“Dwe should treat the planet as if it were a garden ». Judith Wade – Scottish mother, English father, transplanted to Italy – has no doubts. Her passion for the artistic and botanical heritage of our country pushed her, 25 years ago, to create the Grandi Giardini Italiani network, with the aim of promoting the treasures of our home. With great success: grandigiardini.it has become a reference point for green tourism.
Not only Italians, the Great Gardens of the World
Thanks to the lockdown, two years ago Wade set up a new project. “I realized that there was no international site in which to see and discover the most interesting gardens in the world, learn their stories, find inspiration and dream”. Involving his sister Linda, an expert in greenery and creator of common gardens (shared gardens) in London, Judith he devised Great Gardens of the World (greatgardensoftheworld.com ), which became a reality thanks to the financial support of Nick Hayek, general manager of the Swatch Group and the Rado brand.
The site is already online and a real surprise is the identikit of the visitors. “There is a strong presence of young people aged 18 to 32,” comments Wade. “They are students, but also passionate about environmental issues, who know little about the history of the relationship between man and nature told by parks and gardens”. The initiative aims to involve everyone, transmitting a non-elitist green culture. Sitting in front of the computer, you can navigate between private gardens and creations open to the public, between works that tell a long history and modern creations, also browsing among the most interesting trends and personalities among landscape architects. An item on the menu, “follies”, is dedicated to imaginative gardens, with architectural, sculptural and artistic extravagances. “It ranges from the first in the world, the Sacred Wood of Bomarzo, in the province of Viterbo, commissioned by Prince Orsini in the sixteenth century, to the modern Garden of Sculptures by Edward James, in Mexico”. Among the 200 proposals on the site, we have selected five, suggested by Judith Wade for iO Donna.
Highgrove, England
It was an insignificant space when, in 1980, Prince Charles acquired this property in Gloucestershire, with the aim of making it his residence. A profound connoisseur of historical gardens and a collector of plants, the Prince of Wales has dedicated over forty years of his life to renovating this garden, which today boasts over 40,000 visitors a year. In high society, Carlo was among the pioneers of a biological approach, which promotes biodiversity, uses composting and limits the use of pesticides and chemicals. The garden, as its real owner claims, was created to “please the eye and sit in harmony with nature”.
Soul Garden, Morocco
About twenty kilometers from Marrakech, the multifaceted Viennese artist André Heller – known in Italy for his garden in Gardone Riviera, on Lake Garda – has created a magical place, where art and nature blend harmoniously with the spectacular Atlas Mountains in the background. The Anima garden extends over an area of over two hectares: in a luxuriant vegetation of palms, cacti, bamboos, roses and other selected plants, which challenge the surrounding desert, sculptures by Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin and Keith Haring are scattered. It is a small Eden, with marked chromatic contrasts, a true artist’s garden that invites reflection and joy.
Aga Khan Garden, Canada
Aga Khan Garden
Unfortunately, little has been saved from the ancient beauty of Islamic gardens in their lands of origin. The right place to admire an interesting contemporary reinterpretation is the garden donated by the Aga Khan to the University of Alberta. In 4.8 hectaresi, Mughal inspiration marries the genius loci. The geometric elements, light, shadow and water create a surprising visual experience. The garden contains over 25,000 plants – trees, shrubs and aquatics – selected to adapt to the Canadian climate, and 12 water features and fountains. Walking along the paths in the woods and the terraces in limestone and granite is an experience that soothes the spirit.
Sunnylands Gardens, United States
Are in the Sonoran Desert, California, 190 km from Los Angeles. In this estate, Walter and Leonore Annenberg, a couple of philanthropists, have hosted US presidents, foreign diplomats, celebrities. The gardens, which can now be visited, represent an authentic miracle: they demonstrate how an amazing and innovative result can be obtained in an arid terrain, using the right plants. Over 70 local plant varieties and from other areas of North and South America, Africa and the Mediterranean make up a garden that requires little water. They are cacti, succulent, agaves of rare beauty that give a clear message: in a drought environment, water resources are not wasted to have a green lawn with tulips. There is to learn.
VanDusen Botanical Garden, Canada
Created in the heart of Vancouver, the VanDusen botanical garden covers an area of 22 hectares, with eight thousand species and varieties of plants from all over the world. Much appreciated is the labyrinth made with the local conifer uja occidentalis: it is one of the six existing in North America. The flagship is l‘visitor center building, which features a green roof in the shape of wavy petals: everything points to sustainability, low energy consumption obtained with photovoltaic panels to filtered and reused rainwater. The VanDusen botanical garden is also a positive model of scientific dissemination for a non-specialized public. There is a large number of didactic proposals, from children’s lessons to learn about nature to online courses for adults as well.
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