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In the very large lawn of Villa Pisani, owner Mariella Bolognesi Scalabrin ten years ago decided to create an impressionist painting with more than a hundred thousand tulips and wild spring flowers in honour of the history and emotions shared and experienced by the previous owner Countess Evelina van Millingen Pisani. BOTANY VILLA PISANI THE IMPRESSIONIST MEADOW Photos Cristina Archinto Text Carla DeAgostini I n the huge lawn of Villa Pisani the owner Mariella Bolognesi Scalabrin decided ten years ago to create an “impressionist painting” with more than one hundred thousand tulips and wild spring flowers in honour of the history and emotions shared and experienced by the previous owner Countess Evelina van Millingen Pisani. So in orther to maintain this marvellous work, every year Mariella Scalabrin plants forty thousand new bulbs, which she lays and covers with soil with her own hands, all in studied positions, combining the superb refinement of the tulip with the humble beauty of the spring wild flower. This work is meticulously thought out each year, the choice of bulbs is in relation to the height and different blooming of the wild flowers, such as dandelion, buttercup or iris, he chooses the colour of the tulip, and alternates early, medium or late bloomers, so that the meadow remains colourful and homogeneous until the last dandelions bloom. Tulips and wild flowers relate to timing and size and Mariella Scalabrin follows everything personally: "it is by choosing from the catalogue that you create the piece of art," she told us. And she succeeds in doing so perfectly: two hectares of lawn with a path in between to admire the never trivial colours, and the always carefully studied gradations. No tulip calyx has only one colour, but plays on the streaks, the qualities of yellows, the nuances of whites, the red or orange mottling, or even the pink or purple hues. The colourful vision of tulips in more than 90 colours gives unexpected emotions and tells of the magic of a meadow cultivated by hand with hard work and the love of an owner, without the rigidity of a machine imposing its own design on the soil. Mariella Scalabrin is very attached to the Villa and to the fascinating story of Evelina Pisani, and every time she welcomes a visitor to her garden, she never misses an opportunity to talk about it and to spread the love and respect for flowers that this place holds and enhances with every blooming. GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info:  Official site MORE ENVIRONMENT AND BOTANY Papaveri e api Vie cave opuntia fiorita Opuntia Alberi Caño Cristales Palmeti Palmeti Caldara di Manziana Terra scoscesa

This year the Villa della Pergola Gardens are officially The Most Beautiful Park in Italy, winning the award among more than a thousand private parks, and indeed it is of unparalleled beauty: here wisteria of every shape and colour, flowers and trees from all over the world are altered, on a panorama overlooking the entire Gulf of Alassio. LIGURIA VILLA PERGOLA'S GARDENS TALES FROM THE WORLD Photographs Cristina Archinto Text Carla De Agostini T his year, the Gardens of Villa della Pergola are officially The Most Beautiful Park in Italy , winning this prize among more than a thousand private parks, and indeed it is of unparalleled beauty: here wisteria of every shape and colour, flowers and trees from all over the world alternate on a unique view overlooking the entire Gulf of Alassio. One of the terraces V illa Pergola is a rare example of an Anglo-Mediterranean garden. It was created in the second half of the 1870s by the taste of General Montagu McMurdo and his wife Lady Susan Sarah Napier, who fell in love with the place and chose to maintain the classic Ligurian terracing of the previous farm and add palm trees and cypresses. Between 1900 and 1903, the estate was bought by Walter Hamilton Dalrymple and in 1922 by Daniel, son of Thomas Hambury, creator of the famous Hanbury Botanical Gardens at Mortola, not far away. To him we owe the scenic pergolas covered with wisteria and the many exotic cacti, agaves, aloes and eucalyptus trees. After a period of neglect and decay, the Gardens were restored in 2006 by Paolo Pejrone, together with Silvia Arnaud Ricci, to whom we owe the creation of the botanical collection of wisteria with 34 varieties and that of agapanthus, today the most important in Europe with almost 500 different species. The area of succulents T he visit to the garden is accompanied by the stories of a passionate guide. The tour begins with the succulents, where the crestate variety stands out and the eye is immediately caught by the 'monster', the Trichocereus bridgesii monstruosus , whose Mexican legend tells how one only by looking at the plant while eating any food can have strong hallucinations. Then there are several agaves, including the white agave and the very interesting Myrtillocactus whose fruits are edible and similar to blueberries. The citrus collection P assing along one of the oldest wisteria, one arrives at the terracing of citrus trees with more