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

The Magic Flute Park in Santa Margherita Ligure is a playground for children inside Villa Carmagnola. It was conceived and realized in 1998 from the imagination of Emanuele Luzzati, in collaboration with the students of the scenography workshop of the Teatro della Tosse, on the notes of The Magic Flute, the last theatrical composition by Mozart. LIGURIA The Magic Flute Park in Santa Margherita Ligure by Carla De Agostini The Magic Flute Park in Santa Margherita Ligure is a playground for children inside Villa Carmagnola. It was conceived and realized in 1998 from the imagination of Emanuele Luzzati, in collaboration with the students of the scenography workshop of the Teatro Della Tosse, on the notes of The Magic Flute, the last theatrical composition by Mozart. The paths, the equipment and the objects allow the children to become part of the adventures of Tamino, the brave and somewhat "harlequin-like" prince, the protagonist of the opera who, helped by the faithful Papageno, fights the forces of evil to free the beloved princess Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night in ancient Egypt. On the one hand, the work of the Magic Flute can be retraced on the 23-meter-long surrounding wall, which, with paintings on ceramic tiles, tells the story to everyone. On the other amazing silhouettes and sculptures of the characters, now restored, help the children's creativity to invent their own adventures, jumping from one side to the other, immersed in the green and in their own dreams. Closed for a long time, the Park has reopened in 2021, to the happiness of young and old, thanks to the valuable teamwork between different realities, from the municipal administration to the various local cultural associations and not for years recognize the historical, public and social value. Emanuele Luzzati was born in Genoa in 1921 and died there in 2007. Capable of an essential and never predictable style, Luzzati will speak of himself as a capable craftsman, fascinated by all applied arts that comes to their realization in an eclectic and often self-taught way. In the interviews he will tell with simplicity that his way of understanding the work is a work under the sign of a lightness free from aesthetic codes. She spent her childhood in Genoa, but with the racial laws of 1938 she fled to Switzerland, where she came into contact with a reality that she would define as "truer", that of the Jewish world of Eastern Europe of which she would often remember the fruitful cultural exchange between people of very different origins, and in Lausanne he graduated from the Ecole des Beaux Arts. In his career he has created more than four hundred sets for prose, opera and dance in major Italian and foreign theaters, and has been defined as a painter, decorator, illustrator, set designer, ceramist, costume designer, film director and designer. In 1963 for The Magic Flute Luzzati will have a flash of genius that will revolutionize the concept of set design for opera and will consecrate him to the international world: the periatti, large rotating prisms consisting of painted panels with inside a person who moves them in time to the music, which create a fairy-tale atmosphere with dynamic background. In 1966 with the director Giancarlo Giannini receive the first Oscar nomination for the category of animated short film La Gazza ladra (1964), a second nomination will come with Pulcinella. The municipality of Genoa, with the Accademia Artigiana della Fantasia, celebrates him by opening at Palazzo Ducale Casa Luzzati, a place of exhibitions entirely dedicated to his figure, opening in March 2022 with "Luzzati. Posters and Editorial Graphics 1947 - 2007". In addition, the Lele Luzzati Foundation is born, welcoming the donation of works by the Luzzati Family of Israel. GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO LINK S TREE WATCHING Web more gardens and parks Giardino di Valeria Villa Ortensia Etna Botanic garden Parco del Paterno del Toscano Labirinto della Masone Villa d'Este Giardino di Kenroku-en Giardino dell'impossibile

Thanks to Gelasio Caetani’s foresight, today we can enjoy the beauty of an English garden amongst the nicest of Europe, which was nominated in the year 2000 as one of “Italy’s Natural Monuments”. In 1921, the Caetani family restored a number of ruins in the ancient medieval city of Ninfa, a few kilo LAZIO NINFA A MARVELOUS GARDEN Thanks to Gelasio Caetani’s foresight, today we can enjoy the beauty of an English garden amongst the nicest of Europe, which was nominated in the year 2000 as one of “Italy’s Natural Monuments”. In 1921, the Caetani family restored a number of ruins in the ancient medieval city of Ninfa, a few kilometres away from Cisterna di Latina. Among these renovations was a baronial palace which was transformed into the family’s summer estate, as well as a garden at the foot of Mount Lepini. At the same time, Ada Wilbraham, Gelasio Caetani’s