Appeared more than 70 million years ago, the approximately 2,800 species of palms that make up the Arecaceae family are widespread in all continents. They prefer tropical and subtropical environments but are also adapted to more temperate climates. PALM TREES IN LIGURIA The approximately 2,800 varieties of palm trees that make up the family of the Arecaceae first appeared over 70 million years ago and rapidly spread across all continents. Their preferred habitats are the tropical or subtropical environments, but easily adapt to cooler climates. In Italy the Chamaerops humilis , or dwarf palm, and the rustic Phoenix dactylifera are considered endemic species, spreading rapidly across the Italian seaside towns such as Bordighera, thanks to their innate ability to contrast strong winds and withstand salt and sand. According to legend, Ampelio, the patron saint of Bordighera, was the first to import these precious dates. The craft of weaving palm leaves for religious festivals, along with rituals of fertility and rebirth, links the vast symbolism associated with palm trees and is no stranger to ancestral practices for their domestication aimed at ensuring the bearing of fruits. According to some philologists, the word palm derives from “Pan”. In Sanskrit, it means hand and can also be identified by the typical shape of its leaves. In Latin it became “Palm”, used for both the flat of the hand, and as a unit of measurement. Hence the expressions "palm of victory" or "in the palm of your hand", to indicate the honour paid to the victorious. For others, it originates from the Semitic root “Pal”, thus the toponym Palmyra, the legendary Syrian city and stopping place for caravan trade routes. Likewise it can be an echo of the Phoenician term used by the Ancient Greeks to refer to both the tree and the colour purple, but also to the phoenix bird, rising from its ashes. Lastly, it is associated to the Phoenicians, the people whom the Ancient Egyptians placed along the shores of the Persian Gulf. It is here that we find the oases where the palm trees and dates originated. Palm leaves welcomed the triumphal entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem, symbolizing triumph, justice and peace. In liturgical ceremonies, the palm leaves blend and are replace by olive branches, in a way similar to the customs and traditions of peasant farmers on opposite shores of the Mediterranean Sea, which also merged and hybridized. Alessandra Valentinelli Palm trees in Liguria Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO MORE ENVIRONMENT AND BOTANY Vie cave opuntia fiorita Opuntia Alberi Caño Cristales Palmeti Palmeti Caldara di Manziana Terra scoscesa Tevere

One can associate the complexity of the world with the intricate shape of a labyrinth, which is a symbol of the perplexity and bewilderment experienced by men who face the unknown. A labyrinth is traditionally created to confuse and disorient, yet the Labirinto della Masone’s purpose is to distance itself as much as possible from the labyrinth-prison analogy. On the contrary it was created to amaze, surprise and welcome visitors. REGGIA EMILIA Labyrinth of Masone BY LIVIA DANESE In the province of Parma, near the small town of Fontanellato, is the largest labyrinth in the world. The Labirinto della Masone was founded by publisher and art collector Franco Maria Ricci. He and his friend and colleague Jorge Luis Borges fantasized about conceiving a garden with natural winding paths to ideally represent the uncertainties of each man's life. One can associate the complexity of the world with the intricate shape of a labyrinth, which is a symbol of the perplexity and bewilderment experienced by men who face the unknown. A labyrinth is traditionally created to confuse and disorient, yet the Labirinto della Masone’s purpose is to distance itself as much as possible from the labyrinth-prison analogy. On the contrary it was created to amaze, surprise and welcome visitors. Bamboo plants are the undisputed protagonists of the garden: they are light but extremely resistant and soar upwards to surprising heights. Bambusa species are symbolically linked with many values and virtues. In Eastern tradition they metaphorically represent the conscience of upright men who remain steadfast while facing adversities. Furthermore many legends associate bamboo with perseverance and patience: only after developing strong and healthy roots can the plant grow elegantly and abundantly. The Labyrinth is made up of more than 200 000 different species that grow vigorously towards the sky, forming a maze of seemingly indistinguishable paths and dead ends. One can stop in the