Exploring Italian Lake Gardens

The Italian lake gardens have been on my wish list since I reviewed a book about them by Stephen Desmond a few years ago. A recent trip to Italy has enabled me to tick two off my list.

A day island hopping on Lake Maggiore included visits to the botanic garden on Isola Madre and Isola Bella’s baroque garden, which were both at once very different and strangely familiar. Part of the Borromean Islands, they are owned by the Borromeo family. (Phone photos only, I’m afraid – I was supposed to be on holiday!)

Isola Madre

Our exploration of the Italian lake gardens started with what is described as a ‘botanical garden’ on Isola Madre, which has been developed since 1800. It certainly had a wide range of planting from hydrangeas and camellias to bananas and protea. The latter thrive thanks to the microclimate and a windbreak of laurels and cork trees.

The garden has a very definite ‘English style’ with some parts similar to many gardens I encounter in my work.

In other areas, it definitely had a more exotic feel. It was interesting to see coleus being used as mass bedding.

One of the most noteworthy specimens was a large Cashmir cypress, grown from seed in 1862, that stands near the house at the heart of the island. It was nearly destroyed by a tornado in 2006.

One of the few of its kind in Europe, the tree was saved by thanks to a complicated operation that involved winching it upright while keeping the roots alive by wrapping them in dampened sheets, and spraying the leaves. Cables helped keep the tree upright until the roots re-established. Even though it no longer has the same beautiful shape, it’s still a lovely thing.

Given the high temperatures – it was above 30 degrees for our visit – I was surprised to see so many hydrangeas and all of them thriving.

Begonias were also a repeated plant – in both Italian lake gardens. This sort of ‘bedding out’ reminded me of English parks and gardens, something that is being abandoned by many municipal garden teams.

What the garden did have was wonderful views both down carefully channelled vistas and as a backdrop to planting.

Isola Bella

The garden on Isola Bella was a complete contrast, far more open, less densely planted and filled with flamboyant architecture.

At its heart is the Teatro Massimo, a baroque design of fountains, statues and terraces rising up to a huge terrace that gave views across the lake. It was hot work climbing all the steps but well worth it.

Again, there was an element of English parks and gardens planting with formal beds around a lily pool.

Both begonias and hydrangeas also made another appearance.

There were plenty of beautiful trees and lots of colour.

The Serra Elisa was originally designed as a winter garden but now houses tender and exotic plants. The pebble mosiacs are an echo of the very elaborate mosiacs in the island’s palazzo.

It was the views that held me spellbound though and the garden is designed to make the most of them.

And where else would the wildlife co-ordinate with the planting! Peacocks, both white and the more usual colour, were a feature of both gardens.

You can read my review of Gardens of the Italian Lakes here and more of my garden visits here.

Enjoyed this? Make sure you don’t miss future posts by adding your name to my mailing list and The Chatty Gardener email to your safe senders.