mother, who was an expert botanist, planted the first cypresses, holm oaks, beech trees and rosettes, which she had collected throughout the course of her vast international travels. The most credit must be given to Marguerite Chapin, Roffredo Caetani’s wife, and to her daughter, Leila. Starting in the early thirties the two ladies transformed Ninfa into a beautiful English garden, and chose to emphasize its natural beauty. The only exception were areas in which flower beds were planted, the land they grew on was left, to some extend to itself, consenting to the natural growth and cycle of plants. The blessed southern exposure, south of Ninfa, which is protected from the winds by the Lepini Mountains, is ornate with numerous karst springs and crossed by the River Ninfa, which have allowed the growth of tropical plants such as the banana, the avocado and the manned gunner from South America. As one strolls through the medieval ruins, he or she may encounter thousands of diverse and rare species worthy of note, such as poplars, birches, pines, cypresses, cherry trees, Japanese maples, hornets, acanthuses, ornamental apple trees, roaring rose bushes, magnolias, irises, bamboo shoots, camellias and honeysuckles. The particular plant choice is purposeful in the sense that it allows for a year round flowering, and allows for a self-serving caring process. Macerated nettle, lime, propolis and a variety of insectivorous birds make the garden of Ninfa a small heaven on earth. One must visit it at least once in his or her lifetime. GALLERY Info: www.fondazionecaetani.org Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO MORE GARDENS AND PARKS Parco del Paterno del Toscano Villa Lante Labirinto della Masone Villa d'Este Giardino di Kenroku-en Giardino dell'impossibile Villa Pizzo Castello di Masino

One of the most evocative places in Paris is definitely the Bercy Park, whose web of paths, rails and water reflections cannot fail to fascinate. With its 13.5 hectares, in the 12th arrondissement, Bercy amazes passers-by with clues that tell of a place of contrasts. PARIS Parc de Bercy By CARLA DE AGOSTINI One of the most evocative and unexpected places in Paris is undoubtedly Bercy Park, whose web of paths, rails and reflections of water cannot fail to fascinate. With its 13.5 hectares in the 12th arrondissement, Bercy amazes passers-by with clues that tell of a place of contrasts. Although it was created between 1993 and 1997, it still retains much of its past: the vineyard, the kerbs and the rails bear witness to the site's industrial past. The contemporary design by architects B. Huet, M. Ferrand, J. Feugas, B. Leroy, frames a 19th-century garden, designed by landscape architects I. Le Caisne and P. R. Leroy. Le Caisne and P. Raguin. The area on which the Park stands has undergone many transformations. It was occupied by coppice woods until the 13th century, and from the 17th century until the Revolution it became a holiday resort along the river. During the process of industrialisation of the city, the site became one of the most important wine warehouses in Paris: the cellier du monde - the world's wine cellar. Its strategic location allowed it to be unaffected by customs but still be strategically positioned thanks to its trade route via the Seine with Burgundy. The park alternates between ponds and architectural works, green and wooded areas. Three main areas are clearly recognisable. Les Parterres, in the centre, consists of a chessboard of nine themed gardens, in homage to biodiversity, where various ateliers host frequent events dedicated to botany, organised by citizens or professionals. La Grande Prairie, to the west, consists of grass carpets crossed by avenues and dotted with trees and gazebos, where groups of young people often enjoy the beauty of the place. And finally, the Jardin Romantique, to the east, where you can admire oaks, birches, cherry trees, shrubs of all kinds, and, above all, the water features of the pond bordered by reeds and water lilies where you can meet ducks and herons. This last part of the park is very rich and elaborate. The amphitheatre recalling the ancient village of Bercy, the Pavillon du Lac, right in the middle of the pond, is home to exhibitions and temporary displays, as well as the Agence Parisienne du Climat de Paris, in charge of the city's energy transition. The helicoidal ramp leading to the Bélvèdere is the highest observation point from which you can admire a splendid panorama and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, otherwise accessible by the Simone de Beauvoir footbridge. With its 200 centenary trees, mostly plane trees, horse chestnuts and birches, the Jardin Romantique has a special bucolic charm, enriched by over 1,200 new species of shrubs and flowers. Among the willows and majestic oaks, it is a popular destination for Parisians who enjoy reading and going on interesting walks, immersed in a small natural paradise, protected from the hustle and