In order to highlight the different aspects of the botanical universe and to exalt the most typical characteristics of the natural contexts, Terrimago edition produces photographic books with attention to every detail, also translated into several languages and enhanced by the work of expert typographers. Terrimago edition distributes the books in specialized bookshops and organizes book presentations during events in the field. Terrimago edition Terrimago edition creates detailed and refined photographic books, translated into multiple languages and enhanced by the work of expert typographers. Their aim is to highlight the different aspects of the botanical universe and enhance the most typical characteristics of natural environments. Terrimago edition also delivers its publications to specialized bookstores and organizes book presentations during botanical-related events. Furthermore, Terrimago edition develops co-production publications. After choosing interesting titles and themes, Terrimago edition reaches out to some of the most fascinating botanical environments, selected for their distinct qualities, and offers them the opportunity to collaborate in the creation of a specific publication. Terrimago edition takes care of all the necessary processes for the complete realization of a photographic book, starting from the attention and care given to the photographic shoots and throughout the editing, the printing and the distribution phases. Promotion is essential to the enhancement of a natural setting and to let each environment grow outside its natural borders. It is with this knowledge that Terrimago edition creates co-producted publications. They represent a unique opportunity for everyone to promote their gardens and botanical environments in the most advantageous way possible. Last works of Terrimago edition

The Meise Botanical Garden, one of the largest in Europe, has a collection of another 2,500 specimens of rhododendrons and azaleas, a remarkable reverse greenhouse and forests with centuries-old trees. Bruxelles Meise Botanical Garden Photographs and text by CrisTina Archinto A part of the forest with a carpet of Allium ursinum At the Meise Botanical Garden, also known as Jardin botanique Meise which is located about 10 km northwest of Brussels, Belgium, you walk, walk and walk again! It is currently the largest botanical garden in the world and at the end of the day you feel all those kilometers but they were worth it. Its history is quite ancient, it begins in 1796 when the Austrian government decided to create a botanical garden at the castle of Bouchout, in Meise. The main focus of the garden was to grow medicinal and food plants. Over the following centuries, the botanical garden developed considerably, also thanks to the collaboration with the University of Louvain, until it became the National Botanical Garden of Belgium. Today it covers an area of 92 hectares and is home to over 18,000 plant species from all over the world, many of which are kept in the garden's greenhouses. In addition, the garden carries out important biodiversity research and conservation activities, working in collaboration with other botanical institutions around the world. Rododendron Fortunei and Rododendron Gladis rose Entering the forest, the first enchantment is in front of the vast collection of azaleas and rhododendrons located in the shade of centuries-old specimen trees. This collection has ancient origins and is one of the most important in Europe, including many rare and endangered species from all over the world. The first azalea was planted at the Botanical Garden in 1796, but the real expansion of the collection took place under the direction of Édouard Morren, from 1869 to 1892, who made many botanical expeditions to Asia, Africa and America, where he collected numerous azalea and rhododendron plants. In addition, Morren was a pioneer in the creation of azalea hybrids, achieving results that earned him numerous prizes at international botanical fairs. Today, this collection comprises more than 2,500 species and varieties of azaleas and rhododendrons. During flowering, which usually takes place between April and May, there is this explosion of colours in various shades of pink, red, purple and white. A true visual experience. the Botanical Garden also organised an annual azalea festival, during which guided tours, lectures and other activities focusing on azaleas and rhododendrons are organised. Azaleas and rhododendrons The scientific name of the genus of azaleas, Rhododendron, was given only in 1753 by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who classified the plants in detail in his "Species Plantarum". The name "azalea" instead, derives from the Greek "azaleos", which means "dry", and refers to the ability of plants to tolerate dry soils. Azaleas and rhododendrons, even if they are plants belonging to the same botanical family, that of the Ericaceae, have many differences between them such as flowering: azaleas have funnel-shaped flowers with five lobes, while rhododendrons have bell-shaped flowers with ten lobes. As for the leaves, those of azaleas are generally smaller and thinner than those of rhododendrons. Additionally, azalea leaves tend to be softer and lighter. Even the natural habitats are different: that of the azaleas are usually native to wooded areas of the temperate and subtropical regions of Asia, Europe and North America, while the rhododendrons are more common in the mountainous regions of East Asia, North America and Europe. The difference is also in the size; rhododendrons tend to be larger and slower growing than azaleas. The winter greenhouse The Meise Botanical Garden is also home to a large collection of trees from around the world, many of which are of significant rarity, beauty or cultural significance. Like the Giant Sequoia trees native to California which are among the largest trees in the world. Ginkgo biloba is an ancient tree that has been described