shade of this evergreen plant along the way, internalizing the bamboo’s symbolic meanings which remind us of the importance of being flexible yet resistant, versatile and patient. Intricate plays of lights and shadows as well as alternating colours accompany the visitor along a winding, alienating path. It leads to an unusual pyramid-shaped chapel at the centre of the labyrinth, where wider and brighter spaces abruptly spread out. Here the visitor can finally find his bearings and is guided towards the end of the route. The Labirinto della Masone is a place to visit at least once in a lifetime, not only for the site itself but also for the surrounding countryside. This genuine, real and anachronistic scenery was in fact much loved by photographer Luigi Ghirri. Livia Danese GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website more botanical gardens and nurseries Parco Paterno del Toscano Orto Botanico di Ginevra Orto Botanico di Ginevra Centro Botanico Moutan Orto Botanico di Palermo Roseto di Roma Chicago Batanical Garden Giardino Esotico Pallanca

An ancient and characteristic activity of Sicily and in particular of Favignana, one of the Egadi Islands, was the exploitation of the tuff quarries, called "pirrere", where the compact limestone rock was reduced into blocks of various sizes. The master quarrymen (the "pirriaturi") using cleavers an SICILY Favignana THE IMPOSSIBLE GARDEN An ancient and characteristic activity of Sicily and in particular of Favignana, one of the Egadi Islands, was the exploitation of the tuff quarries, called "pirrere", where the compact limestone rock was reduced into blocks of various sizes. The master quarrymen (the "pirriaturi") using cleavers and other simple manual tools dug the ground deep, leaving vast abysses in the case of open-air quarries, or a maze of tunnels, tunnels and environments in the case of cave quarries. In Favignana, the inhabitants extracted the stone first along the coast, then, in order not to be spotted by pirates, in the interior of the island. An ancient and characteristic activity of Sicily and in particular of Favignana, one of the Egadi Islands, was the exploitation of the tuff quarries, called "pirrere", where the compact limestone rock was reduced into blocks of various sizes. The master quarrymen (the "pirriaturi") using cleavers and other simple manual tools dug the ground deep, leaving vast abysses in the case of open-air quarries, or a maze of tunnels, tunnels and environments in the case of cave quarries. In Favignana, the inhabitants extracted the stone first along the coast, then, in order not to be spotted by pirates, in the interior of the island. When there was nothing left to use, the quarry was abandoned, and then, more often than not, it was transformed into a "garden": for the subsistence of the families there were planted mainly fruit trees, such as almonds, carob trees, lemons and oranges, which grew beautifully, protected from the summer heat, winter winds, salt. At times, they were planting also some pines or palms, to symbolize the water, like in the Arab world, or the vine, the pomegranate and some flowers, to be brought in the house and in the cemetery, and they were breeding farmyard animals, such as rabbits, chickens, and even the pig; obviously, they had to contain a well, from which they were extracting the water, which, even if slightly brackish, was used for cooking, washing, for watering the trees and the plants. Thanks to these gardens, today called hypogeous gardens, Favignana was self-sufficient. Today Favignana is dotted with them, an integral part of houses and gardens, even in the historical centre, because often the owners' houses were built next to the quarries; their recovery, therefore, is necessary to restore the memory of these places and promote their knowledge. This is what happened with the Hypogeal Gardens of Villa Margherita, also known as the Impossible Gardens, registered in the Book of Expressions of the R.E.I.L. Egadi Islands as an expression of the cultural heritage of humanity. They are the result of a dream and the tenacity of their owner, Maria Gabriella Campo, who arrived in Favignana as a young bride forty years ago and decided, against everyone's opinion, to reclaim the large family quarries and transform them into gardens. During the reclamation works, which began in 2001, evocative views and traces of the different cutting systems in the various mining eras emerged: the galleries and caves dating back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and the large open-air part, cut with mechanical means in the years 1950-60. Four years later, in 2005, after the