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Quest-Ritson and other (long)

Can I add my opinion to the matter? I happen to have met  Charles
Quest-Ritson, and he is exactly what he appears in his book - prone to
likings and dislikings, and quite frank about it, but also knowledgeable
about his subjects and  absolutely acuurate in his  research and study.
He's also prone to great mistakes: I know personally some people about whom
he wrote wonders in his book,  who are not worth any respect -people that he
considered good gardeners, but who are only wonderful self-promoters and pr.
Anyhow, he is also capable of recognizing his mistakes, and he once told me
that he had really been foolished into writing some things that he should
have checked more accurately. Anyhow, this happens to so many of us...
As for the Hanbury matter, it IS  true that Dodo was a strange character,
but you should meet the people who are in charge of the gardens now. VERY
dignified botanists, who look (down their noses) with mighty despise to
non-academic people who garden. They are an Institution, part of the
Universiyt of Genoa, and they can't loose their precious time fiddling with
flowers.
What I want to say is that unfortunately Charles's opinion about Italian
institutions is  in many cases true. Very often the people who work there
have only a theorical background and a belief that a Scientific institution
must be sad and severe. 
Sean, you mentioned volunteering  for these gardens: years ago I wrote to
the director of Hanbury to volunteer there, and she answered that they did
not need people with my background (garden historian and active gardener)
because they were a  Botanic institution and they only wanted real scientists. 
I can only say that I hope things have changed there since the last time I
visited, because that garden is worth every effort. 
I would also like to add that while I share Sean's opinion about stressing
the regionality  and the peculiarities of our gardens, it is often too true
that we, in Italy,  still lack the professional figures who can deal with
issues  such as restoring an historical garden, or revitalizing a   garden
that has fallen into neglect and  decadence. Given the situation, I can't
see anything wrong in accepting the advice and the experience of foreign
consultants, provided they really have the necessar experience (that is, for
instance, lived in a country like this and  worked with our plants and
climate). Many of our important gardens here were started by Brits, and I
can understand how they still feel involved, specially when they see that
the original spirit has been betrayed, not in the name of a new inspiration,
but  for  want of interest or of knowledge. 

Alessandra
****************************************************

Alessandra Vinciguerra
American Academy in Rome
Via Masina,5
00153 Roma
Tel:0039\6\5846.444

puglisi@librs6k.vatlib.it

Check the Academy's Web site: http://www.aarome.org
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