as a living fossil and has a long history of medicinal use. The Atlas Cedar is a tree native to North Africa that is known for its resistance to drought and environmental degradation. And the Wollemi Pine a tree that was discovered only in 1994 and was believed to be extinct for over 90 million years. Egyptian Geese The current greenhouse, also known as the "winter greenhouse", was built between 1952 and 1958. It was an innovative structure and had to replace the old greenhouse destroyed by the war, with a heating system based on geothermal energy and a natural ventilation system which allowed the humidity to be controlled inside the greenhouse. The winter greenhouse now houses a large collection of tropical and subtropical plants, including many rare and endangered species, including many species of Araceae, such as Colocasia gigantea. In addition to the winter greenhouse, the Meise Botanical Garden also houses other specialized greenhouses, including greenhouses for carnivorous plants, orchids and palms. Walking through the vast garden you can also reach an artificial lake, an important breeding and rest area for numerous species of migratory birds such as the Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptica), originally from sub-Saharan Africa. This goose is a large bird, its wingspan is up to one and a half meters. They have a distinctive black head and neck, grayish-brown plumage on the body and a white tail and live happily in large groups often near fresh water like here, and are beautiful to look at. GALLERY Photos ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website Other GARDENS and PARKS Giardino di Villandry Giardini di Villandry 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

In the very large lawn of Villa Pisani, owner Mariella Bolognesi Scalabrin ten years ago decided to create an impressionist painting with more than a hundred thousand tulips and wild spring flowers in honour of the history and emotions shared and experienced by the previous owner Countess Evelina van Millingen Pisani. BOTANY VILLA PISANI THE IMPRESSIONIST MEADOW Photos Cristina Archinto Text Carla DeAgostini I n the huge lawn of Villa Pisani the owner Mariella Bolognesi Scalabrin decided ten years ago to create an “impressionist painting” with more than one hundred thousand tulips and wild spring flowers in honour of the history and emotions shared and experienced by the previous owner Countess Evelina van Millingen Pisani. So in orther to maintain this marvellous work, every year Mariella Scalabrin plants forty thousand new bulbs, which she lays and covers with soil with her own hands, all in studied positions, combining the superb refinement of the tulip with the humble beauty of the spring wild flower. This work is meticulously thought out each year, the choice of bulbs is in relation to the height and different blooming of the wild flowers, such as dandelion, buttercup or iris, he chooses the colour of the tulip, and alternates early, medium or late bloomers, so that the meadow remains colourful and homogeneous until the last dandelions bloom. Tulips and wild flowers relate to timing and size and Mariella Scalabrin follows everything personally: "it is by choosing from the catalogue that you create the piece of art," she told us. And she succeeds in doing so perfectly: two hectares of lawn with a path in between to admire the never trivial colours, and the always carefully studied gradations. No tulip calyx has only one colour, but plays on the streaks, the qualities of yellows, the nuances of whites, the red or orange mottling, or even the pink or purple hues. The colourful vision of tulips in more than 90 colours gives unexpected emotions and tells of the magic of a meadow cultivated by hand with hard work and the love of an owner, without the rigidity of a machine imposing its own design on the soil. Mariella Scalabrin is very attached to the Villa and to the fascinating story of Evelina Pisani, and every time she welcomes a visitor to her garden, she never misses an opportunity to talk about it and to spread the love and respect for flowers that this place holds and enhances with every blooming. GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info:  Official site MORE ENVIRONMENT AND BOTANY Papaveri e api Vie cave opuntia fiorita Opuntia Alberi Caño Cristales Palmeti Palmeti Caldara di Manziana Terra scoscesa

Villa d’Este, a masterpiece of the Italian Garden, is included in the UNESCO world heritage list. With its impressive concentration of fountains, nymphs, grottoes, plays of water, and music, it constitutes a much-copied model for European gardens in the mannerist and baroque styles. LAZIO TIVOLI Villa d'Este Villa d’Este, masterpiece of the Italian Garden, is included in the UNESCO world heritage list. With its impressive concentration of fountains, nymphs, grottoes, plays of water, and music, it constitutes a much-copied model for European gardens in the mannerist and baroque styles. The garden is generally considered within the larger –and altogether extraordinary-- context of Tivoli itself: its landscape, art and history which includes the important ruins of ancient villas such as the Villa Adriana, as well as a zone rich in caves and waterfalls displaying the unending battle between water and stone. The imposing constructions and the series of terraces above terraces bring to mind the hanging gardens of Babylon, one of the wonders of the ancient world. The addition of water-- including an aqueduct tunneling beneath the city -- evokes the engineering skill of the Romans themselves. Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este, after the disappointment of a failed bid for the papacy, brought back to life here the splendor of the courts of Ferrara, Rome and Fontainebleau and revived the magnificence of Villa Adriana. Governor of Tivoli from 1550, he immediately nurtured the idea of realizing a garden in the hanging cliffs of the “Valle gaudente”, but it was only after 1560 that his architectural and iconographic program became clear—brainchild of the painter-architect-archeologist Pirro Ligorio and realized by court architect Alberto Galvani. The rooms of the Palace were decorated under the tutelage of the stars of the late Roman Mannerism, such as Livio Agresti, Federico Zuccari, Durante Alberti, Girolamo Muziano, Cesare Nebbia and Antonio Tempesta. The work was almost complete at the time of the Cardinal’s death (1572). From 1605 Cardinal Alessandro d'Este gave the go-ahead to a new progam of interventions not only to restore and repair the vegetation and the waterworks, but also to create a new series of innovations to the layout of the garden and the decorations of the fountains. Other works were carried out from 1660 – 70; these involved no less a figure than Gianlorenzo Bernini. In the XVIIIth century the lack of maintenance led to the decay of the complex, which was aggravated by the property’s passage to the House of Hapsburg. The garden was slowly abandoned, the water works-- no longer used--fell into ruin, and the collection of ancient statues— enlarged under Cardinal Ippolito, was disassembled and scattered. This state of decay continued without interruption until the middle of the XIXth century, when Gustav Adolf von Hohenlohe, who obtained in enfiteusi the villa from the Dukes of Modena in 1851, launched a series of works to pull the complex back from its state of ruin. Between 1867 and 1882 the Villa once again became a cultural point of reference, with the Cardinal frequently hosting the musician Franz Liszt (1811 - 1886), who composed Giochi d'acqua a Villa d'Este for piano while a guest here, and who in 1879 gave one of his final concerts. At the outbreak of the first world war the villa became a property of the Italian State, and during the 1920s it was restored and opened to the public. Another, radical restoration was carried out immediately after the Second World War to repair the damage caused by the bombing of 1944. Due to particularly unfavorable environmental conditions, the restorations have continued practically without interruption during the past twenty years (among these it is worth noting the recent cleaning of the Organ Fountain and also the “Birdsong.”) Gallery 1/1 Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: www.villadestetivoli.info more gardens and parks Parco del Paterno del Toscano Villa Lante Labirinto della Masone Giardino dell'impossibile Giardino di Ninfa Villa Pizzo Castello di Masino Parchi di Parigi

The photographs of Cristina Archinto accompany us on a journey to discover the major botanical gardens of Europe, to immerse ourselves in a botanical and natural journey through centuries of history and science. Terrimago to photograph PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP GARDENS & PLANTS edited by Cristina Archinto Observe, process, shoot Strolling through a beautiful garden, immersing yourself in nature and enjoying a beautiful flower often has no equal and now, since we need to keep track of all our emotions with photographs, taking photos has become our daily mantra. Certainly technology helps us nowadays and it has certainly become fundamental but often it is not enough, on the contrary, unlike what we think, it often leads to disappointments and to a greater quantity of pixels to look at, manage and archive. The equation more shots equals more likely to have a good picture is rarely right. To improve your shots you need to face the issue upstream and learn to observe and explore with concentration and transport, you need training and the right perspective. In the context of nature, observing and describing it is less easy than you think. A garden is the sum of several parts and therefore it is not enough to photograph a beautiful flower or a beautiful tree to tell its soul. Each photograph is a story, a story that is different every time, which can be short or long, descriptive or minimalist, but it is only by having what we want to tell in focus that we will be satisfied with our shots. Having found the subject, at that point you need to use the technique and tricks to express your story in a photograph that speaks for itself and that comes as close as possible to subjective reality. Cristina Archinto's workshops take place exclusively in gardens, parks or botanical gardens, throughout Italy, to learn to truly observe "live". Here, thanks to his advice, you will enrich your photographic knowledge, and you will be able to make your shots into "stories" that leave their mark. Conducting the workshops IntroductionWe learn to look Practical work theoretical workTechniques and advice on photography in the field of plants and gardens Field work At the end of the day, Cristina will do, with whoever wishes, a work of reading and analyzing some selected shots taken during the day. This workshop is suitable for everyone, (accompanied children over 12 are also admitted) You can participate with both SLR cameras and a smartphone (it would be advisable if it had the manual shutter option) Maximum 10 participants A day spent talking about photography but also about images and stories. We are currently finalizing the 2023 calendar with place throughout Italy and various dates. Terrimage is also available to evaluate the possibility of organizing the workshops in your gardens. Write to us here or via Live Chat to get more information. 2023 calendar