than 40 species, from which the villa's own restaurant draws to make its dishes. Here you get lost among the most diverse forms of citrus fruits and aromas; next to the classic mandarins, oranges, lemons and citrons, there are very special varieties, from the lumpy peel to the unexpected shapes that seem to come out of a storybook. Like the Buddha's Hand Citrus medica var. sarcodactylus , a very fragrant and fascinating lemon that belongs to the citron family. Born from a genetic malformation, it is devoid of pulp and each wedge develops and defines itself as a unit in its own right, almost as if it were divided from the others. In India, it is easy to find it at the foot of Buddha statues in temples as a votive offering from the faithful like two joined hands in prayer, hence the name. Then there is the Japanese Citrus tachibana one of Japan's only two citrus fruits. Originally from China, the Tachibana underwent several mutations to become a Japanese citrus cultivar, genetically isolated from the original. Officially classified as an endangered species by the Ministry of the Environment in Tokyo, the Tachibana is in the unique position of being ubiquitous in Japanese iconography but at the same time unknown to contemporary Japanese due to its rarity. In fact, most people encounter it daily, engraved on 500 yen coins but have never seen it in real life. Historically a sacred and respected flower, in the Heian period (794-1185), aristocratic women perfumed themselves by tucking bags of Tachibana flowers into the sleeves of their kimonos or threading the fruit into strings to wear as bracelets. The Cypress Avenue T he walk continues along the green avenue of agapanthus that leads to the most romantic area of the garden where, in the restorative shade of palm trees and giant white-flowered strelitzias, is the water lily fountain, surrounded by putti covered with Ficus Repens designed by Sir Dalrymple. Along the higher terracing begins the avenue of monumental cypress trees that frame the panoramic view, until you reach the waterfall scrub where there is a rocky pond and the prehistoric Wollemia nobilis, a very rare conifer rediscovered in Australia in 1994 by the forester David Noble, very few specimens exist today, mainly in botanical gardens. Putti covered with ficus repens Blue and white wisteria arbour The grove alternates between common myrtles and some ancient myrtles brought from Sicily, and scenically landed by helicopter under the direction of Paolo Pejrone himself. At the end of this itinerary, one encounters the delicate Australian bluebells, used in phytotherapy as a remedy "to open the doors of the heart, to those who live with suffering in their sentimental sphere". Under the terracing of the cottage are the lotus pools. As a reminder of the Hanbury's links with the East, there is a statue of a dragon, similar to the one in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens, an embodiment of the elemental spirit of water, protecting against rain and drought. On the sides of the cottage, close to the walls, double-blooming hybrid wisteria, known as Violacea Plena, have been planted, enriching the pergola with a deep purple hue. The path ends with a marble staircase surrounded by large leaves of farfugium japinicum and a pergola of flowering wisteria providing shade, with breathtaking views of the gulf. WISTERIA The Germans call it blauregen 'blue rain', the Chinese zi teng 'blue vine' and in Italian its name derives from the Greek glikis meaning 'sweet', due to the fragrance of its flowers. Its current scientific name is thanks to Captain Welbank who in 1816, not knowing that Carl Linnaeus had already classified it as Glycine in 1724, brought the plant to Europe christening it Wistaria in honour of Professor Caspar Wistar, but during its spread in English-speaking countries it was mispronounced as Wisteria. Its fast-growing properties and tendency to expand rapidly have resulted in a Guinness World Record specimen in the Sierra Madre in California: at the peak of its flowering, the wisteria has up to 1.5 million buds, with a total weight of 250 tonnes! The spiral growth of both clockwise and counter-clockwise flower clusters is associated with human consciousness expanding outwards from an inner vital core in an attempt to influence the world around it. GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO LINK Official website More Gardens and Parks 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 Giardino di Kenroku-en

At Foria on the island of Ischia there is a collection of succulents numbering more than 400 species created by Navy Captain Giuseppe D'Ambra from the 1960s to the present day. Cacti of remarkable size in all shapes and forms and visiting it is a magical experience. 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