addition of earth to raise the bottom of the deepest quarries by a few metres, more than 300 different species and varieties from all over the world were planted, including Aleppo pines, fruit trees, carob trees, false pepper (Schinus molle), olive trees, strawberry trees, Polygala myrtifolia, Callistemon, brooms, agaves and Dasylirion in profusion, papyrus and water lilies. Today, the Hypogeal Gardens of Villa Margherita (which is also a residence) are therefore a place of extreme magic, a botanical garden and a submerged Eden. Walking through them, you can perceive, at times, images of distant and almost primordial landscapes, of ancient pagan times, of Arab and Persian gardens. Text by Margherita lombardi froma ITALIAN BOTANICAL HERITAGE The Garden Info: Official site Other gardens Villa d'Este GARDEN Kenroku-en PARK Ninfa GARDEN Villa Pizzo GARDEN Castello di Masino GARDEN Parigi PARK

The Victoria is one of those plants that has always fascinated man, huge leaves that float despite their size and weight. A fascinating history, from its discovery in 1801 to the present day, which still makes headlines for its discovery of a new species. SICILY Victoria amazonica Victoria Marvel of Nature and source of constant discovery. Photographs of Cristina Archinto Text by Cristina Archinto and Carla De Agostini T he Victoria is one of those plants that has always fascinated mankind since its discovery in the western world in the early 1800s; these enormous leaves float despite their size and weight. This is due to a special latticework that traps air in the lower face of the leaf, creating cushions that allow the leaf to support not only its own weight but also that of a child, as evidenced by the first photograph, of a long series, taken in 1932 in Kew Gardens. The photo taken in 1932 in Kew Gardens Victoria is a Nymphaeaceae and it has only recently been discovered that there are not just two but three species; Victoria Amazonica , V. Cruziana and the latest addition the V. Boliviana . At one time it was thought that the latter was just a variety but thanks to the work of Kew Gardens botanist and researcher Carlos Magdalena , it has been discovered that the latter is a true new species. The main differences are a different distribution of spines, seeds and it only lives in the wild in one of the largest wetlands in the world, the Llanos de Moxos in the Beni province of Bolivia. Carlos Magdalena always had the suspicion, so back in 2016 he asked the Botanical Garden of Santa Cruz in Bolivia to send him seeds and after years of studies, comparisons and genetic analysis he came to these conclusions. This discovery was also endorsed by the work of illustrator Lucy Smith , a Kew Gardens collaborator, who was commissioned to make scientific drawings of the alleged new species and then compare them with those in the Kew Gardens archives by artist Walter Hood Fitch , who in 1845 illustrated a specimen whose seed arrived from Bolivia. The whole thing was then revealed to the world with the publication in July this year, 2022, in the Journal Frontiers in Plant Science . A direct comparison like this has never been done before because the specimens come from three different parts of the world and it is very rare to be able to keep the three different Victoria species in the same botanical garden because the space they occupy is so large. Victoria cruziana , Meise Botanical Garden in Belgium The history of the 'discovery' of the Victoria is full of protagonists around the world and began in 1801 when the Bohemian botanist and naturalist Tadeáš Haenke , sent to Bolivia by the Spanish government to study the local flora, is said to have first seen the Victoria on the Mamore' River, one of the tributaries of the Amazon, but unfortunately died without being able to record his discovery. Then it was the turn of Aime Bonpland who saw the plant in Argentina in 1819 and in 1825 sent the seeds and a full description to France. Victoria amazonica in the 'Victoria haus' greenhouse in Berlin In 1832 it was the turn of Eduard Poeppig who found it in the Amazon but assuming that it belonged to the same genus as the Asiatic Euryale ferox gave it the name Euryale amazonica . Alcide d'Orbigny saw the plant at Corrientes in Argentina and the German botanist Robert Schomburgk found Victoria on the Berbice River in British Guiana and sent specimens and figures to Europe in 1836. It was from these specimens that the English botanist and horticulturist John Lindley established the genus Victoria in 1837 and described the species regia in honour of Queen Victoria. Victoria boliviana at Kew Gardens @E. Johnston As far as cultivation