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. LUCCA The Villa Reale of Marlia and its Camellia Photographs and text byCris Tina Archinto Camellia japonica "Bellina Major"" Villa Marlia, an enchanting Renaissance residence located near Lucca, represents one of the treasures of the region. Its beauty is sublimated by the famous Viale della Camelie, where the visitor is captivated by the vision of over forty varieties of Camellia japonica, which with their elegant and showy flowers, declined in various shades of red, pink, white and pink, stand out among large bushes with glossy green leaves. The slight succession of the stream, which carries the fallen petals towards the valley, creates a pleasant sensation of freshness and a certain oriental atmosphere, capable of bewitching the visitor's senses. Camellia is a flower native to East Asia, mainly China and later Japan. The first mentions of camellias date back to China in the third century BC, where the poet Hsu Fu wrote about a wonderful flower that grew in the province of Hunan. Subsequently its cultivation was introduced in Japan where it became particularly popular among the nobility for its beauty and symbolic importance. During the Edo period (1603-1868), camellias were grown in private and public gardens throughout Japan also for their variety of colors. Camellia japonica "Francesca da Rimini" In the West, camellias were discovered in the 18th century by the French Jesuit missionary Georg Joseph Kamel, who lived in the Philippines. Kamel discovered the plant and described it in his work "Herbarium Amboinense" of 1704. However, the actual diffusion of camellias in Europe and their popularity as an ornamental plant can be attributed to the Dutch since 1739. In the past the great innovator of poetry father of the haiku genre, Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), inspired by the nature and landscapes he encountered wandering around Japan one day wrote, "The camellia, sweet, solitary and unpretentious, more than any other plant, reminds me human beauty." Today I'm not sure she would feel the same way about humanity, but the beauty of the camellia has certainly not withered over time. The Royal Villa of Marlia also offers a long history full of characters. Born as a fortress for the Duke of Tuscia, over time it became a noble palace passing from one family to another until 1651 when it was bought by Olivieri and Lelio Orsetti. The new owners, who fell in love with the place, started considerable expansions and embellishments also focusing on the garden with the help of the famous French landscape architect Jean-Baptiste Dye with new arrangements of scenic avenues and gardens with a decidedly Baroque taste. In 1806 it was the turn of Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, sister of Napoleon and then princess of Lucca, who bought the property. The Princess' bond with the Royal Villa of Marlia was particularly passionate and in fact we owe her the major interventions that once again transformed the structure of the palace and its gardens. The model he adopted was that of the Malmaison, the private residence of Napoleon and Josephine near Paris, a residence characterized by the harmonious fusion between the sobriety of classicism and the refined elegance of the imperial period, he also partially redesigned the Park according to the fashion period with English garden: a rare case at that time in Italy. After the fall of Napoleon, Elisa had to leave his kingdom in 1814, and the Villa Reale passed to the Bourbons who made it their summer residence, becoming the protagonist of splendid dance parties, with illustrious guests including princes and sovereigns. When the decline of the Bourbons arrived in 1861, the villa was abandoned to its sad fate, the assets were confiscated and auctioned off and many ancient trees in the Park were cut down to produce timber, until the arrival in 1923 of the Count and Countess Pecci-Blunt who bought the villa in Lucca and the following year commissioned Jacques Greber (1882-1962) a French architect, urban planner and landscape architect, to restore the park and gardens, with the aim of combining tradition and innovation. Woods, streams, bucolic elements were created which completed and enriched the romantic framework of the gardens but above all built the lake, still a very important element within the ecosystem of the park. Since 2015 it has been owned by Henric and Marina Grönberg, a Swedish entrepreneur and designer, who bought a very neglected and disused property with the aim of restoring and preserving its historical and artistic heritage and opening it to the public. Their hard work of restoration has allowed to recover the original aspect of the villa and the rehabilitation of the park, all put to the test by a terrible windstorm that occurred a few months after the start of the works which knocked down many ancient trees . Today the result of their efforts can be seen and the villa with its park is definitely worth a visit. The facade of the Villa Reale Present in the park in the lake area are two specimens of weeping willows, positioned as if they were two wings to the distant villa, which in this season are tinged with that delicate light green due to the new leaves. The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) is a tree native to China and present in different parts of the world. Always present in parks and gardens, it is often planted near watercourses because its roots are able to retain the soil and prevent erosion. The name "weeping" derives from the characteristic of its thin and flexible branches that can hang down to touch the ground giving the impression that the tree is actually crying or as Lewis Carroll suggested in Alice in Wonderland "It was a meadow of grass tall and flowery, with a stream running by, and over which hung a great weeping willow which seemed to stoop to listen." Two specimens of Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) GALLERY Photos ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website Other GARDENS and PARKS Giardino di Villandry Giardini di Villandry 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