Opuntia ficus-Indica, better known as prickly pear, is a succulent plant belonging to the family of Cactaceae and it is xerophilous, that is living preferably in arid environments, where it can also reach 5 meters of height. The plant does not have a main trunk, its stems are cladodes, commonly known as paddles, which take care of photosynthesis, whereas its leaves with time have evolved into thorns. BOTANY POPPIES AND BEES Why don't bees pollinate red flowers except poppies? By CARLA DE AGOSTINI T he history of evolution is a history of relationships between species, as well as between species and the environment. When we smell a flower, for example, we actually hear a message addressed to the insects, a call to warn them that there is nectar waiting for them in exchange for transporting pollen. And the same goes for the choice of colours. Flowers as we know them are relatively recent. Angiosperms, i.e. plants that have flowers and fruit from seed, appeared between 135 and 140 million years ago and were not so colourful to begin with: fossils suggest that they were simple, dull-looking structures without much pigment, pale yellow or green at most. Today, with the exception of ferns, conifers, cycads and mosses, the majority of plant communities belong to the Angiosperms. Slowly, with the appearance of flowers, we also see the emergence of today's bright colours, an increasingly sophisticated mechanism to encourage pollination not only by wind or water but also by attracting insects. Many flowers have thus evolved to adapt to the needs and abilities of bees. Bees are responsible for 80% of pollination, without which there would be no apples, blueberries, cherries, avocados, cucumbers, almonds, onions, grapefruits, oranges, pumpkins and more. And it is to attract bees that the bright colour of the petals has become an important adaptation variable. The poppy has developed some of the most fascinating and unexpected strategies because bees don't perceive the bright red colour visible to the human eye but are attracted to the ultraviolet. Humans perceive colour through the pigment of the object and the part of the light it reflects. In bees, on the other hand, the field of vision is a mosaic of cones that enable them to recognise a different range of colours, help the insect to stay balanced during flight and identify each flower around it precisely, even at high speeds. The red hue is not perceptible to the bee's eye, and research has shown that it only distinguishes four colours: yellow (orange, yellowish green), bluish green, blue and ultraviolet. Therefore, flowers that are bright red to our eyes, such as the red violet or Chinese carnations, are not fertilised by bees, but by daytime butterflies. On the other hand, flowers such as heather, rhododendron, cyclamen or clover have a purple hue that bees perceive as a blue colour, or a white colour perceived as bluish green. The poppy, however, is one of the few red flowers that most attracts bees. This is because the pigmented cells in its petals are arranged in such a way as to create air-filled spaces where the light is dispersed, allowing UV rays to be reflected and the ultraviolet range to be perceived by the bee, which then settles on it and fertilises it. And it is from the Sicilian, and in part Sardinian, shovels that the prickly pear arrives and invades Eritrea, planted both by 19th century Italian missionaries and by migrants of the first Italian colonization. Here, the beles, the name in Eritrean, are not only the fruit but also the nickname jokingly given by peers from the Horn of Africa to second-generation Eritreans living in Italy, because they arrive with the same punctuality as the fruit: in the summer rainy season, and then leave again. Today, Opuntia ficus-indica is used for a wide variety of products, both for its high nutritional value, rich in minerals, especially calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C, and for its mucilage, the substance that allows the plant to have water reserves. Thanks to this, the prickly pear has become a major player in eco-sustainable innovations. For example, a Mexican professor of chemical engineering, Sandra Pascoe Ortiz, has patented a plastic and biodegradable material: by mixing prickly pear juice with glycerin, proteins and natural waxes, she has obtained a liquid which, after being laminated and dried, becomes a completely non-toxic, biodegradable and edible bioplastic. In Italy, too, alternative uses of prickly pears are proliferating. For example, a glue for fresco restoration work has been experimented with using mucilage, and a textile industry has obtained cruelty-free eco-leather from its waste. But that's not all, there are also sunglasses made from their fibers, furniture and sculptural lamps made from the waste from shovels that are entirely biodegradable at the end of their life! GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO MORE ENVIRONMENT AND BOTANY Vie cave opuntia fiorita Opuntia Tree Caño Cristales Palmeti Palm trees Caldara di Manziana Steep land Tiber