was concerned, it was Robert Schomburgk who first attempted to cultivate Victoria , trying to transplant it from lakes and streams in Georgetown, British Guiana, but the plants died. In 1846 it was Thomas Bridges who sent seeds packed in a jar of moist clay to England. Of the 25 received at Kew Gardens, three germinated and grew well as seedlings until winter, when unfortunately they too died. Eventually, after further attempts, it was two English doctors, Rodie and Luckie , who sent seeds in a fresh water bottle to Kew in February 1849. The first plant flowered on 8 November 1849 in a specially constructed greenhouse on the Duke of Devonshire's estate in Chatsworth and it was then that one of the first flowers was cut and given to Queen Victoria. The profile of an Victoria Amazonica At that time the Duke of Devonshire's head gardener was Joseph Paxton and it was the morphology of this unique water lily that inspired him to create the Crystal Palace greenhouse at Kew in London to host the first World's Fair in 1851, made of iron and glass. The idea starts from the strength of the leaf, whose ribs on the lower face, organised like a system of buttresses, can support up to 45 kg of weight when evenly distributed. The rigid radially symmetrical centric leaves covered with strong thorns underneath, so as not to be eaten by fish, are reinforced by several concentric and flexible ribs distributed in opposite directions, a morphological feature that recurs in the construction solution of the Crystal Palace. For this and other achievements, Paxton received a knighthood from His Majesty. Crystal Palace of 1851 made of iron and glass But the fascination of the Victorias does not stop there; their enormous flowers can reach up to 30 cm in diameter, and they only bloom for one day and two nights. On the first evening, at dusk, a large, thorn-covered bud opens and a white flower appears which, thanks to a thermodynamic reaction, raises its internal temperature 11 degrees above the ambient temperature. This released heat and a pineapple-like scent attract beetles, which at dawn, when the flower closes, become trapped in it. But as the Victoria is not a carnivorous plant, they do not die, but rather spend the day there feeding on the starch-rich floral appendages. On the second night the flower changes colour, taking on shades of pink or red, and at dusk releases the insects, which, soaked in pollen, go on to fertilise another flower. At dawn on the second day, the flower withers, closes and dips, and it is there that the fruit ripens. Flowers of a Victoria amazonica and Victoria cruziana In Kew Gardens today, pollination is done manually in the summer and the harvesting of the seeds in the autumn. A constant temperature of 15° prevents seed death or premature germination. Today, a process called nicking the seeds is used to help them germinate earlier, which happens after ten days. The sprouted seeds are initially placed in a small pot in water, and gradually moved to larger pots and finally placed in a large one with clay soil as a substrate. Seedlings need a temperature of no less than around 31° while adult plants grow between 26° and 31°. As the plant needs light, auxiliary horticultural bulbs are used for about 12 hours in winter, which is why in nature the giant water lily dies in autumn due to the lack of light. Euphorbia tirucalli The Victoria in its natural habitat has a very special tenant the Trotter lily or Jacana , a bird with very long legs, fingers and claws that runs from Victoria to Victoria and feeds on the insects on and under the leaves, which it deftly turns over with its, also, long beak. It also nests on the leaf, laying eggs as shiny as the waxy layer that covers it, camouflaging them perfectly. Today, although the plant is not threatened with extinction, ongoing climate change in the Amazon basin and the relentless destruction of the Amazon rainforest may pose a future threat to this wonder of nature, a source of continuous new discoveries. Victoria 'Trickeri' variety of Victoria Cruiziana at the Chicago Botanical Garden GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO More botanic gardens and nurseries Papaveri e api Vie cave Alberi Caño Cristales Palmeti Palmeti Caldara di Manziana Terra scoscesa Tevere