The Real Jardín Botánico in Madrid was inaugurated in 1755 and then moved to the Paseo del Prado by Carlos III in 1781. Today it boasts a collection of more than 6,000 species. The exhibited plants are organised on four terraces: the Terraza de los Cuadros, with ornamental roses, medicinal and aromatic plants; the Terraza de las Escuelas, with taxonomic collections; the Plano de la Flor, with varieties of trees and shrubs; the Terraza de los Bonsáis with an important collection of bonsai. SPAIN BOTANICAL GARDEN OF MADRID Discovering a New World Photographs of Cristina Archinto Text Carla De Agostini and Alessandra Valentinelli I n the centre of Madrid, there is a secluded place where it is still possible to enjoy nature and calm, in the shade of large trees and away from the urban chaos: the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid in Plaza de Murillo, a stone's throw from the Prado Museum. Full of evocative corners covering more than two centuries of history, the Botanical Garden is a living encyclopaedia open to anyone who wants to discover its plant treasures, with a collection of more than 6,000 species, most of which are of Mediterranean origin (southern Europe and North Africa) and from other areas with a similar climate, such as California, Argentina, Chile, South Africa and southern Australia. The Garden has always been a reference point for botanical research and knowledge, and under the aegis of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas , the Spanish Higher Council for Scientific Research, it was declared a National Monument in 1947. The Garden was opened in 1755 and initially placed on the banks of the Manzanares River by order of Fernando VI, a botany enthusiast. Then, in 1781, Carlos III moved it to the Paseo del Prado where, designed by the architects Francisco Sabatin and Juan de Villanueva, to whom we also owe the Prado Museum and the Astronomical Observatory, the Real Jardín was arranged in different terraces inspired by the Paduan quarters: On the orthogonal plan of the Orchard, Sabatin and Villanueva placed circular fountains at the corners, then built a greenhouse pavilion, now the Villanueva Pavilion, the Herbarium, the Library and the Botanical Hall, as well as the Royal Gate, once the main entrance, in the classical style with Doric columns and pediment. Since its inception, the Real Jardín Botánico has been a privileged place for research and teaching. In fact, it has an immense cultural heritage, the fruit of scientific expeditions carried out during the 18th and 19th centuries, preserved in the Herbarium, Library and Archives. In 1755, Charles III of Bourbon decreed that the Real Jardín Botánico should be the place where all the materials from the scientific expeditions he promoted would converge. In ten years there were four such expeditions: to Chile and the Viceroyalty of Peru in 1777, to Colombia and New Granada in 1783, to New Spain in Mexico and Guatemala in 1787, and to the coasts and islands of the Pacific in 1789. The Garden became the final destination of a network of experts, technicians and researchers who brought drawings, herbaria, seeds and sometimes plants to Madrid. One of the last expeditions was that of Alessandro Malaspina, a captain in the Spanish navy, who sailed from Cadiz to Montevideo in 1789, touching Chile, Peru and Panama, and going as far as Vancouver, Manila and Macao. Returning to Spain in 1794, without the defence of the now deceased Charles III, he ended up imprisoned for his ideas of brotherhood between nations, and then exiled. In fact, Malaspina's philosophy transcends political and military conflicts, and he promotes an exchange of measuring and navigational instruments, books, observations and naturalistic knowledge, which is why he used to leave with a mixed crew, including Germans, French and Italians, accompanied by the best English and Bohemian instruments. Convinced that there is no 'land to discover but a world to know', the cartographers who map coastlines and islands with him then share them with the hydrographic offices in Paris and London. His naturalists, crossing the Andes, inventoried fossils and species with direct analyses that would later perfect the Linnean system. To date, the plants on display are organised on four terraces that take advantage of the irregularities of the terrain. At the corners of the quarters, i.e. the smaller squares inscribed in the geometric design of the individual terraces, are tall, towering trees that serve to refresh and distribute the plant groups. The first terrace is the lowest and most spacious of all, the Terraza de los Cuadros, where the collection of ornamental rose bushes, ancient medicinal and aromatic plants stand out, impregnating the air with unexpected scents along with the fruit trees. Here, the first plants to bloom in January are hellebores, followed by daffodils and crocuses. In April and May one can admire lilies, peonies and roses, and in the warmer summer months the beautiful dahlias appear, colouring the whole garden. The Terraza de los Cuadros is a catwalk of blooms, among the most pleasant in terms of scent and view, where one is always accompanied by the chirping of colourful species that, depending on the season, find solace in their favourite foliage. The second terrace, smaller than the previous one, houses the taxonomic collections of plants, which is why it is called Terraza de las Escuelas. The vegetation is arranged phylogenetically by families, so that the order of the plants can be traced from the most primitive to the most recent. Then there is the romantic-style Plano de la Flor, which houses a great variety of trees and shrubs planted in random order. The terrace is bordered by a wrought-iron pergola, made in 1786, with different varieties of vines, some of them of remarkable age. On the eastern side is the Villanueva Pavilion, built in 1781 as a greenhouse and currently used as a gallery for temporary exhibitions. It is an important centre for bringing the public closer to science and biodiversity through the creative and alternative languages of ever-changing artists. Many exhibitions seek inspiration in the Garden's own Archives and Herbaria, with the aim of creating a plant culture through the dissemination of a scientific didactic heritage as broad as that of the