The Botanical Garden of Palermo was inaugurated in 1795 with the aim of contributing to the development of botanical and medical sciences in the Sicilian city. In the oldest sector of the Garden the plants are still arranged according to the classification system of Linnaeus. SICILY Botanical Garden of Palermo BY MARGHERITA LOMBARDI The Botanical Garden of Palermo is located next to Villa Giulia, bordering the Kalsa district. In 1779, to accompany the newly founded Accademia di Regi studi, which had annexed the chair of Botany and Medical Matters, a small botanical garden was created, adjacent to the Porta di Carini, but became insufficient for the needs of the chair, in 1786 it was transferred to its present location. Between 1789 and 1795 the main buildings were built, the Gymnasium and the two lateral bodies of the Tepidarium and the Calidarium, in neoclassical style, designed by the French architect Leon Dufurny. Originally the garden, enriched with pools and fountains and a magnificent Aquarium, was divided into rectangular plots to divide the collections according to Linnaeus' system, but in the early nineteenth century it was modified. The Garden was still enlarged in later periods, and a grove of exotic plants and the Winter Garden, for example, was created in a large greenhouse. In the 1930s it acquired its definitive appearance, with the entrance area divided into regular areas and the southern area furrowed by more articulated paths. The collections. The Botanical Garden of Palermo hosts, in total, 12,000 species, mainly from South Africa, Australia and South America. Among these, there are the giant specimen of Ficus macrophylla, symbol of the Garden, the collection of marsh plants that includes lotuses (Nelumbum nucifera), water lilies and papyrus (Cyperus papyrus); the palms of the genus Phoenix spp., Cycads; species belonging to the families Moracee, Mimosacee, Rutacee, Euphorbiacee, Aizoacee, Asclepiadacee, Liliacee, Crassulacee and Cactacee, citrus fruits and a fragrant collection of plumerie, a plant as widespread in Palermo as medlar is on the terraces and gardens of northern cities. Among the botanical curiosities are Sapindus mukorossi, Pimenta acris, Coffea arabica, Ficus sycomorus, Mimosa spegazzinii, Crescentia alata, Saccharum officinarum, Manihot utilissima and Carica papaya. The Botanical Garden of Palermo is responsible for the introduction and diffusion in Mediterranean countries of Citrus deliciosa and Eriobotrya japonica. You can admire substantial collections of dried plants that are preserved in the Herbarium Mediterraneum. Every year a catalogue is published of seeds of both wild plants from Sicily and cultivated in the Garden, available for exchanges with scientific institutions from all continents. The tallest plant in the Garden is an annual Araucaria columnaris . Spectacular the avenue enclosed by large specimens Ceiba speciosa (formerly Chorisia speciosa). Margherita Lombardi GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Italian Botanical Heritage Italian Botanical Trips Palermo Botanical Garden more botanical gardens and nurseries Orto Botanico di Ginevra Orto Botanico di Ginevra Roma Roseto di Roma Chicago Chicago Batanical Garden Giardino Esotico Pallanca Parco Botanico Villa Rocca Water Nursery Giardino Botanico di Hanbury

The Villa Taranto botanical gardens are a true botanic gallery, with thousands of species of plants and flowers from all over the world. Eucalyptus, azaleas, rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias, dahlias, tulips, lotus flowers, heathers, hydrangeas, numerous tropical plants and even rare specimens. PIEDMONT BOTANICAL GARDENS OF VILLA TARANTO A walk between aesthetics and botany The putti fountain Photographs Cristina Archinto Text Carla De Agostini I n 1930, Scottish-born captain Neil Boyd Watson McEacharn, who had known Italy since childhood, reads an advertisement for sale in The Times and discovered that the Contessa di Sant'Elia's property is on sale. Intrigued, he immediately goes to see it; he has been looking for land for more than two years to build a large garden of his own. Impressed by its potential he immediately buys it and the following year settles in the villa on Lake Maggiore. He first changed its name: from La Crocetta to Villa Taranto, in honour of one of his ancestors who had been named Duke of Taranto by Napoleon Bonaparte, and then began hard work on the garden in order to create diversified but at the same time harmonious and original microclimates. The Terraced Gardens Today, Villa Taranto is a veritable gallery of botanical art, with thousands of species of plants and flowers from all over the world: the 8,500 species surveyed by McEacharn himself in 1963 now number almost 20,000. Eucalyptus trees, azaleas, rhododendrons, magnolias, maples, camellias, dahlias, tulips, lotus flowers, heathers, hydrangeas, numerous tropical plants and even rare specimens are distributed in