18 August 2017
Villa Durazzo
Villa Durazzo Park is situated on the top of a hill in the centre of Santa Margherita Ligure . The park surrounds the villa built in the 17th century by the marquis Durazzo and has a wonderful position overlooking the Tigullio Gulf.
The little citrus plantation that lies on the terrace in front of the sea, between the garden wall and the balustrade, is the oldest part of the park; It's made of orange-, lemon- and grapefruit- trees planted by the family Durazzo to create a green zone for the visitor who climbed from the sea towards the villa.
The layout of the “Italian Garden” was developed by the family Centurione who succeeded the Durazzo in the 19Th century. The garden is characterized by the geometric designs of the box-trees hedges embellished by several plants of Cycadacee – among them some rare male plants of Cycas revoluta and an example of Encephalartos. The path is bordered on either side by a small rose garden dedicated to the actress Virna Lisi and several varieties of camellias nineteenth century, including the famous Lavinia Maggi, Albino Botti Alba Plena.
In the 20th century the “Romantic English Wood”, that lies on the other side of the hill, was arranged by Alfredo Chierichetti. In this part of the park holm oaks, cypress-trees, camphors, lindens and pine-trees mix with a large variety of palms, including Phoenix Canariensis, Washingtonia filifera, Jubaea chilensis and create a suggestive medley of exotic and Mediterranean flora.
The park is enriched by statues, fountains and flower boxes and crossed by paths paved with white and black cobblestones that lead to the terrace in front of the villa, where precious floral mosaics seem to extend the vegetation to the house door.
At the bottom of the park, the “Prince Centurione's Secret Garden” is a small jewel set in the green; in the 19th century it was the hidden refuge for lovers and still keeps the romantic atmosphere of that time.
The little citrus plantation that lies on the terrace in front of the sea, between the garden wall and the balustrade, is the oldest part of the park; It's made of orange-, lemon- and grapefruit- trees planted by the family Durazzo to create a green zone for the visitor who climbed from the sea towards the villa.
The layout of the “Italian Garden” was developed by the family Centurione who succeeded the Durazzo in the 19Th century. The garden is characterized by the geometric designs of the box-trees hedges embellished by several plants of Cycadacee – among them some rare male plants of Cycas revoluta and an example of Encephalartos. The path is bordered on either side by a small rose garden dedicated to the actress Virna Lisi and several varieties of camellias nineteenth century, including the famous Lavinia Maggi, Albino Botti Alba Plena.
In the 20th century the “Romantic English Wood”, that lies on the other side of the hill, was arranged by Alfredo Chierichetti. In this part of the park holm oaks, cypress-trees, camphors, lindens and pine-trees mix with a large variety of palms, including Phoenix Canariensis, Washingtonia filifera, Jubaea chilensis and create a suggestive medley of exotic and Mediterranean flora.
The park is enriched by statues, fountains and flower boxes and crossed by paths paved with white and black cobblestones that lead to the terrace in front of the villa, where precious floral mosaics seem to extend the vegetation to the house door.
At the bottom of the park, the “Prince Centurione's Secret Garden” is a small jewel set in the green; in the 19th century it was the hidden refuge for lovers and still keeps the romantic atmosphere of that time.
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My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece- Claude Monet - |
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