site. Finally, there is the Terraza de los Bonsáis, which houses a collection of bonsai trees donated in 1996 by former Prime Minister Felipe González, consisting of Asian and European species, mainly of Spanish flora, and expanded over time. On the north side is the Graells greenhouse, also known as Estufa de las Palmas, a wrought iron and glass greenhouse, built in 1856 under the direction of Mariano de la Paz Graells, the then director. This room mainly exhibits palm trees, tree ferns and banana specimens of the Musa genus. FEATURED PEONIES BETWEEN LEGEND AND REALITY Peonies, or Paeonia , have always been prized for their beautiful flowers that fill borders in shades of white, pink and red from late spring to mid-summer. Since antiquity, the Peony has been known for its miraculous virtues: its name derives from the Greek paionía, meaning 'healing plant', in reference to its roots with important healing, calming, antispasmodic, sedative and even pain-relieving properties, an etymology it shares not coincidentally with Paeon, Peon, the Greek God of Medicine. A well-known Greek legend has it that it was Zeus who transformed Paeon into a beautiful, immortal flower, to save him from the wrath and envy of the master who had seen himself outwitted in the treatment of Hades. The peony has been competing for millennia with the rose for the title of most beautiful in the kingdom, and in China it is officially the winner with the appellation 'Queen of Flowers'. The story goes that more than 2000 years ago, Empress Wu Tutian, who was very beautiful but also very despotic, ordered all the flowers in her kingdom to bloom one winter morning. Fearing her wrath, the flowers agreed to comply: all except one, the peony. Furious at this proud refusal, the empress gave orders for every specimen to be uprooted and exiled to high, snow-covered mountains. The plant withstood the frost and bloomed magnificently in the spring. At that point, Wu Tutian recognised its strength and revoked its exile, giving it the royal title. The peony referred to in the ancient Chinese legend is the shrub peony, which is very rare in nature, and culturally for the Chinese, rarity coincides with preciousness. This is why a supernatural origin is attributed to it: in the Huashan Mountain Nature Reserve, 'Mountain of Flowers', from hua flower and shan mountain, in the Chinese region of Shaanxi, there are pavilions depicting the birth of the peony as the fruit of the union between a farmer and a goddess who gave him one as a pledge of love, before returning to the heavens. In antiquity, it was the exclusive privilege of the imperial family and the mandarin nobility to be able to cultivate it in their gardens, whereas today its aristocratic beauty is within everyone's reach. In European gardens it arrived in 1789, after a long voyage on an English ship only five plants managed to take root in Kew Garden for the first time that year. Links Moutan Botanical Center GALLERY Info: Official website Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO more botanical gardens and nurseries Orto botanico di Amsterdam Orto botanico di Napoli Orto Botanico di Zurigo e la Serra Malgascia Giardino Botanico Nuova Gussonea Orto Botanico di Catania Orto Botanico di Ginevra Centro Botanico Moutan Orto Botanico di Palermo

This year the Villa della Pergola Gardens are officially The Most Beautiful Park in Italy, winning the award among more than a thousand private parks, and indeed it is of unparalleled beauty: here wisteria of every shape and colour, flowers and trees from all over the world are altered, on a panorama overlooking the entire Gulf of Alassio. LIGURIA VILLA PERGOLA'S GARDENS TALES FROM THE WORLD Photographs Cristina Archinto Text Carla De Agostini T his year, the Gardens of Villa della Pergola are officially The Most Beautiful Park in Italy , winning this prize among more than a thousand private parks, and indeed it is of unparalleled beauty: here wisteria of every shape and colour, flowers and trees from all over the world alternate on a unique view overlooking the entire Gulf of Alassio. One of the terraces V illa Pergola is a rare example of an Anglo-Mediterranean garden. It was created in the second half of the 1870s by the taste of General Montagu McMurdo and his wife Lady Susan Sarah Napier, who fell in love with the place and chose to maintain the classic Ligurian terracing of the previous farm and add palm trees and cypresses. Between 1900 and 1903, the estate was bought by Walter Hamilton Dalrymple and in 1922 by Daniel, son of Thomas Hambury, creator of the famous Hanbury Botanical Gardens at Mortola, not far away. To him we owe the scenic pergolas covered with wisteria and the many exotic cacti, agaves, aloes and eucalyptus trees. After a period of neglect and decay, the Gardens were restored in 2006 by Paolo Pejrone, together with Silvia Arnaud Ricci, to whom we owe the creation of the botanical collection of wisteria with 34 varieties and that of agapanthus, today the most important in Europe with almost 500 different species. The area of succulents T he visit to the garden is accompanied by the stories of a passionate guide. The tour begins with the succulents, where the crestate variety stands out and the eye is immediately caught by the 'monster', the Trichocereus bridgesii monstruosus , whose Mexican legend tells how one only by looking at the plant while eating any food can have strong hallucinations. Then there are several agaves, including the white agave and the very interesting Myrtillocactus whose fruits are edible and similar to blueberries. The citrus collection P assing along one of the oldest wisteria, one arrives at the terracing of citrus trees with more than 40 species, from which the villa's own restaurant draws to make its dishes. Here you get lost among the most diverse forms of citrus fruits and aromas; next to the classic mandarins, oranges, lemons and citrons, there are very special varieties, from the lumpy peel to the