thematic zones such as the Conifer Avenue, the Tree Ferns Valley the Giardino all'Italiana, the Giardino delle Eriche, the Labyrinth of Dahlias, the Greenhouses of Tropical Plants where Victoria Cruziana and Amazonica are cultivated, which arrived at the Villa in 1956 from the Stockholm Botanical Garden. The Captain's plants come from all over the world, especially from the rich English nurseries, the Royal Gardens of Kew, Edinburgh and the Royal Horticultural Society. But also from France, Germany, Spain, Eastern Europe, Japan, South Africa, the United States and Australia. They are joined by Italian floriculturists, such as Countess Senni of Rome, founder of the Italian society 'Amici dei fiori' (Friends of Flowers), who gave him numerous varieties of irises, and Prince Borromeo, who in 1949 donated two rare plants of Metasequoia glyptostroboides to the Villa The area of succulents The valley Today, Villa Taranto is a veritable gallery of botanical art, with thousands of species of plants and flowers from all over the world: the 8,500 species surveyed by McEacharn himself in 1963 now number almost 20,000. Eucalyptus trees, azaleas, rhododendrons, magnolias, maples, camellias, dahlias, tulips, lotus flowers, heathers, hydrangeas, numerous tropical plants and even rare specimens are distributed in thematic zones such as the Conifer Avenue, the Tree Ferns Valley the Giardino all'Italiana, the Giardino delle Eriche, the Labyrinth of Dahlias, the Greenhouses of Tropical Plants where Victoria Cruziana and Amazonica are cultivated, which arrived at the Villa in 1956 from the Stockholm Botanical Garden. The Captain's plants come from all over the world, especially from the rich English nurseries, the Royal Gardens of Kew, Edinburgh and the Royal Horticultural Society. But also from France, Germany, Spain, Eastern Europe, Japan, South Africa, the United States and Australia. They are joined by Italian floriculturists, such as Countess Senni of Rome, founder of the Italian society 'Amici dei fiori' (Friends of Flowers), who gave him numerous varieties of irises, and Prince Borromeo, who in 1949 donated two rare plants of Metasequoia glyptostroboides to the Villa The fern with the Dicksonia antarctica Strolling around Villa Taranto, one cannot help but be enchanted by never-before-seen plants such as the beautiful Pterostyrax hispidus, commonly known as the epaulette tree, as the flowers resemble the epaulettes that adorned soldiers' clothes. These beautiful clusters of flowers swaying in the breeze attract many birds and give off a delicate fragrance, or the Emmenopterys henryi of the Rubiaceae family, a white-flowered tree that can be up to a thousand years old and is native to the temperate areas of central and southern China and Vietnam. Also in the fern valley you can admire the Dicksonia antarctica tree ferns native to eastern Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, which resemble dancers. To conclude, strolling through the garden of Villa Taranto is something that really leaves its mark and takes you through shapes, fragrances and the world in a sublime setting. Pterostyrax hispidus THE BLOSSOMING OF RHODODENTRONS Rhododendron flowers are famous for their bright colouring, appreciated since ancient Greece, where they were known as the 'rose tree', from rhodon, rose and dendron, tree. They can be flat, bell-shaped or funnel-shaped and in some varieties, may be slightly perfumed. Very fascinating is their flowering: several flowers are produced from each bud, usually six or seven, each consisting of five petals and the anther, which contains the pollen. This grouping is technically a corymb, i.e. a regular cluster of buds at the end of the branch. The term is derived from the Latin corymbus, 'cluster inflorescence', borrowed from the Greek kórymbos, 'highest part, top'. This phenomenon allows the blossomed flowers to be all at the same height, as for example the elderberry. The rhododendron is a member of the Ericaceae family, like azaleas, and is a plant native to the Orient that loves cool, moist conditions. The oldest records of the rhododendron's existence take us back to 400 B.C., to Xenophon's soldiers who, returning from Babylon, camped in the hills of Armenia and almost ended up being poisoned by honey made from the nectar of the poisonous Asiatic wild species. The first wild and later cultivated species was the Rhododendron hirsutum also known as the 'alpine rose', of which there are records as early as 1500. 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

