CAMPANIA GIARDINI RAVINO CACTI FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD Cactaceae of all shapes and forms Photos Cristina Archinto Text Lydia DeRosa V isiting Forio, on the western side of the island of Ischia in front of Naples, it is possible to come across one of the largest and most varied collections of succulent species in Europe: the Ravino Gardens, where cacti of every shape and bearing stand out against the intense light of the Tyrrhenian Sea and draw imaginative landscapes. The Gardens tell the story of a passion cultivated throughout a wandering life: the Navy Captain Giuseppe D'Ambra. Like his father Antonio, a collector of crassulae (succulent plants native to southern Africa) that he used to plant inside shells, the Captain in his long career brought back specimens from every corner of the world: from Mexico to South America, from Madagascar to Arabia. After a dazzling encounter with specimens of giant saguaros in the Arizona desert, since the 1960s on every trip the Captain has brought cuttings, seeds or plants back to Forio; in forty years he has built up a collection of more than 3,000 specimens housed in every corner of his Ischian residence. ​ Variegated garden beds, among large saguaro and Echinocactus also known as 'mother-in-law's pillow But his real ambition was to be able to create a real succulent garden that could also be visited by everyone and, as luck comes to those who know how to wait, in 2001 the Captain began to realise his dream by buing the land beside his house. From that moment all the family will be involved in the intense work, which lasted four years, until 2005 when the Ravino Gardens were finally opened to public. By then, many years had passed since the first plants arrived and, thanks to the particularly favourable climate in that corner of the island, several specimens had grown considerably (some species normally reach similar sizes in twice as long). Today, the collection has over 400 plant species and, despite the captain's retirement, continues to grow year by year. A "portico" of vegetable columns In 2010, the garden was awarded by the European Commission as the best tourist facility in southern Italy, as it is sensitive to environmental and social issues. A variety of forms reigns supreme in the Ravino Gardens: sculptural Peruvian Cerei cacti with their ribs striating their profile stand out, flanked by Ferocactus, cylindrical cacti with fierce thorns (as the name suggests, from the Latin ferox) sometimes softened by flowers that seem to crown them, and Selenicereus creepers, also known as 'queens of the night' for their showy nocturnal blooms. Wax cacti from Peru, saguaro, Stenocereus and palms This magical place looks different at every turn, thanks also to the presence of a family of peacocks that stroll undisturbed among the flowerbeds bordered by San Pedro cacti (Cereus pachanoi , from Ecuador and Peru) and the dry tuff walls typical of this area of the island of volcanic origin. Strolling through the gardens, one can also admire the branching, downy Stenocereus cacti (species of this genus are widespread throughout Central America, especially in Mexico and the small Central American republics such as Costa Rica, Belize and Nicaragua) or the Madagascar palms (Pachypodium ) and the Cyphostemma, succulents with swollen trunks encircled by leaves, whose area of origin extends from North-East Africa to South Arabia. Aporocactus (or 'rattail') with their brightly coloured flowers fall from the walls, and the classic prickly pears are cleverly pierced so that the wind does not knock them down. But the most striking thing are the huge spiny globes, the Echinocactus, wittily nicknamed 'mother-in-law's pillows', which - solitary or in groups - seem to roll around the garden. The contrasts of light created by the hard shapes of the xerophytes Here and there, the collection of xerophytes (from the Greek xeros , 'dry') is intertwined with Mediterranean plants: citrus fruits, strawberry trees, olive trees and aromatic plants such as lavender, thyme, oregano, marjoram, mint, damask rose and different varieties of fragrant pelargonium. In one corner of the garden it is also possible to admire the Wollemia Nobilis , a conifer that was thought to be extinct until 1994 when David Noble rediscovered it in Australia. Today, specimens of this protected species, whose fossil traces date back 90 million years, are very rare and mostly found in gardens and botanical gardens. Flowerbeds of succulent species and Mediterranean flora such as sedum, agave and dracaena draco overlooking the sea GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO LINKS Official site 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

Terrimago edition ​ Terrimago edition creates detailed and refined photographic books, translated into multiple languages and enhanced by the work of expert typographers. Their aim is to highlight the different aspects of the botanical universe and enhance the most typical characteristics of natural environments. Terrimago edition also delivers its publications to specialized bookstores and organizes book presentations during botanical-related events. Furthermore, Terrimago edition develops co-production publications. After choosing interesting titles and themes, Terrimago edition reaches out to some of the most fascinating botanical environments, selected for their distinct qualities, and offers them the opportunity to collaborate in the creation of a specific publication. Terrimago edition takes care of all the necessary processes for the complete realization of a photographic book, starting from the attention and care given to the photographic shoots and throughout the editing, the printing and the distribution phases. Promotion is essential to the enhancement of a natural setting and to let each environment grow outside its natural borders. It is with this knowledge that Terrimago edition creates co-producted publications. They represent a unique opportunity for everyone to promote their gardens and botanical environments in the most advantageous way possible. ​ Last works of Terrimago edition