bustle of greater Paris. Translation by Greta Arancia Sanna GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website Highlights Male fern - Dryopteris filix-mas Ferns are the oldest plants on our planet and are estimated to have been present for 350 million years. Its scientific name Dryopteris derives from drys oak and pteris fern, as it is very common in shady chestnut and oak forests. Ferns have always been used as dyes because of their tannin content, and were also used to make mattresses and pillows, and their good smell kept fleas away. Ferns are also the subject of many legends and myths throughout Europe, one of which tells us that on the night of 23-24 June, the feast of St John the Baptist, the fern produces a snow-white flower that has the power to make you invisible, like its seeds. Even Shakespeare was aware of this and quotes it in his Henry IV: 'We steal as if we were in an iron barrel, perfectly safe, we have the recipe for fern seeds, we walk invisible'. more gardens and parks Parco del Paterno del Toscano Villa Lante Labirinto della Masone Villa d'Este Giardino di Kenroku-en Giardino dell'impossibile Giardino di Ninfa Villa Pizzo

The Kenroku-en "Garden of Six Attributes" or "Garden of Six Sublimity" is an ancient private garden in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It is considered one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. The large garden-park, located near the entrance to Kanazawa Castle, is famous f JAPAN KANAZAWA Kenroku-en Garden The Kenroku-en "Garden of Six Attributes" or "Garden of Six Sublimity" is an ancient private garden in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It is considered one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. The large garden-park, located near the entrance to Kanazawa Castle, is famous for offering its visitors beautiful views in all seasons. Its construction can be traced back to the beginning of the 17th century by the Maeda clan, which ruled the Kaga fiefdom, but it is not easy to give an exact date of its origin. According to some, it can be made to coincide with the construction of the Tatsumi Canal in 1632 by Maeda Toshitsune, the third head of the Maeda clan from 1605 to 1639. The canal was later incorporated into the winding artificial garden river in 1822. According to others, the garden was created thanks to the fifth daimyo of Kaga, Maeda Tsunanori (r. 1645-1723). He had the building called Renchi-ochin ("lotus pond pavilion") built in 1676 on the slope in front of Kanazawa Castle, and a surrounding garden, initially called Renchi-ochin "lotus pond garden". Little is known about the structure and characteristics of the Renchi-tei, due to a fire that destroyed it almost entirely in 1759. According to documents dating back to previous years, the garden was often visited by the local nobility, who organized banquets there to contemplate the moon and autumn leaves, and to admire the horses. There is a legend linked to the sacred Fountain of Kenroku-en, according to some the oldest element of the garden remained until today: 1,200 years ago, a farmer named Tōgorō stopped at the Fountain to wash potatoes. Suddenly, fragments of gold began to rise to the surface of the water, which is why the city was called Kanazawa, "Golden Swamp. The water comes from the purification basin at the nearby Shinto shrine, and many people come to collect water for the tea ceremony at this fountain. The Shigure-tei, a tea house built in 1725 and miraculously survived the fire of 1759, seems to indicate not only the spread of this ritual in the period before the fire, but also the culture traditionally associated with it, which would have influenced the aesthetics of the garden. The Shigure-tei was also used after the fire and then completely restored during the Meiji period. Another element already present in the period before the fire of 1759 is the Kaiseki-tō pagoda, currently located on a small island in the central area of the Isago-ike pond. According to some sources it was erected by Maeda Toshitsune, third daimyo of Kaga, who lived between 1594 and 1658, and it is therefore possible that it predates the creation of the Renchi-tei garden. According to other sources, the pagoda was initially part of a 13-storey pagoda located in the Gyokusen-in garden of Kanazawa Castle, but a third source reports that it was brought from Korea by Katō Kiyomasa, returning from the military campaigns started at the behest of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, to whom it would be donated, who in turn would give it to Maeda Toshiie. If the theory is true, the pagoda arrived in the hands of the Maeda clan between 1592 and 1598, the years of Hideyoshi's attempts to conquer Korea and China. The above theories are not mutually exclusive, so it is possible that Maeda Toshiie received a 13-storey pagoda from Hideyoshi, placing it in the Gyokusen-in garden, and that subsequent daimyo would have moved to its current position, reducing