Nowadays we have the possibility of taking a thousand photos for the price of one, and so, for fear of losing even a single detail, we find ourselves overwhelmed by too many pixels that, when put together, no longer reflect the fulcrum of our story. Max 10 shots wants to emphasize that, if the photographs are relevant and with a strong subjective connotation, even 10 shots are enough for a good photographic story. PHOTOGRAPHY MAX 10 SHOTS Nowadays it is possible to take a thousand photos for the price of one, and so for fear of losing even a single detail we find ourselves overwhelmed by too many pixels which, when put together, no longer reflect the focus of our story. Max 10 shots aims to emphasise that, if the photographs are relevant and have a strong subjective connotation, even 10 shots are enough for a good photographic story. WILTSHIRE - United Kindom ENGLISH LANDSCAPES Oscar Wilde used to say: "Everyone can be good in the country", and he was right. Especially when it comes to the English countryside, or rather the countryside. The greenery, or rather the complex of greenery, the fences, the sheep, the rows of trees, the lonely houses, the fields with their groves and small streams, are an exhausting source of true natural pleasure. To give depth to a "flat landscape" it is useful to have one or more vanishing points, perhaps with the help of a fence or path campge inglesi GROSSETO - Toscany TUSCAN HILLS When you walk through the hills of Grosseto, you always have the impression that you are being watched by the majestic oaks that stand out against the blue sky between a field of olive trees, a field of pasture or vineyards. They are wonderful sentinels in the rolling Tuscan hills. To portray trees well, it is important to have a neutral background such as the sky colline toscane CORNIGLIA/VERNAZZE - Liguria A WALK IN THE CINQUE TERRE The walks along the paths between one village and another in the Cinque Terre are a succession of highs and lows, olive groves, flower-filled meadows, dry stone walls, overhanging paths and breathtaking views of the entire coastline. "A theatre whose proscenium opens onto the void, on the strip of sea high against the sky crossed by winds and clouds", is how Italo Calvino described the Cinque Terre. To tell the story of a landscape, one must learn to look at it from several angles, perhaps even from behind. Cinqu terre ASSISI-Umbria THE FOREST OF SAN FRANCESCO In Assisi, among the silence and beauty of woods, flowering branches, glades and olive groves, stands the San Francesco's wood. An evocative place of pilgrimage but also of reflection on the peaceful coexistence between man and nature, inspired by the teachings of harmony of St. Francis. And it is here that Michelangelo Pistoletto created "Third Paradise ", a work of Land Art with olive trees. "The two outer circles, " Pistoletto writes, "represent all the diversities and antinomies, including nature and artifice. The central one is the interpenetration between the opposite circles and represents the generative womb of the new humanity". Maintaining the same colour tones in several photographs is a bonding element in a service bosco disan francesco Lazio CALDARA OF MANZIANA A lunar plain, with some geysers of sulphurous water, which gently plunges into a basin surrounded by fascinating birches. The day was particularly sunny, with a beautiful clear light and the white of the trunks with the brown of the resting ferns, made an intense contrast with the full blue sky. The trees in the grove were almost all straight as spindles, more or less all of the same size, every now and then one could see a fallen one that suddenly cut this graphic rhythm in two as if it were one of those abstract paintings from the 60s. When you looked up, the delicate foliage of the birch melted into the blue of the sky and only the fruits in the shape of pendulous cones and perhaps a few sporadic leaves remained there alone were visible. At the bottom of the basin flowed this river with an indescribable color that went from blue to red and finally to white, where the white trunks created soft reflections as if they had been painted on a canvas. Knowing that birch trees are not normally found at this latitude gave this landscape even more a touch of magic as well as unique. Seeing nature abstractly Caldara ROME-Lazio ROSE GARDEN Some shots taken at the rose garden in Rome The Rose Garden is home to around 1,100 varieties of ancient and modern botanical roses from all over the world. The cultivated specimens come from all over the world: from the Far East to South Africa, from Old Europe to New Zealand, passing through the Americas. Blur the background, opening the lens wide and automatically increasing the time a lot, makes the flowers stand out a lot Roseto TURIN-Piedmont VALENTINO PARK The Valentino park develops along the banks of the Po river and has a great variety of trees. In autumn the colors are remarkable especially at the first light of the day, when the sun is cutting and slips into it the trees, or rests on the crowns of trees. Shoot against the sun using natural elements to filter the light parco del vlentino