The botanical green in Zurich is divided in two: on one side the botanical garden, on the other side the vast Malagasy greenhouse at the Zoo. Established in the 1970s and initially private, the Zurich Botanical Garden is now part of the Department of Natural Sciences at the University of Zurich. SWITZERLAND ZURICH BOTANICAL GARDEN AND THE MADAGASCAR'S GREENHOUSE By CARLA DE AGOSTINI Zurich's botanical areas are divided into two parts: on the one hand, the botanical garden and, on the other, the vast Madagascan greenhouse at the zoo. The former is situated on a hillock not far from the city centre and does not lose its charm even in winter. Established in the 1970s and initially private, the Zurich Botanical Garden is now part of the Department of Natural Sciences at the University of Zurich. The garden has three glasshouses that can be visited in half spheres with different climatic zones: the tropical mountain forest, the tropical dry wind area with a showcase dedicated to carnivorous plants and the tropical lowland rainforest, where the humidity is 90% and the temperature is around 26 °C in both summer and winter. The greenhouses, designed by Hans and Annemarie Hubacher, Peter Issler and Hansulrich Maurer, were completed in 1976 but have been renovated several times in Plexiglas because, over time, they had lost much of their transparency, creating harmful effects on plant growth. The main entrance is from Zollikerstrasse, and as you climb the stairs you can already admire the attention and care characteristic of the Mixed Border: a style developed in England at the end of the 19th century, which allows plants to be enhanced during every season. Annual flowers, perennials and small shrubs are selected so that something is always in bloom. In spring the geophytes stand out, and in winter there are grasses with faded inflorescences, which get covered in frost and are a very special attraction. The aim is a didactic one and the interest is to highlight planting as a harmonious and natural process. At Zurich Zoo , around 4,000 animals of 380 different species, with the oldest inhabitant being a giant Galapagos tortoise over 70 years old, are joined by more than 5.5 hectares of greenery with over a million species of plants from all over the world. The Madagascan greenhouse is 30 metres high and is made of EFTE "bladders" mounted on a metal structure, a material that simulates sunlight, insulates and allows the over 11,000 square metres of surface area to be covered in a light manner. Thanks to these cutting-edge, light-sensitive, highly insulating materials, since June 2003 it has been possible to immerse oneself in a dense tropical forest, populated by more than 20,000 plants and 45 species of tropical vertebrates, including animals left in the wild, such as lemurs. Here you can experience the Masoala forest, with temperatures ranging from 20° to 30° C and its very high humidity, with an average rainfall of 6 mm per day. This tropical rainfall is achieved through an interesting system of reusing rainwater, which allows an equivalent irrigation of 80,000 litres of water per day. The coexistence of fauna and flora is designed to help preserve the biodiversity of Madagascar's ecosystems. Through the Masoala project, the Zurich Zoo has decided to support the Malagasy government in the conservation and protection of one of the world's most endangered areas. Despite the fact that Madagascar represents only 1% of the earth's surface, it is one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity, home to around 3% of the planet's animal and plant species. Unfortunately, at least 70% of the primary plant cover has been lost. Flora and fauna can also be appreciated from above, where aquatic plants, ferns, lianas, bamboo and animals can be admired. This focus is in line with one of the main tasks assumed by the garden for the 21st century: to promote and strengthen the relationship between vegetation and mankind, seeking to convey and enhance the increasingly evident interconnection between plants, the environment and health. GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website more botanical gardens and nurseries 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 Parco Botanico Villa Rocca

The gardens of Villa Lante in the province of Viterbo are characterized by the presence of water features, waterfalls and fountains immersed in nature. LAZIO VILLA LANTE By EMANUELA GNECCO Villa Lante is not just a garden but an ecosystem. Among the historic residences and castles in the area around the city of Viterbo, this villa best represents the modern conception of the relationship between architecture and environment, artifice and nature, flora, sculptures and water. This is evident in a fresco in the Gambara loggia which harmoniously blends the geometry of pools and paths, as well as terraces and fountains, with an ancient woodland setting, orchards and vineyards. Villa Lante perfectly interprets the Mannerist phase of the Italian Renaissance. Its rigor and rational organization, its details and symbolisms are astonishing and connect to the surrounding natural landscape Water is the absolute protagonist. It is channeled through a complex hydraulic system: from the Cimini Mountains it follows an initially turbulent course before leaping down like a torrent and finally flowing in the "parterre d'eau". Villa Lante is located in the town of Bagnaia, a few kilometres from Viterbo, and was