The Outsider
Horticulturist Hannah Gardner combines short hikes on wildf lower-clad mountains with visits to exceptional romantic gardens as she explores the Italian region of Lazio
Horticulturist Hannah Gardner heads to Italy’s Lazio region to explore its most romantic gardens
The Lazio region of Italy surrounds Italy’s capital city and has borders with Tuscany, Umbria and Marche to the north, Abruzzo and Molise to the east, Campania to the south and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. My route took me between the Torrecchia Vecchia estate, deep in the Castelli Romani hills, 40 miles south of Rome, to the nearby Garden of Ninfa. The region feels fresh and authentic. The foothills of the Lepini Mountains (carpeted by blue Anemone apennina in spring) offer excellent hiking and the ancient town of Cori is home to the Roman Temple of Hercules. For a change of mood, the coastal town of Latina showcases the Fascist-era architecture favoured by its founder Mussolini.
Inspiration for the trip
For years, I have held the eight-acre Garden of Ninfa close to my heart, regarding it as the most romantic garden there could ever be. Like Ninfa the nearby Torrecchia Vecchia estate has been shaped around medieval ruins and is part of an ongoing project by the British designer Dan Pearson. It has recently opened to the public so I jumped at the chance to go and explore.
When to go
Early summer is the best season to see both the Garden of Ninfa and Torrecchia Vecchia, but both are still lovely in autumn.
Where to go
The approach to Torrecchia Vecchia slowly builds expectations. A drive threads through the valley, flanked first by open pasture, then rough but stately woodland. There are rustic gates to navigate, followed by a steep incline and, eventually, the imposing medieval castle walls. The beauty of this secluded, naturalistic garden is overwhelming. Replanted by designer Dan Pearson, it now radiates maturity, enclosed by mature Quercus suber and towering Cinnamomum camphora (camphor) trees. The gardens wrap around sympathetically renovated buildings and are framed by the extensive ruins of the village. Pale, fragrant plants grow close to the main house, filling the air with the sweet, bewitching scent of citrus, magnolia, wisteria and, in the evenings, nicotiana. As the garden slopes away, a lotus-filled stone pool can be glimpsed first from above, surrounded by a mist of bright, annual wildflowers. The standard of horticulture practised by gardener Angelo is masterful and yet looks effortless. It teeters perfectly on the edge of feeling wild and close to nature.
Ninfa is only ten miles from Torrecchia, and if you choose to hike between the two your route will take you through low-lying vineyards and wildflower-filled hillside olive groves. On open ground, the long, twirling lobes of lizard orchid flowers ( Himantoglossum hircinum) catch the breeze above clouds of greater quaking grass ( Briza maxima) and the aromatic plants of the colourful understorey are alive with pollinators.
Ninfa takes the surrounding gnarled mountain foothills as its immediate backdrop, but is set within the microclimate of the drained Pontine Marshes. This gives shelter to exotic species and encourages abundance, the rambling roses and ancient wisteria almost smothering the medieval ruins around which the garden is shaped. Water is plentiful, with springs captured in pools, while the Ninfa River and its tributaries glide through the garden, reflecting its glory. The ruins of the town, rather than any formal layout, provide the framework for the garden. There has been a garden here since the 17th century, but it is the passion and vision of three generations of Caetani women that have been largely responsible for creating the garden as it is today, with its nurtured orchard, mature cypress avenues and always the romance of tumbling roses.
Plants to grow at home
In early summer, the fields and garigue of southern Italy are lit up by scattered shots of bright magenta – the wild tribes of slender Mediterranean gladioli. These can be difficult to identify in situ, but are easy to enjoy in your garden at home. Providing a deep, intense dash of colour, they flower in June. Taxonomic confusion has muddied the waters for the wonderful, autumn-planted Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus. While this is the preferred choice for cultivation, it is often missupplied, so be sure to find a reputable source (avonbulbs.co.uk is a good bet). Be aware that cheap bulbs may be the inferior G. italicus, which is prolific (easily filling a field in the wild)and is considered a weed by Italians.
Order corms now, and plant them in a sunny spot in fertile, well-drained soil 10-15cm deep, 10cm apart. The spikes of up to 20 funnel-shaped flowers have a pale creamy flash and it grows to at least 60cm. Create groups with the odd smaller ‘breakaway’ clump if you want the planting to feel naturalistic. It will sometimes naturalise in grass, as will G. illyricus, and looks stunning alongside Baptisia australis, Stipa tenuissima, Allium atropurpureum and Camassia leichtlinii.
Further information
Garden of Ninfa Via Provinciale Ninfina, 68, 04012 Cisterna di Latina, Lazio, Italy fondazionecaetani.org Torrecchia Vecchia Strada Provinciale Cisterna, Cori 76, Lazio, Italy. Tel +39 0769 179123, torrecchia.com
Where to stay
Cincinato farmhouse and winery Via Stoza 3, 04010 Cori, Latina, Italy. Tel +39 0698 372785, cincinnato.it An organic winery that offers rooms and has an excellent restaurant where in summer you can feast beneath fruit-laden vines.