The Botanical Garden of Siena, transformed from the Garden of the Simple into the Univeristarian Botanical Garden in 1866, is home to species native to the Tuscan territories as well as exotic plants, preserved both outdoors and in greenhouses. TUSCANY BOTANIC GARDEN OF SIENA The first Botanical Garden of Siena was set up at the Santa Maria della Scala Hospital in 1588 in connection with the chair of "Lectura Simplicium" and "Ostensio Simplicium". In 1784 Biagio Bartalini, at the request of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, established the Botanical Garden of the University of Siena, which was transferred to its present location in 1856. Under the direction of B. Longo established the Royal Institute and Botanical Garden and built (1910-1912) the two-floor villa that host it. This denotes the character of a centre for scientific research and didactics in the botanical field, which the structure will assume in the following years. In 1935 the management of the Garden passed from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery to the Faculty of Pharmacy, then in 1964 to the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences. In the same year the valley was purchased as far as the walls, reaching its present size. In 1977 the Tepidarium was built on the new land and extended in the following years. From 1995 to 2002 some natural environments were reconstructed, such as the Rock Garden, the Wet Climb, the Lake. The Botanical Garden has different environments that obviously host certain botanical species: the School: artificial terraces created at the beginning of the twentieth century to host medicinal plants; the park, subdivided into various flowerbeds of characteristic nineteenth-century style, which house multiple species; the aquatic environments, reproduced in the Garden in various ways: masonry pools, ponds, ponds, streams, etc., so that you can see the enormous variety of aquatic species; the rock garden, which hosts spontaneous species from central-southern Tuscany, present in steeply sloping areas, in intensely grazed areas and in degraded wooded areas, subject to irrational cuttings and/or fires; the humid, rocky escarpment with dripping water, was set up in the 2000's to display native plants from humid and cool environments; the farm: an example of an agricultural valley in the Tuscan territory within the Sienese walls. Index Seminum 2020 Spontaneous orchids live in the flowerbeds of the Park. Finally, there are 4 greenhouses: Ancient greenhouse or tropical greenhouse, Tepidarium, Lemon house, Experimental greenhouse. GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: University museum system Botanical Garden Italy Video more botanical gardens and nurseries Orto Botanico di Ginevra Centro Botanico Moutan Orto Botanico di Palermo Roseto di Roma Chicago Batanical Garden Giardino Esotico Pallanca Parco Botanico Villa Rocca Giardino Botanico di Hanbury

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

The Victoria is one of those plants that has always fascinated man, huge leaves that float despite their size and weight. A fascinating history, from its discovery in 1801 to the present day, which still makes headlines for its discovery of a new species. SICILY Victoria amazonica Victoria Marvel of Nature and source of constant discovery. Photographs of Cristina Archinto Text by Cristina Archinto and Carla De Agostini T he Victoria is one of those plants that has always fascinated mankind since its discovery in the western world in the early 1800s; these enormous leaves float despite their size and weight. This is due to a special latticework that traps air in the lower face of the leaf, creating cushions that allow the leaf to support not only its own weight but also that of a child, as evidenced by the first photograph, of a long series, taken in 1932 in Kew Gardens. The photo taken in 1932 in Kew Gardens Victoria is a Nymphaeaceae and it has only recently been discovered that there are not just two but three species; Victoria Amazonica , V. Cruziana and the latest addition the V. Boliviana . At one time it was thought that the latter was just a variety but thanks to the work of Kew Gardens botanist and researcher Carlos Magdalena , it has been discovered that the latter is a true new species. The main differences are a different distribution of spines, seeds and it only lives in the wild in one of the largest wetlands in the world, the Llanos de Moxos in the Beni province of Bolivia. Carlos Magdalena always had the suspicion, so back in 2016 he asked the Botanical Garden of Santa Cruz in Bolivia to send him seeds and after years of studies, comparisons and genetic analysis he came to these conclusions. This discovery was also endorsed by the work of illustrator Lucy Smith , a Kew Gardens collaborator, who was commissioned to make scientific drawings of the alleged new species and then compare them with those in the Kew Gardens archives by artist Walter Hood Fitch , who in 1845 illustrated a specimen whose seed arrived from Bolivia. The whole thing was then revealed to the world with the publication in July this year, 2022, in the Journal