built in the sixteenth century on an ancient hunting reserve or 'barco'. Gian Francesco Gambara, the town’s bishop, and his successor Alessandro Montalto, dedicated themselves to the construction of Villa Lante, one of the most famous examples of Italian gardens in the world. Cardinal Gambara, who had a very modern taste for outdoor living, is believed to have called in one of the greatest architects of the time, Jacopo Barozzi, known as 'Il Vignola', who designed two perfectly mirrored buildings with essential lines in typical Mannerist style. They are decorated with frescoes inside to celebrate the symbols and devotions of the two ecclesiastical patrons and to praise their virtues and power. One hundred years later the villa passed to Duke Ippolito Lante della Rovere, who gave it his own name, and was later acquired by the Italian state in 1970. The gardens are the pride and joy of Villa Lante. They cover an area of 22 hectares and include a woodland made of oaks, maples, hornbeams, laurels and holm oaks. The formal garden is bordered by a boundary wall and is enriched with water features, waterfalls and dripping grottoes. The architectures are influenced by the Vatican’s Belvedere and Villa d'Este in Tivoli inspired the waterworks: it was in fact the same architect and hydraulic engineer Tommaso Ghinucci da Siena who created both of the water systems. The garden has sixteen meters of elevation gain and is divided into three distinct levels connected by fountains and staircases. They symbolically represent the story of humanity's descent from the golden age, as narrated by Ovid in his Metamorphoses. The four natural elements, earth, air, fire and water, are represented by the lively outlines of the peperino sculptures, of the obelisks and of the columns which decorate the magnificent fountains. In the lower parterre the great fountain "dei Mori" by Gianbologna constitutes the final act of the symbolic itinerary: the triumph of the human mind over nature, represented by water that finally manages to find its static geometric form. Emanuela Gnecco The sixteen meters of altitude difference are divided into three distinct floors connected by fountains and stairways, symbolically representing the story of the descent of humanity from the golden age, as narrated by Ovid in the Metamorphoses. The agile forms of the peperino sculptures, obelisks and columns that decorate the magnificent fountains are present to symbolize the four natural elements: earth, air, fire and water. In the lower parterre, the large “dei Mori” fountain by Gianbologna which constitutes the final act of the symbolic journey: the triumph of the human mind over nature represented by water which finally manages to find its stillness in a geometric form. Emanuela Gnecco GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO LINK Official website TREE WATCHING More Gardens and Parks Bomarzo Parco Villa la Grange Labirinto della Masone Giardino di Kenroku-en Giardino dell'impossibile Giardino di Ninfa Villa Pizzo

The Moutan Botanical Center is home to the largest collection of Chinese peonies in the world. From Rockii species to ebaceous peonies, the garden brings together all varieties of these fragrant flowers in an oasis of tranquility and color. LAZIO CENTRO BOTANICO MOUTAN The Chinese peonies garden BY GRETA ARANCIA SANNA Hidden in the countryside of northern Lazio is a garden, unique in its kind, that is home to all the species and varieties of Chinese peonies. Here an unprecedented collection of unique rare plants flourishes among holm oaks, laurels, cypresses and autochthonous plants. In April and May this corner of terrain blooms in a plethora of colors and inebriating fragrances. The story of the world’s largest collection of Chinese peonies starts in 1980 with Mr. Carlo Confidati, whose search for an original design for his home garden lead him to be capture by the allure of the flower, prised by so many for its beauty. The center was later founded in 1993 out of a deep desire to know all existing species and varieties of Chinese tree peonies. The aspiration was to find these flowers in the remotest areas of Asia, import them to Europe and bring them together in a single place, to promote their awareness and diffusion. Today the Moutan Botanical Center includes around 600 different varieties and natural hybrids belonging to known botanical species. The undisputed gems of the present landscape are the Rockii species, extraordinary peonies that grow wild on the high plains in Tibet, at an altitude of over 2000 meters, withstanding extreme temperatures that drop below -20°C. The Chinese name for this flower is “Zi ban mu da” meaning “tree peony with flowers at the base of the petals”. this characteristics makes it easily identifiable and very prized. It was discovered in 1925-26 by the American Joseph Rock, a plant hunter. It has a vigorous, wide shrub, 3 meters tall with milky white flowers that present a characteristic black stain at the base. With its elegant and characteristic foliage, the stain on their petals, the late flowering and the remarkable resistance to the cold the