the number of floors. In 1774, Maeda Harunaga, Kaga's eleventh daimyo, began restoration work on the garden, also building the Midori-taki ("Green Waterfall") and the Yūgao-tei, a tea house. Other improvements were made in 1822 when the twelfth daimyo Narinaga had the winding streams of the garden built with water from the Tatsumi canal. The thirteenth daimyo Nariyasu had more streams added and expanded Lake Kasumi, giving the garden its present shape. The garden was opened to the public on May 7, 1874. The name Kenroku-en was given to it by Matsudaira Sadanobu at Narinaga's request, and is a reference to the six attributes of the perfect landscape mentioned in the book Luòyáng míngyuán jì ("Chronicles of Famous Luoyang Gardens"), written by the Chinese poet Li Gefei. The six attributes are: spaciousness and intimacy, artifice and antiquity, waterways and landscapes. Info: www.pref.ishikawa.jp Photo © CRISTINA ARCHINTO

It was the year 1638 when the plague hit Amsterdam and medicinal plants represented the only known way to cure and prevent it. It was for this reason that in that same year was born the Hortus Medicus, a training place where doctors and pharmacists met to learn and share their botanical and medical knowledge, enriching the collection of medicinal plants. AMSTERDAM BOTANICAL GARDEN OF AMSTERDAM From Ortus Medicus to Ortus Botanicus Photos Cristina Archinto Text Carla DeAgostini I t was1638 when the plague hit Amsterdam and medicinal plants represented the only way to cure and prevent it. It was for this reason that in the same year was created the Hortus Medicus , a place where doctors and pharmacists met in order to learn and share their botanical and medical knowledge, always enriching the collection of medicinal plants. The first who catalogued the whole collection was, in 1646, the director of that year Snippendaal: it took him a whole year to count the 796 species of plants, and to write the catalog, but thanks to his hard work Carl Nilsson Linnaeus in 1753 succeeded in writing his fundamental work Species Plantarum . Meanwhile in 1682, thanks to the commercial contacts of the East India Company and to the help of collectors from the Netherlands, the Garden acquired many species, not only medicinal, but also greenhouse and ornamental, which transformed the old Hortus from Medicus to Botanicus, a new center of intense research and trade. Also in this period, the botanical illustrators Jan and Maria Moninckx were commissioned to document the new collection, and they created the Moninckx Atlas : not the usual herbarium with dried plants, but a catalog containing graphic reproductions of the most recent and exotic plants. The task, which ended in 1749, required the production of nine volumes, and involved other expert watercolorists Such as Johanna H. Herolt, daughter of Sibylla Merian, and Alida Withoos, daughter of Mathias Withoos, the painter of still life master of Gaspar Van Wittel. Even today the Moninckx Atlas is considered the main testimony of the extraordinary contribution of women to the birth of scientific drawing. Today, the Hortus Botanicus covers little more than one hectare but boasts an enormous variety of plant: there are about 4,000 species, including those grown outdoors and those housed in its seven greenhouses, just over 1% of the world's plant diversity and it is a place rich in history, where modern events of emancipation and cutting-edge studies are intertwined for their attention to both the past and the present. An example is the semi circular garden reorganized in Systemic Garden in 1863. The semicircle shape in fact represents the systematic classification of plants: species that are closely related are found growing near each other, while those that have little in common are grown far away. Currently, they are classified according to the Angiosperma Phylogeny Group (APG), among the most advanced technologies of "molecular systematics," based on similarities in genetic material. Here, if summer is a riot of blooms, winter lets the symmetrical lines of boxwood hedges emerge. A true masterpiece of modern architecture is the Three Climates Greenhouse, designed in 1993 by Zwarts & Jansma Architects, which brings together three different climatic environments: the subtropics, the desert and the tropics. A suspended walkway allows visitors to pass from one area to the another, each with its own temperature, humidity and air circulation. Walkers enjoy the view of the tangle of lianas and leaves, look closely at the tree canopy while catching a glimpse of the sky through the glass roof as they pass through dry scrub, jungle and desert. In the first one he comes across geraniums, agapanthus and gerberas, then reaches the humid subtropical climate where the protagonist is the abundance of water, and finally the desert section, where cacti and majestic succulents from faraway deserts stand out. Instead in the Palms Greenhouse you can admire, next to giant palms specimens, the