Frontiers in Plant Science . A direct comparison like this has never been done before because the specimens come from three different parts of the world and it is very rare to be able to keep the three different Victoria species in the same botanical garden because the space they occupy is so large. Victoria cruziana , Meise Botanical Garden in Belgium The history of the 'discovery' of the Victoria is full of protagonists around the world and began in 1801 when the Bohemian botanist and naturalist Tadeáš Haenke , sent to Bolivia by the Spanish government to study the local flora, is said to have first seen the Victoria on the Mamore' River, one of the tributaries of the Amazon, but unfortunately died without being able to record his discovery. Then it was the turn of Aime Bonpland who saw the plant in Argentina in 1819 and in 1825 sent the seeds and a full description to France. Victoria amazonica in the 'Victoria haus' greenhouse in Berlin In 1832 it was the turn of Eduard Poeppig who found it in the Amazon but assuming that it belonged to the same genus as the Asiatic Euryale ferox gave it the name Euryale amazonica . Alcide d'Orbigny saw the plant at Corrientes in Argentina and the German botanist Robert Schomburgk found Victoria on the Berbice River in British Guiana and sent specimens and figures to Europe in 1836. It was from these specimens that the English botanist and horticulturist John Lindley established the genus Victoria in 1837 and described the species regia in honour of Queen Victoria. Victoria boliviana at Kew Gardens @E. Johnston As far as cultivation was concerned, it was Robert Schomburgk who first attempted to cultivate Victoria , trying to transplant it from lakes and streams in Georgetown, British Guiana, but the plants died. In 1846 it was Thomas Bridges who sent seeds packed in a jar of moist clay to England. Of the 25 received at Kew Gardens, three germinated and grew well as seedlings until winter, when unfortunately they too died. Eventually, after further attempts, it was two English doctors, Rodie and Luckie , who sent seeds in a fresh water bottle to Kew in February 1849. The first plant flowered on 8 November 1849 in a specially constructed greenhouse on the Duke of Devonshire's estate in Chatsworth and it was then that one of the first flowers was cut and given to Queen Victoria. The profile of an Victoria Amazonica At that time the Duke of Devonshire's head gardener was Joseph Paxton and it was the morphology of this unique water lily that inspired him to create the Crystal Palace greenhouse at Kew in London to host the first World's Fair 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 45 kg of weight when evenly distributed. The rigid radially symmetrical centric leaves covered with strong thorns underneath, so as not to be eaten by fish, 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. For this and other achievements, Paxton received a knighthood from His Majesty. Crystal Palace of 1851 made of iron and glass 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 the Victoria is not a carnivorous plant, 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, taking 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. Flowers of a Victoria amazonica and Victoria cruziana In Kew Gardens today, pollination is done manually in the summer and the harvesting of the seeds in the autumn. A constant temperature of 15° prevents seed death or premature germination. Today, a process called nicking the seeds is used to help them germinate earlier, which happens after ten days. The sprouted seeds are initially placed in a small pot in water, and gradually moved to larger pots and finally placed in a large one with clay soil as a substrate. Seedlings need a temperature of no less than around 31° while adult plants grow between 26° and 31°. As the plant needs light, auxiliary horticultural bulbs are used for about 12 hours in winter, which is why in nature the giant water lily dies in autumn due to the lack of light. Euphorbia tirucalli The Victoria in its natural habitat has a very special tenant the Trotter lily or Jacana , a bird with very long legs, fingers and claws that runs from Victoria to Victoria and feeds on the insects on and under the leaves, which it deftly turns over with its, also, long beak. It also nests on the leaf, laying eggs as shiny as the waxy layer that covers it, camouflaging them perfectly. Today, although the plant is not threatened with extinction, ongoing climate change in the Amazon basin and the relentless destruction of the Amazon rainforest may pose a future threat to this wonder of nature, a source of continuous new discoveries. Victoria 'Trickeri' variety of Victoria Cruiziana at the Chicago Botanical Garden GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO More botanic gardens and nurseries Papaveri e api Vie cave Alberi Caño Cristales Palmeti Palmeti Caldara di Manziana Terra scoscesa Tevere