Rockii peony is the pride and joy of the garden. Another peony that adorns the garden is the Ostii species. These present single white flowers with an average of 12 petals, with occasionally pink veins. It is further an early and longlasting flower with a delicate scent. The two latter species have been frequently combined in a flower hybrid with an uncommon shading of color: the rockii x ostii. The plants are obtained by natural hybridisation, by way of a long propagation using the seed and selecting the progeny. This makes each one a unique and unrepeatable example which may be distinguished even by just a detail in the flower of the leaves. The hybrid of these two species have intermediate characteristics that make the plants truly particular. They are normally very large, vigorous and resistant, with large single flowers. The undefined purple stain at the base is that of the rockii peony but the color shades upwards towards the petal tips. The hybrid also presents a pink variety usually lighter or deeper pink with vivid purple streaks that origin at its heart. The garden also proudly exhibits a number of Herbaceous Peonies. Easy and sturdy these shrubs, helped by their rhizome roots, are ideal for small gardens dying down in winter and growing back in spring. Their long stems are also ideal to make bouquets whose permeating fragrance dissipates in the fresh breeze. More specifically the peony lactiflora, native to Siberia, produced many cultivars, with flowers measuring up to 20 cm across. It has a sweet fragrance and ranges in color from red to white. Finally, an additional species that irradiates that garden with its vibrant shades of pink is the Suffruticosa peony. Its flower is characterised by a crown of petals rich in color and foliage. It produces numerous flowers and some species, such as the Er Qiao, are a surprising combination of two different colors. This Peony Garden is truly an oasis of tranquility set amidst the colours and fragrances of the peonies and amongst climbing roses, American vines and passageways spelling wisteria that waver in the spring breeze, the noises of the city feel pleasurably distant. Overall, the Moutan Botanical Garden invites us to meander through a place unique in its kind, revealing the particularity and beauty behind the peony and all its existing species. Greta Arancia Sanna photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Centrobotanicomoutan.it more botanical gardens and nurseries Orto Botanico di Ginevra Orto Botanico di Ginevra Orto Botanico di Palermo Roma Roseto di Roma Chicago Chicago Batanical Garden Giardino Esotico Pallanca Water Nursery Giardino Botanico di Hanbury

Opuntia ficus-Indica, better known as prickly pear, is a succulent plant belonging to the family of Cactaceae and it is xerophilous, that is living preferably in arid environments, where it can also reach 5 meters of height. The plant does not have a main trunk, its stems are cladodes, commonly known as paddles, which take care of photosynthesis, whereas its leaves with time have evolved into thorns. BOTANY OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA By CARLA DE AGOSTINI Opuntia ficus-indica , better known as prickly pear, is a succulent plant, with thick and fleshy leaves, belonging to the family of Cactaceae and it is xerophilous, that is living preferably in arid environments, where it can also reach 5 meters of height. The plant does not have a main trunk, its stems are cladodes, commonly known as paddles, which take care of photosynthesis, whereas its leaves with time have evolved into thorns. Its great ability to adapt in unfavorable environments is also due to its unique photosynthesis that limits water loss. This photosynthetic pathway, called Crassulaceae Acid Metabolism or CAM, separates the processes of assimilation and fixation of CO2 over time. CAM plants, in fact, open their stomata at night and not during the day to absorb carbon dioxide. This happens because at night temperatures are lower and the plant loses less water than it would during the day, when it closes its stomata and converts energy into simple sugars. This type of photosynthesis increases the ability of succulent plants to maintain water balance, which is why most CAM plants occupy arid or saline environments, and in general all those in which water availability is periodically low. The origin of the epithet Opuntia ficus-indica has been debated: according to someone it derives from an ancient region of Greece, Locris Opuntia and from its capital city Opunte, near which the writings of Pliny the Elder reported about a plant with tasty fruits rooting from the branches. With time, however it has been confirmed the plant is native to Mexico and the botanical name is therefore due to the morphological similarity of its fruit with the Mediterranean fig and to its geographical origin, West Indies. According to a legend, at the time of Spanish conquerors, the emperor of Aztecs, Montezuma, used to receive as tribute from the subjugated states sacks full of grain. That is a cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) parasite of