In the history of gardening those of Italy are the bridge between our world and the ancient world - their harmony, symmetry and serenity are at once inimitable and universally copied. During the past few years Italy has awoken to a gardening renaissance - interesting new schemes are being created all over the country, and there has been exemplary restoration of some historic gardens.
This book celebrates over a hundred of the finest Italian gardens open to the public. The authors take the reader on a journey to these places - they explore their history and context, as well as the stories behind the gardens, and discover how they were made and how they are maintained.
Introduction PIEDMONT Turin Castello di Aglie Villa Rossi Castello di Pralormo Verbano Villa San Remigio Villa Taranto-Ente Giardini Botanici Isola Bella Isola Madre Giardino Alpina LOMBARDY Varese Villa Cicogna Mozzoni Como Villa Bagatti Valsecchi Villa del Balbianello Villa d'Este Villa Carlotta Giardini di Villa Melzi d'Eril Villa Pizzo Lecco Villa Cipressi Villa Monastero Villa Sommi-Picenardi Milan Villa Borromeo Charles Jencks Garden Piacenza Castello di Grazzano Visconti Brescia Giardino Hruska Botanico Villa Borghese Cavazza Lemon Gardens of Lake Garda TRENTINO Bolzano Castel Trauttmansdorff Trento Cason Hirschprunn VENETO Verona Giardino di Villa Rizzardi Villa Allegri Arvedi Giardino Giusti Giardino Sigurta Vicenza Villa Trento da Schio Padua Villa Marcello Giardino Botanico Villa Pisani Giardino Barbarigo-Pizzoni Villa Emo FRIULI Trieste Castello di Duino Castello di Miramare LIGURIA Imperia La Mortola Villa Piacenza Savona Giardino di Villa Gavotti Genoa Villa Negrotto Cambiaso Pallavicono Palazzo Lomellino La Spezia TUSCANY Massa-Carrara La Pescigola Fosdinaro Lucca Villa Grabau Villa Oliva Buonvisi Palazzo Pfanner Villa Reale Villa Torrigiani Villa Bernadini Villa Massei SICILY Palermo Orto Botanico Agrigento Kolymbetra Temple Garden Catania Giardino Hotel San Domenico Villa Trinita Il Biviere Trapani Villa Ingham o Recalia Information for travellers Further reading Index
Historian and biographer Kirsty McLeod is the author of many books including A Passion for Friendship: Sibyl Colefax and her Circle; Battle Royal: Edward VIII and George VI; and The Last Summer: May to September 1914. She is also past Chairman of the English Heritage Historic Parks and Gardens Panel, set up to advise English Heritage on England's historic gardens. Primrose Bell is a photographer and journalist with a second life and home in Italy.
A labour of love based on her years of travel all over the penninsula. -- Robin Lane Fox Financial Times With its elegant fusion of graceful prose and beautiful prose and beautiful photography, this marvellously readable book is a treat for experienced gardeners and novices discovering for the first time the infinite riches of Italian gardening... A real delight. Daily Mail