Water Nursery Latina The Water Nursery, albeit being the most extensive Italian collection for wetland vegetation, is also an endeavour that narrates about the land’s history and through this itself sustains itself, transforming complex environmental conditions into botanical creations of amazing b UMBRIA THE LAVANDETO DI ASSISI Not only lavender Photographs by Cristina Archinto At Castelnuovo di Assisi, under the watchful gaze of the Basilica of St Francis, is the Lavadeto di Assisi a nursery, but not only that, it is also a garden and occasionally a place to celebrate spring in late April, lavender in July and sages in early October. THE NURSERY Lavender is undoubtedly the undisputed star of the nursery, but there are many other noteworthy plants that stand out especially at other times of the year, such as sage Greggii hot lips a beautiful fragrant perennial bush with deep red dots that flowers from April to May. Or the beautiful bushes of Pennisetum villosum a grass with a white blossom that flowers from August to October, or the mauve-coloured Verbena rigida bushes or the Sedum couticola bushes. THE GARDENS Not far from the nursery, immersed in the landscape between one field and another, are what are known as the Lavender Gardens, examples of different types of gardens with specific plants; low-maintenance perennials, or plants suitable for sun or dry soil, or plants to put in your own pond, to see in the field, how our future garden might turn out or how our purchases at the nursery will develop. Bushes of Pennisetum villosum , wonderful Stipa tenuissima that look like hair in the wind, the so-called pampas feathers or Cortaderia selloana and even water lilies with Hydrocotyles for ponds. You can also see the large flowering rosemary bushes that protect so many different aromatic plants from the wind, there are also beehives with bees preparing to spend the winter waiting for another spectacular flowering in spring. Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website More botanic gardens and nurseries Vivai cuba Orto Botanico di Berlino Orto botanico di Madrid Orto botanico di Amsterdam Orto botanico di Napoli Giardino Botanico Nuova Gussonea Orto Botanico di Catania Orto Botanico di Ginevra

The Caño Cristales, "crystal channel", is a river in Colombia commonly known as the River of Five Colors. In fact, the riverbed is brightly coloured between summer and autumn due to the presence of special aquatic plants. Colombia THE FIVE COLOUR RIVER The Caño Cristales (literally "crystal channel") is a river in Colombia located in the Serranía de la Macarena, in the department of Meta, and is a tributary of the Guayabero River, which is part of the Orinoco basin. The river is commonly known as the River of Five Colours. The bed of the river in fact from the end of July to November is coloured in five different colours: yellow, green, blue, black and above all red, the last colour is caused by the Macarenia clavigera an aquatic plant present on the bottom of the river. It is considered one of the most particular rivers of the Earth so that the National Geographic has described it as coming from the "Garden of Eden". The mountain complex of the Serrania de la Macarena on which the river flows is characterized by the presence of very ancient quartzite rocks dating back to about 1.2 billion years ago, extreme western extension of the Massif of Guyana in Venezuela. Being a minor waterway, the Caño Cristales does not reach 100 km in length and never exceeds 20 m in width. It is a fast flowing river with many rapids and waterfalls. In many parts of the river bed there are circular wells called giant potholes that are believed to have been formed by pebbles or pieces of rock harder than the one in which the river flows: if trapped by the current obstructed by any obstacle, these fragments of rock scrape the walls around the obstacle creating a cavity. Over time, other fragments of hard rock fall into the cavities already present and, rotated by the current of water, continue to affect the wall, increasing the size of the well. The Serranía de la Macarena is located on the border of three large ecosystems, each with a high diversity of flora and fauna: the Andes, the eastern Llanos and the Amazonian rainforest. Plant and animal life is struggling with the lack of nutrients on the solid rocky surface of the plateau and has developed several adaptations. The representative biome of the Serranía de La Macarena is the hydrophytic rainforest: hot, warm and cold. The plateau is home to about 420 species of birds, 10 species of amphibians, 43 species of reptiles and eight of primates. The Caño Cristales has a great variety of aquatic plants. The river water is extremely clear due to the lack of nutrients and small suspended particles. Almost unique is the bright red-pink colouring of the river bed that is observed after the rainy season, at the end of June until November. This colour is caused by large quantities of endemic Macarenia clavígera plant species. This plant can only be found in a few other local rivers, such as the Caño Siete Machos. These red plants adhere firmly to the rocks where the river has a faster current. Load More Photo © CRISTINA ARCHINTO MORE ENVIRAMENT AND BOTANY Grosseto Palmeti Palmeti Caldara di Manziana Terra Scoscesa Le Palme Luoghi d'Acqua Conoscere gli alberi