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

LAZIO TIVOLI ​ Villa d'Este Villa d’Este, masterpiece of the Italian Garden, is included in the UNESCO world heritage list. With its impressive concentration of fountains, nymphs, grottoes, plays of water, and music, it constitutes a much-copied model for European gardens in the mannerist and baroque styles. The garden is generally considered within the larger –and altogether extraordinary-- context of Tivoli itself: its landscape, art and history which includes the important ruins of ancient villas such as the Villa Adriana, as well as a zone rich in caves and waterfalls displaying the unending battle between water and stone. The imposing constructions and the series of terraces above terraces bring to mind the hanging gardens of Babylon, one of the wonders of the ancient world. The addition of water-- including an aqueduct tunneling beneath the city -- evokes the engineering skill of the Romans themselves. Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este, after the disappointment of a failed bid for the papacy, brought back to life here the splendor of the courts of Ferrara, Rome and Fontainebleau and revived the magnificence of Villa Adriana. Governor of Tivoli from 1550, he immediately nurtured the idea of realizing a garden in the hanging cliffs of the “Valle gaudente”, but it was only after 1560 that his architectural and iconographic program became clear—brainchild of the painter-architect-archeologist Pirro Ligorio and realized by court architect Alberto Galvani. The rooms of the Palace were decorated under the tutelage of the stars of the late Roman Mannerism, such as Livio Agresti, Federico Zuccari, Durante Alberti, Girolamo Muziano, Cesare Nebbia and Antonio Tempesta. The work was almost complete at the time of the Cardinal’s death (1572). From 1605 Cardinal Alessandro d'Este gave the go-ahead to a new progam of interventions not only to restore and repair the vegetation and the waterworks, but also to create a new series of innovations to the layout of the garden and the decorations of the fountains. Other works were carried out from 1660 – 70; these involved no less a figure than Gianlorenzo Bernini. In the XVIIIth century the lack of maintenance led to the decay of the complex, which was aggravated by the property’s passage to the House of Hapsburg. The garden was slowly abandoned, the water works-- no longer used--fell into ruin, and the collection of ancient statues— enlarged under Cardinal Ippolito, was disassembled and scattered. This state of decay continued without interruption until the middle of the XIXth century, when Gustav Adolf von Hohenlohe, who obtained in enfiteusi the villa from the Dukes of Modena in 1851, launched a series of works to pull the complex back from its state of ruin. Between 1867 and 1882 the Villa once again became a cultural point of reference, with the Cardinal frequently hosting the musician Franz Liszt (1811 - 1886), who composed Giochi d'acqua a Villa d'Este for piano while a guest here, and who in 1879 gave one of his final concerts. At the outbreak of the first world war the villa became a property of the Italian State, and during the 1920s it was restored and opened to the public. Another, radical restoration was carried out immediately after the Second World War to repair the damage caused by the bombing of 1944. Due to particularly unfavorable environmental conditions, the restorations have continued practically without interruption during the past twenty years (among these it is worth noting the recent cleaning of the Organ Fountain and also the “Birdsong.”) Gallery 1/1 Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: www.villadestetivoli.info more gardens and parks Parco del Paterno del Toscano Villa Lante Labirinto della Masone Giardino dell'impossibile Giardino di Ninfa Villa Pizzo Castello di Masino Parchi di Parigi