unexpected shapes that seem to come out of a storybook. Like the Buddha's Hand Citrus medica var. sarcodactylus , a very fragrant and fascinating lemon that belongs to the citron family. Born from a genetic malformation, it is devoid of pulp and each wedge develops and defines itself as a unit in its own right, almost as if it were divided from the others. In India, it is easy to find it at the foot of Buddha statues in temples as a votive offering from the faithful like two joined hands in prayer, hence the name. Then there is the Japanese Citrus tachibana one of Japan's only two citrus fruits. Originally from China, the Tachibana underwent several mutations to become a Japanese citrus cultivar, genetically isolated from the original. Officially classified as an endangered species by the Ministry of the Environment in Tokyo, the Tachibana is in the unique position of being ubiquitous in Japanese iconography but at the same time unknown to contemporary Japanese due to its rarity. In fact, most people encounter it daily, engraved on 500 yen coins but have never seen it in real life. Historically a sacred and respected flower, in the Heian period (794-1185), aristocratic women perfumed themselves by tucking bags of Tachibana flowers into the sleeves of their kimonos or threading the fruit into strings to wear as bracelets. The Cypress Avenue T he walk continues along the green avenue of agapanthus that leads to the most romantic area of the garden where, in the restorative shade of palm trees and giant white-flowered strelitzias, is the water lily fountain, surrounded by putti covered with Ficus Repens designed by Sir Dalrymple. Along the higher terracing begins the avenue of monumental cypress trees that frame the panoramic view, until you reach the waterfall scrub where there is a rocky pond and the prehistoric Wollemia nobilis, a very rare conifer rediscovered in Australia in 1994 by the forester David Noble, very few specimens exist today, mainly in botanical gardens. Putti covered with ficus repens Blue and white wisteria arbour The grove alternates between common myrtles and some ancient myrtles brought from Sicily, and scenically landed by helicopter under the direction of Paolo Pejrone himself. At the end of this itinerary, one encounters the delicate Australian bluebells, used in phytotherapy as a remedy "to open the doors of the heart, to those who live with suffering in their sentimental sphere". Under the terracing of the cottage are the lotus pools. As a reminder of the Hanbury's links with the East, there is a statue of a dragon, similar to the one in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens, an embodiment of the elemental spirit of water, protecting against rain and drought. On the sides of the cottage, close to the walls, double-blooming hybrid wisteria, known as Violacea Plena, have been planted, enriching the pergola with a deep purple hue. The path ends with a marble staircase surrounded by large leaves of farfugium japinicum and a pergola of flowering wisteria providing shade, with breathtaking views of the gulf. WISTERIA The Germans call it blauregen 'blue rain', the Chinese zi teng 'blue vine' and in Italian its name derives from the Greek glikis meaning 'sweet', due to the fragrance of its flowers. Its current scientific name is thanks to Captain Welbank who in 1816, not knowing that Carl Linnaeus had already classified it as Glycine in 1724, brought the plant to Europe christening it Wistaria in honour of Professor Caspar Wistar, but during its spread in English-speaking countries it was mispronounced as Wisteria. Its fast-growing properties and tendency to expand rapidly have resulted in a Guinness World Record specimen in the Sierra Madre in California: at the peak of its flowering, the wisteria has up to 1.5 million buds, with a total weight of 250 tonnes! The spiral growth of both clockwise and counter-clockwise flower clusters is associated with human consciousness expanding outwards from an inner vital core in an attempt to influence the world around it. 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

The botanical green in Zurich is divided in two: on one side the botanical garden, on the other side the vast Malagasy greenhouse at the Zoo. Established in the 1970s and initially private, the Zurich Botanical Garden is now part of the Department of Natural Sciences at the University of Zurich. SWITZERLAND ZURICH BOTANICAL GARDEN AND THE MADAGASCAR'S GREENHOUSE By CARLA DE AGOSTINI Zurich's botanical areas are divided into two parts: on the one hand, the botanical garden and, on the other, the vast Madagascan greenhouse at the zoo. The former is situated on a hillock not far from the city centre and does not lose its charm even in winter. Established in the 1970s and initially private, the Zurich Botanical Garden is now part of the Department of Natural Sciences at the University of Zurich. The garden has three glasshouses that can be visited in half spheres with different climatic zones: the tropical mountain forest, the tropical dry wind area with a showcase dedicated to carnivorous plants and the tropical lowland rainforest, where the humidity is 90% and the temperature is around 26 °C in both summer and winter. The greenhouses, designed by Hans and Annemarie Hubacher, Peter Issler and Hansulrich Maurer, were completed in 1976 but have been renovated several times in Plexiglas because, over time, they had lost much of their transparency, creating harmful effects on plant growth. The main entrance is from Zollikerstrasse, and as you climb the stairs you can already admire the attention and care characteristic of the Mixed Border: a style developed in England at the end of the 19th century, which allows plants to be enhanced during every season. Annual flowers, perennials and small shrubs are selected so that something is always in bloom. In spring the geophytes stand out, and in winter there are grasses with faded inflorescences, which get covered in