Pitigliano, together with Sovana and Sorano, in Tuscany, is one of the cities of tuff. In the valley that surrounds it is the Vie Cave, paths properly excavated in the tuff along rocky slopes of volcanic origin, unique works in the world and of great historical and cultural importance that date back to the Etruscans. In Pitigliano alone, there are at least a dozen vie Cave, including that of Pantano and San Lorenzo. TOSCANY "Vie Cave" by CARLA DE AGOSTINI Pitigliano, together with Sovana and Sorano, is one of Tuscany's tuff cities. This charming mediaeval town, which stands on a steep spur of tufa, dominates the surrounding valleys from above, where the Prochio and Meleta rivers flow into the Lente. Originally a small independent duchy during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, it has come to be considered the little Jerusalem of the Maremma due to the pivotal role the Jews played in the life of the town, and because it has always been a centre of refuge in Central Italy. The earliest settlement probably originated in the 16th century by the Orsini counts. In the valley that surrounds it, there are the Vie Cave, paths carved into the tufa along rocky slopes of volcanic origin, unique works of great historical and cultural importance that date back to the Etruscans. In Pitigliano alone, there are at least a dozen Vie cave, including the Pantano and San Lorenzo, which all vary in size. Up to a kilometre long, these paths are between two to four metres wide and up to twenty-five metres high. These winding and often interconnected paths are a mystery to scholars as there are no precise answers as to their use. Some hypothesise a sacred and funerary use, others claim they were connecting roads, defensive systems or even water drainage works. To date, the thesis on funerary routes seems to be the most widely accepted, because the semi-underground routes tend to coincide with the crossing of a necropolis. At the time of the Etruscans, the Vie Cave were lower, but as their use diversified, and they were increasingly used as shortcuts between villages and valleys, they became deeper and deeper. In fact, it has been calculated that the route that can be taken today is often more than ten metres lower. This difference is most probably due to various reconstruction works carried out over time, including further excavations to regularise the erosion of the road surface, which had been worn down and made uneven, particularly by the trampling of pack animals' hooves. As you walk along these paths, you can read the history of the place through signs left over time. You can find tombs and engravings from the Etruscan period, mediaeval inscriptions or signs of water regulation, dating up to the Christian era. Also present are the residues of "scacciadiavoli": niches containing sacred images that were intended to reassure travellers. But that's not all, there are signs testifying to pagan rites that have become traditional over time, such as the celebration of the 19th of March in the Via Cava di San Giuseppe: the event consisting of a night-time procession, during which burning bundles are carried to celebrate the arrival of spring. Another peculiarity is the microclimate produced between these vertiginous walls. In some places, the foliage of the trees has formed a sort of vegetal roof that has favoured the growth of vegetation typical of damp and shady environments, such as ferns, mosses, lichens, ivy and lianas, which create suggestive plays of light and contribute to their charm. Trad.Greta Sanna GALLERY Photo @ Cristina Archinto Highlights MOSSES Mosses belong to the large family of Bryophytes, Bryophyta, and are very primitive organisms but of great interest for understanding the study of the evolution of terrestrial plants. Mosses, which lack of vascular tissue, absorb and transport water by capillary way present on the whole plant, this characteristic prevents its growth in height, developing instead in soft green carpets that we find on rocks and trunks, even vertically. Mosses absorb well rain water and air which they retain even in summertime and in woods they are fundamental because they help seeds which fall from trees to germinate. Moreover, they absorb great quantities of CO2 and they are fundamental for the safeguard of the ecosystem and for biodiversity. MORE ENVIRONMENT AND BOTANY Vie cave opuntia fiorita Opuntia Trees Caño Cristales Palmeti Palm trees Caldara di Manziana Steep land Tiber

