My Italian Garden Tour

17 years ago

Just back from a tour of Italian Gardens in Tuscany (a tough job, but someone has to do it). I thought I'd share a few pictures.

This was taken in a tiny hill town called Spello. The whole town is paved, just about every plant is in a pot.

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This was a beautiful garden that had been held privately and was now run by a foundation. It was owned by an expatriate couple who lived there thru WWII and hosted war orphans and refugees at the place. She wrote a book about it, but I just can't bring her name to mind now, darn it!

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Villa Lante, famous for it's fountains and waterworks. Here's a website that tells more about it: http://www.bergerfoundation.ch/Jardin/jardin-bagnaia_english.html

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This is Villa Massei, owned by an American couple who moved there from Boston in the 80's. They wrote a book about developing the garden "A Garden in Lucca". This was my favorite of all the gardens. http://www.agardeninlucca.com/thegardens.html

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The Garzoni gardens, probably the most ornate garden we saw. The parterres were filled with lemons and oranges (that's the yellow you see in the pictures) While a little weird, the smell was heavenly. http://grandigiardini.it/2005/eng/giardini/toscana/giardino_garzoni.htm

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Another view of Villa Lante

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The city of Assisi, the one St. Francis was known from. Again, little grown in the ground, most the flowers are in pots. (I never saw such happy geraniums as those on this trip).

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This is a summer palace and gardens of the Medici family of Florence, Villa Petraia. While a nice garden, what was especialy wonderful was the view of Florence that could be seen from this hilltop location. http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/petra.htm

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Comments (9)

youreit
17 years ago
Wow!! What an incredible experience, Sue! I can't wait to check out the links you provided, as well, but your pictures are amazing, as though out of a magazine.

Brenda
nancy_in_venice_ca Sunset 24 z10
17 years ago
Thanks for the pictures.

Would you be thinking of Iris Origo? I think she wrote several books about her life in Val D'Orcia. If I remember correctly, she lived in the area near Siena. However, I believe she was married to an Italian.

Considering that my father's parents were from Collodi, I've been very remiss in not visiting the Garzoni Villa. The last time we were there, the gardens were "in restauro". By the looks of your photos, they look much better than in past years when we would peak in, and then postpone a tour for another time.

We've never been to the Villa Massei, but several years ago a friend from Lucca took us to see Villa Bernardini, and another Villa near to it where an American writer lives (she wasn't home). I think they were south of Lucca, in the foothills. Last year, we finally visited the Villa Pfanner inside the walls of Lucca. Although not for me, I am beginning to appreciate how my grandparents' decorating and gardening taste and style were shaped - very formal. I would love to see Villa Massei.

Glad to see that you also went to Umbria, whose reputation is "greener and prettier than Tuscany", which I suppose the Tuscans dispute. LOL.
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davissue_zone9
Original Author
17 years ago
Ah, you got it, that's who owned the garden. It was a very nice mix of formal and informal. Here's a few more pictures of it.

The flower border, with peonies in bloom
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Ancient wisteria pergola.
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Here is a link that might be useful: La Foce
nancy_in_venice_ca Sunset 24 z10
17 years ago
Absolutely gorgeous.

Thank you for the link.

Your photos are beautiful!
davissue_zone9
Original Author
17 years ago
If I did this right, you should be able to see all my pictures by clicking on this link

Here is a link that might be useful: italy trip
nancy_in_venice_ca Sunset 24 z10
17 years ago
Thank you for posting the photo album.

I see that you visited Villa Pfanner in Lucca too. We've seen it so many times from our walks on the walls, but only visited; i.e. paid euros, for the first time last year. (Not to sound as if we are world travelers - I have cousins living in Lucca.)

Did you happen to go to the Giardino Botanico as well? We've looked at it from the walls, and have never made it into the garden proper. Last year there was a photo exhibit in one of tunnels under the walls in that garden. We hoped to see it then, but they had closed off the garden because of the (free) exhibit.

Thanks for the beautiful pictures of Villa Garzoni. I didn't realize that the ruin on the hill was part of the estate. The view of the terrace with the circular fountains in the white gravel(?) looks as if it should be in Parco di Pinocchio - but different times and different tastes!

Thanks again.

Now I'm nostalgic for Lucca.
Mikey
17 years ago
Lucky you! Very nice gardens. I love the first photo, fit for a picturecard.
BecR
17 years ago
Davissue-- Oooh, I loved your pictures! Thanks for sharing these wonderful pics. I've been to Italy and Europe as a child & later as a newlywed and have fond memories of it. Time for a return trip...someday, I hope ;)
-Becky
jxa44
17 years ago
Great and beautiful pictures all -- just what I needed on this cold winter day!