RIF: Gardens of Italy

Well, you say,  managed! Here it is, for a start:
 
> Hi Matthew,
> If they are master gardener I would say you must include big historical
> gardens, such as (just outside Rome) Villa d'Este and Villa Adriana in
> Tivoli and Villa Lante in Bagnaia, or the smaller but delightful
> Vignanello Castle. In Rome I would suggest  the Forum area (it is not a
> garden but it is a wonderful landscape, and it was designed by man even
> though most people think it is natural). Depending on the season, the
> Roseto Comunale (May) and the Giardini Segreti of Villa Borghese (Spring
> in general) are worth a visit. Then the American Academy gardens, of
> course!
> I strongly recommend you get in contact with  a very interesting group of
> garden lovers called Giardini aperti (http://www.giardiniaperti.it); the
> members of the group open their private gardens to keen visitors, on an
> open-garden scheme or by appointment. Some of the gardens are really
> extrememly interesting, very different, with a personal  approach, and
> very significant of the most recent trends and tendencies in garden design
> and passionate horticulture here.
> Another very useful contact is Grandi Giardini Italiani
> (www.grandigiardini.it), a network of big  and famous gardens open to the
> public.
> Still near Rome, and included in the Grandi GIardini network, consider a
> visit to Giardini della Landriana (www.giardinidellalandriana.it) and to
> Ninfa (the latter only in the spring; in the summer it is rather dull).
> Going South, and back to historical gardens, make a stop at the Royal
> Palace in Caserta. Add a visit to Pompei to see the well done
> reconstruction of ancient Rome's gardens (you will have visited in Rome
> the gorgeous frescoes of Villa di Livia, depicting a garden, kept in the
> National Archeological Museum, to prepare for this- I also suggest Patrick
> Bowe's "Gardens of ancient Rome" as a preparation. By the way, this guy, a
> writer and architect from Ireland, does guided tours in Italian gardens- I
> met him several times, you could contact him for suggestions as well. The
> other names that comes to mind is Penelope Hobhouse of course - an
> excellent guide!
> Then head to Ischia to visit La Mortella (www.lamortella.it) , the
> splendid gardens of Lady Walton (where we will probably meet, as I work
> there as superintendent of gardens, as well as here  in Rome at the
> American Academy) and stay a day in Ischia, enjoying the  baths and pools
> of any of the big Thermal Parks (Negombo being the most interesting from a
> Landscape point of view).
> Back to the mainland, go to the Amalfi Coast to visit the well known
> gardens of the area: Villa Cimbrone and  Villa Rufolo in Ravello.
>
> Well I have to stop now as I am very busy- let me know if this was
> helpful, and I will gather info for you about Sicily meanwhile.
> Best,
> Alessandra
>


	Hope this helps. Of course immediately North of Rome there are many more gardens one could include, and the same goesfor the areas immediatly adjacent, from big baroque palazzos with huge formal gardens to new smaller private houses. It all depends on what are your general plans. And the dates, of course.

	Let me know  how your plans develop, and if you need  more info.

	best,

	Alessandra


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