1 June 2017
The Park of the Grazzano Visconti Castle
The Park of the Grazzano Visconti Castle was designed and established between the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century by Duke Giuseppe Visconti di Modrone, the father of film director Luchino Visconti who spent his childhood here.
This is an example of an eclectic garden, in which diverse inspirations live together in harmony; the symmetry of the Italian garden – situated just opposite the main entrance to the majestic Castle of the XIV century – and the lines of the avenues which appear to guide the eye, co-exist with the romantic atmosphere created by the wooded areas and the sinuous paths leading deep into them, in a play of light and shade among the trees.
The sound of water from the small brook, Rio Grazzano, flowing within the estate pervades the whole park dotted with fountains, statues, little bridges and small ditches. Fully integrated in the luxuriant vegetation beyond an arched passageway through a hornbeam hedge appears the fairy-tale “children's house” – wanted by the Duke, Giuseppe, for his younger daughters Uberta and Nane – close to a yew labyrinth.
The choice of plants was designed to obtain a permanent architectural effect; that's why there are so many evergreens, such as cypress, pine, holm-oak and yew trees, as well as myrtle and box bushes. Roses, brightly coloured and smelling sweet, and hydrangea plants are the prevailing flowers here.
In the park, many spontaneous autochthonous plants live too, typical of the environment in which Grazzano Visconti is located these are pedunculate oaks, elms, black poplars, hazel-nut trees, country maple trees, cherry-trees, hornbeams and ash-trees, in addition to underwood bushes such as wild apple, dogwood, and privet. A more sophisticated touch to the overall arboreal composition is given instead by some specimens of citron-tree, wisteria, American cypress-tree and various expanses of bamboo.
Within the 150,000 square metre park, a number of specimens more than one hundred years old stand out impressively, including a Maple-shaped Plane-tree more than 150 years old, an 80-year-old Lime-tree and a splendid group of Lebanon citron-trees.
This is an example of an eclectic garden, in which diverse inspirations live together in harmony; the symmetry of the Italian garden – situated just opposite the main entrance to the majestic Castle of the XIV century – and the lines of the avenues which appear to guide the eye, co-exist with the romantic atmosphere created by the wooded areas and the sinuous paths leading deep into them, in a play of light and shade among the trees.
The sound of water from the small brook, Rio Grazzano, flowing within the estate pervades the whole park dotted with fountains, statues, little bridges and small ditches. Fully integrated in the luxuriant vegetation beyond an arched passageway through a hornbeam hedge appears the fairy-tale “children's house” – wanted by the Duke, Giuseppe, for his younger daughters Uberta and Nane – close to a yew labyrinth.
The choice of plants was designed to obtain a permanent architectural effect; that's why there are so many evergreens, such as cypress, pine, holm-oak and yew trees, as well as myrtle and box bushes. Roses, brightly coloured and smelling sweet, and hydrangea plants are the prevailing flowers here.
In the park, many spontaneous autochthonous plants live too, typical of the environment in which Grazzano Visconti is located these are pedunculate oaks, elms, black poplars, hazel-nut trees, country maple trees, cherry-trees, hornbeams and ash-trees, in addition to underwood bushes such as wild apple, dogwood, and privet. A more sophisticated touch to the overall arboreal composition is given instead by some specimens of citron-tree, wisteria, American cypress-tree and various expanses of bamboo.
Within the 150,000 square metre park, a number of specimens more than one hundred years old stand out impressively, including a Maple-shaped Plane-tree more than 150 years old, an 80-year-old Lime-tree and a splendid group of Lebanon citron-trees.
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A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust- Gertrude Jekyll - |
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