It was in 1808 that Francesco Melzi d'Eril, Duke of Lodi, Grand Councillor, guardian of the Kingdom of Italy and personal friend of Napoleon, decided to build his summer residence in Bellagio. Thus Villa Melzi d'Eril was born. The refined taste of the exotic that characterizes the Gardens finds its most graceful expression in the numerous species of historical camellias, today about 250, that can be admired in the park, especially near the two entrances, in Loppia and Bellagio. 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

Since the dawn of time, light has always fascinated man because it represents the supreme power to illuminate darkness. First, of course, it was fire that illuminated and defended man, then Edison brought light into homes with mass production of lamps and electricity, although he was not the actual inventor. At the Botanical Garden in Rome we have a taste of Light Art to see it in a new light. LAZIO ROME'S BOTANIC GARDEN Enchantment of lights Photos and text by Cristina Archinto Since dawn of time, light has always fascinated man because it represents the supreme power to light darkness. First, of course, it was fire that illuminated and defended man, then Edison brought light into homes with mass production of lamps and electricity, although he was not the actual inventor. Today we have somewhat lost the ability to 'see in the dark' and in the absence of daylight we are used to have everything illuminated, but despite this we continue to be attracted by its power and light sources manage to excite like few things in the world. By activating special cognitive abilities, light excites, impresses and generally creates well-being, perhaps also linked to that hidden primordial memory, and brings us to a sense of harmony with our surroundings. Moreover, if a light source, perhaps coloured, is also associated with a sound flow, such as a piece of music, an almost tactile sensation is evoked by 'feeling' the light. This is more or less what happens at the sensory art exhibition at the Botanical Garden of Rome Incanto di luci (Enchantment of light). A one and a half kilometre long light art path conceived by light designer Andreas Boehlke, with evocative music by composer and sound designer Burkhard Fincke; works that tell in an artistic way some corners of this wonderful place. The installations, with LED bulbs for minimal environmental impact, bring us a completely different botanical garden, we can really say in a different light. Trees and plants in sumptuous colours, meadows full of flashing lights or balls that light up in a thousand different shades of colours, stairways carpeted with fireflies or luminous silhouettes of reindeer grazing among the bushes, and more. Certainly for nature or the garden lovers itself everything gives a strange effect, seeing blue palms and green fountains or lawns covered in red lights is extravagant, but it must be said, in certain cases, these artistic works can also amplify certain flavours , as in the bamboo forest, where moving green rays 'cut' clean through, like samurai warrior blades, those marvellous trunks. In other cases, perhaps the enchantment is unnatural, such as the lotus blossoms lying on the pond in the Japanese Garden being unappreciative, but on the other hand the coloured lights all around make the beautiful maples stand out. Some luminescent works mainly enchant children like the tree fairies or Tinker Bell's wings, but in general one breathes mostly enthusiasm and amazement, and the amount of mobile phones one sees swirling in the air ready to spread this into the ether is proof of this. I must admit that I, too, had a lot of fun photographing a place that in theory I knew very well but which was completely turned upside down. Lights appearing and disappearing, changing colours, trees taking different shapes because they were perhaps lit from below and not from above, stimulated my creativity a lot. Of course, for what we can define as 'the culture of greenery and nature', I am not sure that all this will have a positive impact, but certainly the very high turnout gives hope that perhaps even some of them will remember this magical place next spring and return to enjoy it in its most natural aspect. Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO More botanic gardens and nurseries Vivai cuba Orto Botanico di Berlino Orto botanico di Madrid Orto botanico di Amsterdam Orto botanico di Napoli Giardino Botanico Nuova Gussonea Orto Botanico di Catania Orto Botanico di Ginevra