frost and are a very special attraction. The aim is a didactic one and the interest is to highlight planting as a harmonious and natural process. At Zurich Zoo , around 4,000 animals of 380 different species, with the oldest inhabitant being a giant Galapagos tortoise over 70 years old, are joined by more than 5.5 hectares of greenery with over a million species of plants from all over the world. The Madagascan greenhouse is 30 metres high and is made of EFTE "bladders" mounted on a metal structure, a material that simulates sunlight, insulates and allows the over 11,000 square metres of surface area to be covered in a light manner. Thanks to these cutting-edge, light-sensitive, highly insulating materials, since June 2003 it has been possible to immerse oneself in a dense tropical forest, populated by more than 20,000 plants and 45 species of tropical vertebrates, including animals left in the wild, such as lemurs. Here you can experience the Masoala forest, with temperatures ranging from 20° to 30° C and its very high humidity, with an average rainfall of 6 mm per day. This tropical rainfall is achieved through an interesting system of reusing rainwater, which allows an equivalent irrigation of 80,000 litres of water per day. The coexistence of fauna and flora is designed to help preserve the biodiversity of Madagascar's ecosystems. Through the Masoala project, the Zurich Zoo has decided to support the Malagasy government in the conservation and protection of one of the world's most endangered areas. Despite the fact that Madagascar represents only 1% of the earth's surface, it is one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity, home to around 3% of the planet's animal and plant species. Unfortunately, at least 70% of the primary plant cover has been lost. Flora and fauna can also be appreciated from above, where aquatic plants, ferns, lianas, bamboo and animals can be admired. This focus is in line with one of the main tasks assumed by the garden for the 21st century: to promote and strengthen the relationship between vegetation and mankind, seeking to convey and enhance the increasingly evident interconnection between plants, the environment and health. GALLERY Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO Info: Official website more botanical gardens and nurseries Giardino Botanico Nuova Gussonea Orto Botanico di Catania Orto Botanico di Ginevra Centro Botanico Moutan Orto Botanico di Palermo Roseto di Roma Chicago Batanical Garden Parco Botanico Villa Rocca

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. LAZIO ROME'S BOTANIC GARDEN Enchantment of lights Photos and text by Cristina Archinto Since dawn of time, light has always fascinated man because it represents the supreme power to light 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. Today we have somewhat lost the ability to 'see in the dark' and in the absence of daylight we are used to have everything illuminated, but despite this we continue to be attracted by its power and light sources manage to excite like few things in the world. By activating special cognitive abilities, light excites, impresses and generally creates well-being, perhaps also linked to that hidden primordial memory, and brings us to a sense of harmony with our surroundings. Moreover, if a light source, perhaps coloured, is also associated with a sound flow, such as a piece of music, an almost tactile sensation is evoked by 'feeling' the light. This is more or less what happens at the sensory art exhibition at the Botanical Garden of Rome Incanto di luci (Enchantment of light). A one and a half kilometre long light art path conceived by light designer Andreas Boehlke, with evocative music by composer and sound designer Burkhard Fincke; works that tell in an artistic way some corners of this wonderful place. The installations, with LED bulbs for minimal environmental impact, bring us a completely different botanical garden, we can really say in a different light. Trees and plants in sumptuous colours, meadows full of flashing lights or balls that light up in a thousand different shades of colours, stairways carpeted with fireflies or luminous silhouettes of reindeer grazing among the bushes, and more. Certainly for nature or the garden lovers itself everything gives a strange effect, seeing blue palms and green fountains or lawns covered in red lights is extravagant, but it must be said, in certain cases, these artistic works can also amplify certain flavours , as in the bamboo forest, where moving green rays 'cut' clean through, like samurai warrior blades, those marvellous trunks. In other cases, perhaps the enchantment is unnatural, such as the lotus blossoms lying on the pond in the Japanese Garden being unappreciative, but on the other hand the coloured lights all around make the beautiful maples stand out. Some luminescent works mainly enchant children like the tree fairies or Tinker Bell's wings, but in general one breathes mostly enthusiasm and amazement, and the amount of mobile phones one sees swirling in the air ready to spread this into the ether is proof of this. I must admit that I, too, had a lot of fun photographing a place that in theory I knew very well but which was completely turned upside down. Lights appearing and disappearing, changing colours, trees taking different shapes because they were perhaps lit from below and not from above, stimulated my creativity a lot. Of course, for what we can define as 'the culture of greenery and nature', I am not sure that all this will have a positive impact, but certainly the very high turnout gives hope that perhaps even some of them will remember this magical place next spring and return to enjoy it in its most natural aspect. Photo ©CRISTINA ARCHINTO More botanic gardens and nurseries Vivai cuba Orto Botanico di Berlino Orto botanico di Madrid Orto botanico di Amsterdam Orto botanico di Napoli Giardino Botanico Nuova Gussonea Orto Botanico di Catania Orto Botanico di Ginevra