famous 350-year-old Cyca Encephalartos altensteinii, purchased in 1850 by William III. The Hortus boasts the presence of 60 different species of cycads, protected and safeguarded also thanks to the collaboration with other gardens, through the exchange of pollen, seeds or young plants. Hundreds of tropical butterflies color the small Butterfly House, fluttering over an interesting collection of tropical plants linked to trade with the Americas, such as coffee, tea or chocolate. The Garden also specializes in South African, Australian and carnivorous plant families. The Hortus Botanicus of Amsterdam , with its history and collections, is now an internationally recognized historical, herbalist and scientific heritage, but it is also a pleasant stop to get lost in during a trip to the Dutch city par excellence GALLERY Info: Official website Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO FEATURED Illustrations by Maria Moninckx and Maria Sibylla Merian FEMALE BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATIONS: THE MONINCKX ATLAS The Moninckx Atlas is a collection of botanical images, containing watercolor and gouache reproductions of 425 exotic plants from Asia, South Africa and South America, planted in the Botanical Garden of Amsterdam. This collection, divided into nine books, takes its name from the two artists who contributed the most to its creation: Jan and Maria Moninckx. Maria Moninckx was born in The Hague around 1673, and was the daughter of an important painter, Johannes Moninckx, and Ariaentje Pieters, also an artist. Renowned in the field as a floral painter, for the Atlas performs 101 illustrations. The side by side, in addition to Jan Moninckx, two other women Johanna Herolt-Graff, daughter of Maria Sibylla Merian whose books are still considered masterpieces of painting and precursors of modern entomology, and Alida Withoos. Both botanical illustrators of the time, they are part of a discipline underestimated in the artistic field but of extreme importance in the scientific world, as an aid to the classification and study of plant morphology, since unlike herbals it provides a representation of both the shape and the details of the various species. In this case, botanical illustrators study closely not only plants and flowers but the life of insects themselves, often achieving important, as well as ignored, scientific results. For example, Maria Sibylla Merian between 1679 and 1683 printed The marvelous metamorphosis of caterpillars and their singular feeding on flowers , a work where she illustrates more than 176 animal species, from silkworms to butterflies, in every stage of development with as many species of flowers and plants on which the animal feeds. In fact, every table shows data about the times of metamorphosis, nutrition and life cycle of each one. Precisely because of this precision Merian is today considered the first entomologist in the history of science, a recognition that will be given only in the twentieth century, after centuries in the shadows, renowned only in expert circles of the sector. These illustrations therefore represent not only an essential tool for study, but also an emancipation from the prejudice according to which science, and therefore botany, was, and often still is, a male prerogative only. more botanical gardens and nurseries 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 Orto Botanico di Palermo Roseto di Roma

Bartolomeo Pallanca’s passion for horticulture matched, if not surpassed, that of his father who was an olive grower by trade. Both men worked for Winter, and in 1910 Bartolomeo Pallanca founded his very own “Stabilimento Orticolo Floreale” nursery. One part of the business specialized in ornamental LIGURIA BORDIGHERA Pallanca Exotic garden Bartolomeo Pallanca’s passion for horticulture matched, if not surpassed, that of his father who was an olive grower by trade. Both men worked for Winter, and in 1910 Bartolomeo Pallanca founded his very own “Stabilimento Orticolo Floreale” nursery. One part of the business specialized in ornamental plants and cut flowers, and the other in cacti and succulents, which were shipped to half of Europe’s botanical gardens. After the war, this became the core business for the nursery. Four generations dedicated their existence to the cultivation, acclimatization and flowering of succulent plants. Nowadays it is one of the most interesting collections for fans and scholars alike. More than 3,000 different varieties and specimens from all corners of the Earth are distributed by the area of origin and form a living map portraying nature’s infinite grace through which rock formations are colonized. Pallanca exotic garden Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: www.pallanca.it More botanical gardens and nurseries Orto Botanico di Ginevra Orto Botanico di Ginevra Centro Botanico Moutan Orto Botanico di Palermo Roma Roseto di Roma Parco Botanico Villa Rocca Water Nursery Giardino Botanico di Hanbury