The curriculum of Cristina Archinto. Biography Cristina Archinto was born in Milan. At the beginning of her career she dedicates herself to editorial designing collaborating with several magazines, a passion that over time she will always carry on. In 1989 she moves to New York and studies photography at Parson School. Once back in Italy she focuses on architectural photography; her knowledge of graphics helps her in the balance and the weights of her photos. In 1999 his daughter Greta is born, this event slows down her life rhythms and brings her to the continuous search for green spaces. Stimulated and attracted, she will make these places her new focal point bringing her to focus on the atmosphere of a park, the detail of a flower or a vast landscape. In 2002 she moves with her family to Rome to look for new sceneries and a new light. There she develops the profession of garden photographer and starts to collaborate with several specialized magazines, and publishes several books. At the same time a more artistic journey begins, a research always focused on the emotions that nature transmits to us by exhibiting her works in several Italian galleries. One of her latest works is focused on movement catching lights and returning materials and transparencies in the balance of shapes and the elegance of colors. In June 2017 she founded Terrimago.com an online magazine on territory/landscape and on gardens. Personal Exhibitions 2001 “Immagini” Spazio Brera, Milano 2005 “Il giardino che vorrei” Horti di Veio, Roma 2006 “Il giardino che vorrei” Lingotto, Torino 2008 “Naturalmente design” Galleria Blanchaert, Milano 2008 “Naturalmente colorati” Kasthal show-room, Milano 2009 “Naturale” Aveda show-room, Milano 2010 “Naturalmente al sole” Galleria Antonia Jannone, Milano 2012 "Tevere una storia che scorre" Palazzo Bufalini Città di Castello PG 2013 "GUARDA! verso oriente" Mimma Gini, Milano 2013 "GUARDA! Appunti da un finestrino" Viaggiandoilmondo Genova 2015 "Tevere una storia che scorre" St. Stephen's Cultural Center Roma Collective Exhibitions 2006 “13x17” organizzata da Philippe Daverio, in giro per l’Italia 2008 “Hyperorganic: ambiente emergente” Triennale di Milano 2009 “Alimentart” Palazzo Murat, Bari 2009 “Il Giardino del Delta” Arte Galleria. Roma 2010 MiArt, Milano 2011-2012 Biennale di Venezia Padiglione Italia a Torino Books published 2002 - WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE - PENSIERI PER UN ANNO (Lettere edizioni) A combination of beautiful and poetic photographs of different plants and landscapes combined with extracts of Shakespear’s work, articulate the days of the year, our own biological rhythm, life, death and all human passion. 2004 - VILLA BORGHESE - IL SILENZIO DEL PARCO (Skira) 80 suggestive images leads us through “Rome’s most beautiful garden” with his lanes, fountains, statues, flowers, plants, and all of the hidden corners. Cristina Archinto’s pictures catch the enchanted environment, the most suggestive corners, and a very special silence that “covers” the park during the week when it becomes a shelter for people. 2006 - IL GIARDINO CHE VORREI (Electa) Cristina Archinto guides us throught various types of different gardens and landscapes with unique images, that underline the grace of plants, even the most usual ones. The photographer has the great talent to catch the charm of a common landscape, available to everyone, and the different magnificent textures of the plants. She also teaches us how to look to our surroundings, and how easy it can be to create a beautiful garden. This book whispers us how the beauty of nature can hide everywhere even in the most unexpected corners. 2008- ROMA E I SUOI LUOGHI D’ACQUA (Babalibri) Guida of Rome 2013 - GUARDA! APPUNTI DA UN FINESTRINO (Canneto editore) Italian landscapes from the train 2020 - EUROPEAN BOTANICAL GARDEN A journey through History Science and Nature (Terrimago edition) link

Gardens photo shoots Terrimago Photography Terrimago Photography offers you the opportunity to discover gardens, botanical gardens and parks around the world, thanks to Cristina Archinto’s photo shoots and the texts of the editorial staff’s authors. The photographic projects are available to enthusiasts and botanical lovers for free because in our opinion spreading botanical knowledge is the first step in learning to respect nature. Subscribe to the newsletter to stay updated on the latest projects and to help us make ourselves known to the world. ORTI BOTANICAL GARDENS and exciting discoveries Anyone venturing into a botanical garden is amazed by the countless colours, scents, shapes and forms of the plant kingdom. These photo shoots tells the story of a passion that drove men towards uncharted lands, exploring the frontiers of knowledge. Meise Botanical Garden Botanical Gardens Enchantment of light Botanical gardens Dublin Botanic Garden Botanical gardens Berlin Botanical Garden Botanical gardens Madrid Botanical Garden Botanical gardens Amsterdam