SWITZERLAND THE CONSERVATORY AND BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GENEVA BY LIVIA DANESE The Conservatory and Botanical Garden of Geneva is a major institution for botanical research, conservation and development. It was founded in 1817 and was since then transferred to Parc de l’Ariana and opened to the public in 1904. The Garden hosts over 16000 different species of plants, trees and shrubs which are organized according to their habitat and marked with information panels. Geneva’s Botanical Garden is also appreciated today as a leisure park. The free entrance and the recreation areas allow anyone to rest and enjoy the tranquility of nature, while not leaving the city. The Garden organizes many different activities to introduce the visitors to nature and botany: one of the most relished is the Garden of smell and touch where people can interact with the plants which are chosen for their perfume and tactile interest. Some services, such as the picnic area, the playground and the small zoo, which also aids indigenous and endangered animals, are especially meant for families and children to enjoy. In short, the organization of the Botanical Garden is not only dedicated to the study and conservation of the flora but is also committed to guaranteeing visitors an all-round entertaining experience.The greenhouses too are arranged to show the many different ecosystems of the world and accompany visitors in an ideal journey through exotic surroundings. The Tropical Greenhouses are organized in four sections: the main greenhouse is dedicated to a range of species adapted to high temperature and humidity conditions, such as the giant water lilies. The second section reproduces the Canaries Island’s volcanic landscape with cacti and succulent plants growing on dark soil and lava rocks. The Bromilaceae greenhouse showcases a very interesting collection of Tillandsias which are referred to as “airplants” because they have no roots and derive their nutrients form moist, air and rain. The last section displays plants form tropical mountain areas. The Temperate house with its characteristic neoclassical glass dome contains Mediterranean type vegetation from around the world. A central staircase provides access to a high gallery which offers an impressive overall view. Finally the Victorian style Winter Garden is particularly noteworthy. Built in 1911, its elegant structure testifies the influence of the Industrial revolution on its glass and steel architecture. Today it houses an impressive collection of useful plants and a selection of tropical species. GALLERY Info: Official website Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO 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

GERMANY BERLIN BOTANICAL GARDEN ​ The World in a Garden Photographs of Cristina Archinto Text Carla De Agostini and Noa Terracina T he Berlin Botanical Garden with its 43 hectares and 22,000 plant species is a botanical institution and one of the largest in the world. Founded in 1679 as a place for growing vegetables, it then moved to the Lichterfelde district and underwent a significant transformation into a landscape garden between 1897 and 1910 under the direction of Adolf Engler whose motto was 'the world in a garden' referring to plant geography. ​ In fact, in one third of the entire outdoor area of the garden the plants are arranged in a phytogeographical order, i.e. by geographical area , so walking through this area is like walking around the world among the different endemic habitats corresponding to the various countries of the world, from forests to prairies and from the mountains of the United States to those of Asia. In the rock gardens, for example, the Appalachians of the Atlantic slope and the Californian Pacific mountains are represented. Then there is the Anatolian Plateau and then the Himalayas, where the vegetation of both the western slope characterised by long monsoon rains and the eastern slope with even wetter months and visible differences have been reproduced. Then we end in Japan, where Prunus , Magnolias, and various types of forest can be recognised, with for example Cryptomeria japonica and Sophora japonica . ​ But there are other outdoor areas that are also very interesting, such as an arboretum, which groups trees according to their natural relationships, a specific garden that sharpens your sense of smell and touch with interesting common and uncommon aromatic plants, a medicinal plant garden with about 230 types of plants arranged according to areas of application for certain diseases, a small Italian garden, and also marshes and water gardens with 200 plants, some of which are endangered. Another very pleasant corner is the rose garden, which is very well maintained and has a remarkable collection of roses from all over the world . Finally, there is also the herbaceous plant zone, a research area that is also protected from visitors and contains some 80 endangered plants. But the real highlight is the huge Tropical Greenhouse, declared a World Heritage Site , which has been the symbol of the Botanical Garden for over a hundred years, a remarkable example of 19th century glass and steel architecture. Today, it is still one of the most impressive and largest free-standing greenhouses in the world, housing more than 1,400 plant species. Destroyed in the autumn of 1943 during the war, it was rebuilt a first time in the 1960s, but it is only thanks to the latest renovation in 2009 with technological materials that it has become a completely state-of-the-art facility, resulting in considerable energy savings, with peaks of up to 70% in the air-conditioning systems, which are crucial in the greenhouses. Divided into fourteen separate but all connected rooms, it has always been an enchantment for those who walk through it because of the overabundance of colourful plants and flowers of every type and species: from giant bamboos in the tropical greenhouse to ferns over 200 years old in the fern greenhouse to the orchid collection and carnivorous plants. Succulents from the tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World also have their own greenhouse, dominated by the candelabrum-shaped Euphorbia species and aloes with their large fleshy leaves. The neighbouring greenhouse, on the other hand, presents a landscape of New World succulents, where mainly overgrown cacti, but also species such as agaves and other Crassulacea e reside. The last arrival is the Victoria House, where in addition to the famous giant water lilies, such as the Victoria Amazonica , which with its imposing floating leaves can support a uniformly distributed weight of more than 100 kg, some species that, according to Frontiers Plants Biology, are endangered in certain parts of the world such as Bolivia due to the destruction of their habitat, are also studied here. Another place of excellence is the Botanical Museum added in 1905 to the Botanical Garden complex: unique of its kind in all of Central Europe, it preserves not only the precious heritage of the historic royal herbarium and the Berlin herbarium, but also studies focusing on the interactions of living organisms with soil chemistry, physics and hydrology. This approach was inherited from the research of Adolf Engler, famous for his approach to plant taxonomy, based on evolutionary schemes inspired by Charles Darwin, to which he added the importance of geographical distribution: the idea that plants adapt to climatic conditions, forming communities. In those years, the term biotope was soon to be used, i.e. minimum territorial units that allow the development of living organisms, plants and animals, with certain physical-chemical-climatic characteristics; a crucial concept for the development and knowledge of habitats, environmental climates and today's ecology. For this reason, a visit to the museum is dedicated not only to the ancestry of plants, types of vegetation and their different environments, but also to the influence of the environment and climatic conditions on plant morphology. The Berlin Botanical Garden is truly a crossroads of knowledge and biodiversity , a place of study and research, but also a place of hospitality for anyone who wants to stroll through it and breathe air from all over the world. There is no season that is not distinguished by its colours, scents, or scenery, and every excuse is good to drop by. FEATURED THE VICTORIA AMAZONICA The Victoria Amazonica is a name that conjures up those huge leaves floating on the water. But not everyone knows that it was the morphology of this unique water lily that inspired the Crystal Palace greenhouse at Kew in London 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 100 kg of evenly distributed weight. The rigid radially symmetrical centric leaves covered with strong spines 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. 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 they are not carnivorous plants, 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, and takes 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. Link Victoria Greenhouse GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website more botanical gardens and nurseries Orto botanico di Madrid Orto botanico di Amsterdam Orto botanico di Napoli Orto Botanico di Zurigo e la Serra Malgascia Giardino Botanico Nuova Gussonea Orto Botanico di Catania Orto Botanico di Ginevra Centro Botanico Moutan