SHORT STORIES SET The Young Gardener at the Orsan Priory Text e photographs by Cristina Archinto That day he emerged from his deep sleep without that annoying sound of the alarm clock, but he already knew that it was about to go on anyway; he could see the faint glow coming from the dormer window. He tried to relive his night dreams, but they had already dissolved, fled to who knows where. He placed his feet on the old wooden floor, even though it had recently been renovated, that pleasant creaking sound was still stuck to him. During the day, his footsteps would have been also heard downstairs, in the large bookshop where tourists went crazy for all those articles, from soap to essences, from jars to books. But at that time it was still closed. He checked that there was water in the kettle and switched it on, while waiting he opened the curtains and checked the weather; fine even today, fortunately. There was also a small washbasin in one corner of the room. The actual bathroom was a shared one at the end of the corridor, but he was alone in the entire attic, a temporary solution that they had been kind enough to give him. The others, with different situations, were scattered around or in the village; he came from Paris. Who knows what the weather was like in Paris today, it was certainly starting to get cold. Shortly afterwards he realised, as often happened to him, that he was lost in his thoughts, it was getting late, he had to hurry, the meeting in the room next to the tool room was about to begin. He ran downstairs in his working boots and overalls and shortly after his arrival Gilles, the head gardener, as affable as ever, handed out to everyone their day's tasks. Thirty years earlier Gilles had been entrusted with the thirteen hectares of abandoned monastery gardens in order to restore them to their former mediaeval splendour, a very hard job that he had loved from day one. Nowadays, even though there were five of them, there was still a lot to do. The garden was large and there was also the matter of "replacing as much of the petrol of the machinery as possible with the sweat of one's muscles and forehead" as the boss recalled every morning. Pesticides were also banned, and one had to go to neighbours farms to retrieve the manure, a chore that often fell to him, the last one arrived. But it was right to start at the bottom. He had arrived there more by chance than by choice, and now he had to decide on his future, the day had come. "We'll talk later," Gilles told him at the end of the meeting, and he had no idea how to proceed with his life. But luckily, he still had a whole day to draw the conclusions. The gardens were organised around the central cloister, from where four alleys started, symbolising the four rivers of paradise. From here one had access to the numerous adjacent gardens such as the orchard with its ancient apple and pear trees, the courtyard with its vines and the garden of simples with its medicinal plants and the kitchen garden with its vegetables, and it was from there that one had to go to the labyrinth that had to be taken care of that morning, cut off the dried flowers and arrange the wooden weavings. The garden was full of wooden structures, yes because for architects Lesot and Patrice Taravella, who had bet on the site in 1991 by renovating it, it was a way of emphasising the garden's mediaeval soul. Structures for seating, pergolas for vines or structures to support climbing roses, small crowns to support flowering plants, structures to raise vegetables or flowers made from interwoven chestnut branches, beautiful but in need of constant maintenance. But as St Jerome used to say, to escape from the dangers of idleness, one must devote oneself to crafts: "make baskets out of reeds and weave baskets out of wicker, hoe the earth and divide your vegetable garden into small equal squares", and this is what he had been doing for six months. Passing through the vegetable garden he noticed that the vegetables were no longer as spectacular as at the beginning of summer, now it was time for the pumpkins, that beautiful orange, planted elsewhere in the garden. The roses had also faded, but passing through that arbour was always a thrill. He immediately set to work, knowing that soon the tourists would arrive and everything would become more difficult, not so much because of their always discreet and respectful presence, but because he would be barraged with questions. He didn't like questions, they would bring him back to school, paralysing him, even though he knew the answer perfectly well. After a while he realised that he was hungry, of course he didn't drink the coffee then, too bad he also had those good cinnamon biscuits that the girl in charge of the bistro or tea room as they liked to call it, with natural juices and other delicacies, had given him. Fortunately it occurred to him that the day before he had passed the hand mower in the orchard and picked up an apple, a juicy Gros Jaune, and it had remained in his pocket; he would eat it after some hard work. So it was mid-morning. Sitting on that beautiful structure circled around the persimmon tree in the centre of the labyrinth he enjoyed his apple in the stillness, this was peace he reflected. Perhaps the same peace that Robert d'Arbrissel was seeking when in 1107 he decided to found this Priory of Notre Dame d'Orsan in central France at the mercy of war and violence. He was certainly a renewer of his times; in his new community he not only put an abbess, Pétronille de Chemillé, in charge, but welcomed adherents of all conditions and above all of both sexes, a rare occurrence in those days. A man who had left his mark and for years had many followers and pilgrims who came from all over the world to honour him and admire his monastery. As for me , what did I want to do with my life, the boy wondered. Of course he missed Paris, gosh he missed it, hanging out in bistros with friends, going to the cinema, having no worries. Of course others like him had given up, moved elsewhere to study or work; every now and then he messaged someone. Around noon, as he did every day, he made his way to the canteen, which was actually a room next to the kitchen normally used as a pantry, with a beautiful rustic wooden table, where every time the cook kneaded the dough for the quiche lorraine to be sold in the tea room, a layer of flour and water and a warm smell remained between the cracks in the wood. Meals were always light but nutritious, one certainly did not want to risk finding some gardener dozing in the shade of a beautiful tree. In the afternoon he tended the flower garden, which was small but full. The flowers were all strictly medicinal or alternatively edible. At this time there were columbines which he liked a lot, certainly not for eating though; he also liked some dahlias with those melange colours and almost transparent textures. Meanwhile time passed and he still had no idea what he was going to say to his boss, every time he leaned towards one decision the other presented itself stronger than ever. The moment came when the sun began to set and he walked doubtfully towards the warehouse to clean and arrange his tools. As he arrived at the door he passed the young woman from the bistro, he thought of how beautiful she was and almost as shy as he was, plus she had that mysteriously tender air. It was at this time that, with a determination he did not know he had, he decided it was time, after months, to invite her out for a drink or something to eat. After listening attentively, she only replied with a smile, a wonderful smile that lit up the whole garden and also dispelled the fog about his future. Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Link 