Botanical Garden Botanical gardens Botanical Garden of Naples Botanical gardens Geneva Botanical Garden Botanical gardens Palermo Botanical Garden Botanical gardens Chicago Botanical Garden Botanical gardens Pallanca Exotic Garden Botanical gardens Botanical Garden of Siena Botanical gardens Zurich Botanical Garden Botanical gardens Villa Rocca Botanical Park Botanical gardens Hanbury Botanic Gardens Botanical gardens Load More AMBIETE Stories and curiosities of plants and nurseries Surrounded by wonderful plants and flowers on a daily basis we always take it for granted that they have always been among us, but this is not the case, most of the greenery that belongs to us comes from afar. These reports delve into the history of certain plants and trees, tell where they come from and who had the courage to undertake endless journeys to make them known to us. They also tell of curiosities and their use around the world. The Lavendeto of Assisi Nursery The Victorias Botany Nurseries Cuba Nurseries Water Nursery Nurseries _LIG1663view.jpg Nursery Rome rose garden Garden Opuntia Botany Macarenia clavigera Botany The lawn of Villa Pisani Botany Poppies and bees Botany Palm trees in Liguria Botany Palm groves botany Moutan Botanical Center Nursery Load More GIARDINI parks and gardens and their stories Behind every garden there is a story, or rather often a thousand stories, of women and men who have loved and fought for their gardens. Stories of patience and foresight, of discoveries and adventures, many stories that have come down to us through these wonderful places. Royal Villa of Marlia Gardens Garden of Villandry Gardens Engadine Photo diary Z6I_0025.jpg Stories set Orsan Priory Garden Ravino Gardens Garden Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto Parks Garden of Peace Garden Villa la Pergola Gardens Garden Gardens of Villa Melzi Garden Sigurtà Garden Park Park Bercy park Park Villa Lante Garden Villa la Grange Park Park Masone labyrinth Garden Kenroku-en Garden Garden Load More All Photo Shoot newsletter

Appeared more than 70 million years ago, the approximately 2,800 species of palms that make up the Arecaceae family are widespread in all continents. They prefer tropical and subtropical environments but are also adapted to more temperate climates. PALM TREES IN LIGURIA The approximately 2,800 varieties of palm trees that make up the family of the Arecaceae first appeared over 70 million years ago and rapidly spread across all continents. Their preferred habitats are the tropical or subtropical environments, but easily adapt to cooler climates. In Italy the Chamaerops humilis , or dwarf palm, and the rustic Phoenix dactylifera are considered endemic species, spreading rapidly across the Italian seaside towns such as Bordighera, thanks to their innate ability to contrast strong winds and withstand salt and sand. According to legend, Ampelio, the patron saint of Bordighera, was the first to import these precious dates. The craft of weaving palm leaves for religious festivals, along with rituals of fertility and rebirth, links the vast symbolism associated with palm trees and is no stranger to ancestral practices for their domestication aimed at ensuring the bearing of fruits. According to some philologists, the word palm derives from “Pan”. In Sanskrit, it means hand and can also be identified by the typical shape of its leaves. In Latin it became “Palm”, used for both the flat of the hand, and as a unit of measurement. Hence the expressions "palm of victory" or "in the palm of your hand", to indicate the honour paid to the victorious. For others, it originates from the Semitic root “Pal”, thus the toponym Palmyra, the legendary Syrian city and stopping place for caravan trade routes. Likewise it can be an echo of the Phoenician term used by the Ancient Greeks to refer to both the tree and the colour purple, but also to the phoenix bird, rising from its ashes. Lastly, it is associated to the Phoenicians, the people whom the Ancient Egyptians placed along the shores of the Persian Gulf. It is here that we find the oases where the palm trees and dates originated. Palm leaves welcomed the triumphal entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem, symbolizing triumph, justice and peace. In liturgical ceremonies, the palm leaves blend and are replace by olive branches, in a way similar to the customs and traditions of peasant farmers on opposite shores of the Mediterranean Sea, which also merged and hybridized. Alessandra Valentinelli Palm trees in Liguria Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO MORE ENVIRONMENT AND BOTANY Vie cave opuntia fiorita Opuntia Alberi Caño Cristales Palmeti Palmeti Caldara di Manziana Terra scoscesa Tevere