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

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

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

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

PHOTOGRAPHIC DIARY Winter lights in the gardens of the Reggia di Venaria Text e photographs by Cristina Archinto W ent to the Reggia di Venaria to see the John Constable exhibition, I found myself with my nose pressed against a window entranced by the beauty of its winter gardens. The absence of sun due to a blanket of gray-white clouds increased its charm. I often repeat that I feel more like a photographer of light than of gardens but in front of so many geometries I confess that I found myself back in time, to my first great passion: architectural photography. Determined not to miss this opportunity, I find myself in the park, two months after having already done a photo shoot, this time accompanied only by the Leica camera but certainly sufficient for the occasion, and above all with no work obligations. Present at the situation only a very cold and no soul. Perfect. ​ Inaugurated in 2007, the Venaria Gardens are a good combination of a recovered geometric 17th-18th century past and an artistic present with works of art by Giuseppe Penone and Giovanni Anselmo harmoniously inserted into its landscape. The entire city complex of Venaria develops in length, and the garden follows its course with the very long Allea Centrale which goes from the fountain of Hercules to the temple of Diana creating a single axis as a whole. Along the side of the Citroniera and the Galleria Grande is the Grand Parterre with tones of grandeur given by the proportions, full of cylindrical yews, citrus pots and real rooms with walls, groves and vegetable vaults along the perimeter with many flowers, mostly of the year. In the eighteenth century it was a representative area, where strolling with an umbrella while gossiping was a must. Unfortunately, over time it has also been a place where nature has been replaced by soldiers from everywhere, during various wars. There are also various gardens, such as rose gardens, flower gardens and Potager Royal gardens with vegetables and orchards, but they are certainly not an attraction in this season. Photo notes In the Venaria gardens anyone who loves to observe is certainly fascinated by the beauty of the almost completely bare hornbeam avenues which, instead of hiding, only veil the Great Palace or the branched structures of the majestic trees along the avenues and next to the Peschiera pool which are reflected on the slightly frozen. Even the birches with their white branches and a very few brown leaves blend in the light of the landscape as if they were Japanese silks. The long perspective avenues cut the photographic frame in two, the pyramid box trees and the hedges trimmed in steps or semicircles impose themselves on the image as abstract art. Works too from the rigid forms of Pennone they underline the geometric aspect of the landscape. Perhaps at first glance it seems easy to photograph these gardens, mainly thanks to the geometries that easily tell the space, you have to be careful because the rigor of the axes must be absolute, even a slightly inclined photo would be a distraction for the eyes. Furthermore, using the central focal point there are no difficulties, otherwise if you want to vary it, you have to be careful of the balance of the shot which, if distorted, risks breaking the harmony of the photograph, making it unpleasant. The colors of winter and with light uniform tend to maintain similar and soft shades ranging from beige to green. In this case we wanted to give a strong contrast with red or yellow peaks due to the branches of the white cornelian salts present in the garden. The uniform light of the day is the reason for the total absence of shadows, fact that in more natural contexts would create a lot of discomfort, in this case it proves successful not only because it can easily be photographed from any side but also because the geometric shapes are not deformed by the dark of their shadows. Experimenting photographically with these gardens and in these conditions is magical, I recommend it to everyone, whether they are gardens or even a landscape in the plains, in winter or with a uniformly colored sky. A great master was Luigi Ghirri who, for those who by chance do not know yet, I strongly recommend going to Parma until February 26 to see his exhibitionVision labyrinths. Luigi Ghirri 1991 . Go there and find out. Or go to the Reggia di Venaria, you will certainly find very stimulating panoramic points in other seasons as well. The important thing is first of all to observe, observe and observe again, then elaborate the shot and finally take a picture that is truly yours. ​ GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Link Palace of Venaria 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

