make the garden of Ninfa a small heaven on earth. One must visit it at least once in his or her lifetime. GALLERY Info: www.fondazionecaetani.org Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO MORE GARDENS AND PARKS Parco del Paterno del Toscano Villa Lante Labirinto della Masone Villa d'Este Giardino di Kenroku-en Giardino dell'impossibile Villa Pizzo Castello di Masino