Since the dawn of time, light has always fascinated man because it represents the supreme power to illuminate darkness. First, of course, it was fire that illuminated and defended man, then Edison brought light into homes with mass production of lamps and electricity, although he was not the actual inventor. At the Botanical Garden in Rome we have a taste of Light Art to see it in a new light. FRANCE LOIRE VALLEY The Gardens of Villandry Castle Photographs and text by Cristina Archinto The Gardens of Villandry are part of the last of the Great Castles erected during the Renaissance in that historical environmental context which is the Loire Valley. The French nobleman Jean Le Breton had it built on the remains of an ancient medieval fortress built in the 16th century. In the 19th century the garden underwent several transformations, until 1906 when Joachim Carvallo and his wife Ann Coleman bought the castle and started a major restoration, including the gardens. At the time, the gardens were in a state of total abandonment and degradation and the photographs of the time make us understand how little was left of the glorious past, and only strong determination and in-depth studies have allowed the Carvallos to recreate the splendor of once. He, a Spanish doctor and botanist with a very strong passion for horticulture, she, scientist, American heiress of iron and steel magnates, together with their knowledge and their heritage have created a true garden of wonders, restoring the areas, such as the Italian garden and the herb garden, the water garden and the labyrinth, sometimes in the French style, sometimes in the Romantic or Renaissance style Today the Ornamental Garden is the main attraction of the gardens of Villandry. In a purely Renaissance style, it is made up of nine parcels all of the same size, but each with a different geometric pattern created by vegetables and flowers. In the boxes are planted vegetables of amazing colors that bewitch; blue leeks, red cabbage and beets, jade green carrot tops, and so on, giving the impression of a multicolored checkerboard, all carefully selected to ensure the best aesthetic but also culinary performance. But there are also tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, peppers, beans, carrots, onions, cauliflowers, broccoli, lettuces, spinaches and many others, all grown according to sustainable agricultural principles, using organic and integrated cultivation techniques, without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. In short, natural products grown with environmentally friendly techniques and used in the kitchen of the castle restaurant and sold to the public during the summer. The Ornamental Garden, on the other hand, is conceived as an extension of the halls of the Castle of Villandry and develops on the second terrace, between the Vegetable Garden and the Water Garden. A canal divides the Ornamental Garden into two green halls, known as the First Hall and Second Hall. The Renaissance design of this part of the gardens of Villandry is the result of a collaboration between the Sevillian artist Lozano and the painter and landscape architect Javier de Winthuysen for the First Salon, while the Second Salon was designed by Joachim Carvallo. The parterre designs in these rooms clearly evoke the Andalusian style. At the southern end of the estate, is the Water Garden. This French “boulingrin”, or grassy ground, bordered by grassy banks called glacis, consists of an ornamental pond in the center in the shape of a Louis XV mirror, embellished here and there by square lawn parterres and a network of perpendicular avenues and by four secondary ornamental ponds. The current water garden dates from the early 20th century and was built when the gardens of Villandry were transformed into a jardin à la française (formal garden) in the 18th century. The redevelopment of the park in the 19th century in an English romantic style led to the replacement of the classic ornamental lake with one with more natural lines. Based on the 18th century plans, Joachim Carvallo recreated the ornamental pond and gave this area the clear and regular look it has today. After Dr Carvallo's death in 1936, his descendants work to preserve and develop the Villandry estate with the rigor and self-sacrifice that make gardens extraordinary. The Garden of simples is a creation of the 70s; as for the Garden of the Sun, inspired by a design by Joachim, it was inaugurated in 2008 and celebrates the centenary of the restoration of these exceptional gardens in grand style. Today, the gardens of Villandry are one of France's most popular tourist attractions and are admired for their beauty and botanical mastery. Walking through this place is a source of continuous amazement, the natural geometries are the protagonists and they are everywhere like the chromatic combinations that fascinate and amaze. In these gardens you have the clear sensation that nothing is left to chance, therefore "natural", but at the same time you perceive "nature" in a profound way. GALLERY Photos ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website 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