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

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

Shop on line Libreria Oolp Terrimago edition BOOK ON SALE EUROPEAN BOTANICAL GARDEN A Journey through History, Science and Nature by Cristina Archinto Born from the modern need to classify, to understand and expand the knowledge of nature, the first botanical gardens were cultivated by Italian universities: first came Padua in 1545, then Florence, Pisa and Bologna followed suit in 1568 with a prime interest to study and the growth of medicinal plants. With the discovery of the New World, these botanical gardens became half “Horto dei semplici” and half “wonders of the world” gardens; places where one could observe, study and acclimatize all the new species that had been collected and discovered. Since the 1600s all the Royal Houses sought the prestige of having their own private collections, and whilst on the streets of London, Paris or Madrid, botanists and explorers converged and conversed, it was Amsterdam that in 1638 sealed the deal of “The Golden Age” trading with the most distant lands of the Far East. From that moment on, all the botanical gardens were enriched with marvellous greenhouses, particular water gardens and hanging terraces. Now monumental historical plants celebrate together the journey of past discoveries, and of modern scientific speculations in magnificent sites. If today Kew Gardens concentrates the largest collection, with 95% of known Genera, each botanical garden has its masterpieces, and works towards the conservation of our botanical heritage: seeds or specimens, that allow one to experiment with the most diverse latitudes, with specific temperature and light conditions, and also to examine the characteristic flowering and resting periods, and to protect rare or endangered species, which is of fundamental interest for biodiversity. This book is a visual and inspirational journey through the most relevant and fascinating Botanical Gardens in Europe. Each chapter will include a short introduction and the many photographs will guide the reader where botanical beauty intertwines with history and science to create magical and enchanting places. ​ INTRODUCTION Anyone venturing into a botanical garden is amazed by the countless colours, scents, shapes and forms of the plant kingdom. This book tells the story of a passion that drove men towards uncharted lands, exploring the frontiers of knowledge. It tells of how science was developed by understanding the laws of nature, and the methods used to share its discoveries. Cristina Archinto, through her work as a photographer, takes us on a journey through different European Gardens in search of the deep bond that unites people to Earth, and makes the environment a heritage to be preserved and looked after. How were vegetable gardens born? Who were the real protagonists? And what events marked their progress? Renaissance herbalists, who were also known as the "Semplici" collected medicinal herbs. Explorers hunted for plants in the New World and enlightened naturalists studied herbs in the surrounding meadows. Botany has seen many alternating schools of thought and clashing rivalries. And yet, botanical gardens were the keepers of a knowledge that broadened horizons and promoted free exchange; enriched by contributions from vast communities in which we are now able to investigate the ecosystems. It is because of the Gardens, that we have the tools to reproduce and preserve, the methods to classify, compare and disseminate knowledge. These gardens built structures to house exotic species, and devised biotopes to protect endemic and threatened species. ​ Table of contents Introduction The Botanical Garden of Padua - Gardens: The Beginning Hortus Botanicus of Amsterdam - The Golden Age of Exotic Species Jardin des Plantes - The Botanical Revolution Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid - Discovering the New World Botanical Gardens of Rome - The Beauty of a Spontaneous Flora Kew Gardens - The Masterpiece of English Greenhouses Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin - The Legacy of Linnaeus The Hanbury Gardens - The Grand Tour Gardens Brussels - Meise Botanic Garden - Vegetable Gardens and Nurseries Botanical Garden of Dublin - The Green Road, Nature Between Past and Future ​ Title: EUROPEA BOTANICAL GARDENS A Journey through History, Science and Nature Autor: Cristina Archinto Text: Alessandra Valentinelli Photographs: Cristina Archinto Transalation: Stefania Bellingardi Beale Text: Italian and English Size 24 x 23 cm 110 photographs 144 pages Soft cover Cost 26.00€ Isbn: 979-12-200-6912-0 ​ ​ Shop on line: Libreria Oolp Terrimago edition ​ REVIEWS Giardini in viaggio Viride blog