LIGURIA BORDIGHERA Pallanca Exotic garden Bartolomeo Pallanca’s passion for horticulture matched, if not surpassed, that of his father who was an olive grower by trade. Both men worked for Winter, and in 1910 Bartolomeo Pallanca founded his very own “Stabilimento Orticolo Floreale” nursery. One part of the business specialized in ornamental plants and cut flowers, and the other in cacti and succulents, which were shipped to half of Europe’s botanical gardens. After the war, this became the core business for the nursery. Four generations dedicated their existence to the cultivation, acclimatization and flowering of succulent plants. Nowadays it is one of the most interesting collections for fans and scholars alike. More than 3,000 different varieties and specimens from all corners of the Earth are distributed by the area of origin and form a living map portraying nature’s infinite grace through which rock formations are colonized. Pallanca exotic garden Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: www.pallanca.it More botanical gardens and nurseries Orto Botanico di Ginevra Orto Botanico di Ginevra Centro Botanico Moutan Orto Botanico di Palermo Roma Roseto di Roma Parco Botanico Villa Rocca Water Nursery Giardino Botanico di Hanbury

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

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

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 Photos PHOTO SHOOTS New book In the section Terrimago photographs you can find, free of charge, articles and photographic services of gardens, botanical gardens and parks created with photographs byCristina Archinto and with texts by different authors. Stories of gardens, plants and characters, to tell this world from a different angle, more curious, historical and compelling. The latest photoshoot of gardens and botanical gardens alberi a Villa Borghese Parchi Orto Botanico di Madrid Orti Botanici Villa Pisani Giardini Garden of Villandry Gardens Meise Botanical Garden Botanical Gardens Royal Villa of Marlia Gardens Villa Marlia Giardini Orto Botanico di Meise Orti Botanici TUTTI I SERVIZI 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 newsletter

PHOTOGRAPHIC DIARY Winter Landscape in Engadine Text e photographs by Cristina Archinto D riven by the desire to change my visual horizon, I found myself in the high mountains in a wonderful place so loved by both the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and the painter Giovanni Segantini who often portrayed his landscapes; the Upper Engadin valley. The striking high snow-capped mountains laying below they are covered by dense dark woods of pines and stone pines, which contrast with a vast flat area with its white frozen lakes. After a day spent on the tops of the mountains where the landscape was breathtaking but very "postcard" and perhaps not very intriguing, I opted for the plain. First a walk in the neighboring woods and the day after a fascinating walk on Lake Sils, to discover its ice, its crevices but also its songs. Yes, because I discovered that the frozen body of water sings, emitting cracks and harmonies that almost recall the song of whales, a phenomenon that occurs only in certain moments when the expansion and contraction of the ice occurs due to changes in temperature . Definitely intriguing but also a little scary especially when you find yourself in the middle of the lake. ​ In general, even if it is stimulating, it is not easy to photograph the snow, first of all you have to pay attention to the exposure meter, which, struck by the intense light reflecting on the snow, will push you to take darker pictures. Autofocus is also not happy when trying to focus when aimed at a very white surface. Also you have to be careful with the shot, it is not trivial to photograph the white expanses without flattening the whole landscape. Photo notes The snowy woods are wonderful , they are silent, very silent. In this case, given the scarcity of snow, there were also pine needles which, lying on the white mantle, create an interesting texture. I tried to capture that silence and contrast. An interesting part of photographing a snowy landscape is that the colors decrease significantly but the hues increase. In this case, after removing the black and white, we end up with only greens and browns. With blurs you can create the depths of an image, in this case I put the young wild reed in focus with the snow around with the macro mode totally blurring the background. The reflections on the still waters are always my passion, in this case since the subject is the river and the reflection of the mountain covers only a small part of the frame, creates depth and the illusion that there is snow on the river, also here too the colors are two browns and blues. To tell the vastness of the frozen lake, my dog Cannella was propitious, as was the lady with the hat, making the photograph even more interesting. In this image I tell the power of the landscape , with the mountains and sinuous white streaks of snow that stands out in an intense blue resting on the vastness of the lake. Photographing ice is very difficult! Difficult to focus on it, find the right exposure and above all walk on it without ending up upside down with a camera! A good escape point and consequently depth is c offender with a nice fence or tracks in the snow. ​ And that's what I mean when I suggest watching great artists to learn their framing! ​ Giovanni Segantini, The death (Triptych of the Alps) 1897-99 Question: Why in this photograph, which I've transformed into black and white, does the snow looks like sand? GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Other GARDENS and PARKS Reggia di Venaria Reggia di Venaria 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