the cladodes of prickly pear, from whose dried body it is possible to extract the dye of carmine red, useful for dyeing ceramics, fabrics and architectures, of a tonality so intense never seen before. Its coloring power is in fact ten times stronger and more persistent than kermes, considered until then the best product for red dyeing, so much so that the Spaniards decided to keep the process hidden for almost two and a half centuries, creating a monopoly of cochineals grain, which became among the most demanded goods. Among the biggest buyers there were the English who particularly cared about the color of their uniforms, the famous red coats. Until 1777 finally a French doctor was able to discover the process. Once obtained the information the English exported to Australia the plant and its cochineals, in the hope of making plantations to make the grain, but despite the apparently perfect climate, the insects did not survive. On the contrary, prickly pears became infesting plants damaging pastures and territory: it is estimated that in 1920 they were spread on more than 30 million hectares, with a rate of conquest of half a million hectares per year! An enormous damage which still today is trying to be remedied by looking for solutions. In Europe the plant was introduced for the its fascination and in the sixteenth century it became an important protagonist of botanical gardens, both for reasons of scientific curiosity and for its ornamental vocation. Success was also confirmed by the frequency with which the plant is represented in drawings or figurative arts, such as the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona, where Bernini put Opuntia in the background of the representation of the Rio de la Plata. Throughout the Mediterranean basin, its ability to adapt and propagate has facilitated its reproduction, especially on the Italian islands, where the prickly pear has acclimatized to become a characteristic feature of the landscape and is often used as a windbreak or fence for flocks. It has also proved to be an inexhaustible source of products and functions. The plant was immediately appreciated for the forage use of its cladodes and for its fruit, which can be eaten fresh or used to make juices, liqueurs, jellies, jams, sweeteners and much more. In Mexico, the young cladodes, known as nopalitos, are also eaten and used as fresh vegetables. Sicily has historically had the widest range of uses. It is in fact grown in inland areas, where the fruit is even called the 'bread of the poor', and in coastal areas, tending to be grown in fruit gardens for productive use and pleasure. The Sicilian peasant tradition is rich in prickly pear products, from its liqueur to mostaccioli (typical biscuits) and mustard. In 1891, René Bazin, a French writer of the late 19th century, wrote that "with twenty or so prickly pears... a Sicilian finds a way to have breakfast, lunch, dinner and sing in the interval". And it is from the Sicilian, and in part Sardinian, shovels that the prickly pear arrives and invades Eritrea, planted both by 19th century Italian missionaries and by migrants of the first Italian colonization. Here, the beles, the name in Eritrean, are not only the fruit but also the nickname jokingly given by peers from the Horn of Africa to second-generation Eritreans living in Italy, because they arrive with the same punctuality as the fruit: in the summer rainy season, and then leave again. Today, Opuntia ficus-indica is used for a wide variety of products, both for its high nutritional value, rich in minerals, especially calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C, and for its mucilage, the substance that allows the plant to have water reserves. Thanks to this, the prickly pear has become a major player in eco-sustainable innovations. For example, a Mexican professor of chemical engineering, Sandra Pascoe Ortiz, has patented a plastic and biodegradable material: by mixing prickly pear juice with glycerin, proteins and natural waxes, she has obtained a liquid which, after being laminated and dried, becomes a completely non-toxic, biodegradable and edible bioplastic. In Italy, too, alternative uses of prickly pears are proliferating. For example, a glue for fresco restoration work has been experimented with using mucilage, and a textile industry has obtained cruelty-free eco-leather from its waste. But that's not all, there are also sunglasses made from their fibers, furniture and sculptural lamps made from the waste from shovels that are entirely biodegradable at the end of their life! GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Link Giardino di Valeria Parco Paternò del Toscano Giardino Botanico di Pallanca Giardino Botanico Villa Rocca MORE ENVIRONMENT AND BOTANY Poppies and bees Vie cave Trees Caño Cristales Palmeti Palm trees Caldara di Manziana Steep land Tiber

The Meise Botanical Garden, one of the largest in Europe, has a collection of another 2,500 specimens of rhododendrons and azaleas, a remarkable reverse greenhouse and forests with centuries-old trees. 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