THE GARDENS AND LANDSCAPES OF SICILY (28th April / 10th May 2013)

Travel Report By Giulio Veronese, PGG Trainee

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THE GARDENS AND LANDSCAPES OF SICILY (28th April / 10th May 2013)

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© Giulio Veronese Printed: Highgrove, September 2013 All photograph and pictures used in this report are by Giulio Veronese except were other source is given Front cover: the dawn on the Mount Etna slopes

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Table of Contents Acknowledgements 7 Introduction Sicily (geography, climate, flora) 9 Itinerary of the expedition 11 The Journey Setting out 14 1. Sunday 28th April 14 2. Monday 29th April 19 3. Tuesday 30th April 26 4. Wednesday 1st May 30 5. Thursday 2nd May 37 6. Friday 3rd May 42 7. Saturday 4th May 45 8. Sunday 5th May 46 9. Monday 6th May 49 10. Tuesday 7th May 53 11. Wednesday 8th May 59 12. Thursday 9th May 65 13. Friday 10th May 72 Going home 76 Appendices Glossary 79 Bibliography 81

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Acknowledgments I would like to thank first of all Nick Wray, Curator at University of Bristol Botanic Garden, for taking me in his trip to Sicily. To follow a curator of a British botanic garden within the Sicilian gardens, have been a unique a very formative experience for me. Every single member of Nick’s group has been a special company and driving force for me, but special thanks have to go to Judith and Alice. A warm “ciao” goes to Sergio, the local guide during the expedition, who revealed himself as a keen horticulturalist as well as a real friend. Finally, excuses go to my little dog China, who was waiting for me in Italy for Easter holidays and (again) came to know with disappointment about my trip to Sicily.

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INTRODUCTION Sicily Geography Sicily (Italian, Sicilia) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Siciliana (Sicilian Region). The autonomous region also includes several neighboring islands: the Aegadian Islands, the Aeolian Islands, Pantelleria and Lampedusa. Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean and extends from the tip of the Apennine peninsula from which it is separated only by the narrow Strait of Messina, towards the North African coast. Sicily has a roughly triangular shape, which earned it the name Trinacria, from Greek treis 'three' and akra 'promontory'. To the east, it is separated from the Italian region of Calabria by the Strait of Messina, about 3 km (1.9 mi) wide in the north, and about 16 km (9.9 mi) in the southern part. Northern and southern coasts are each about 280 kilometres (170 mi) long measured as a straight line, while the eastern coast measures around 180 kilometres (110 mi). Total coast length is estimated at 1,484 km. The total area of the island is 25,711 square kilometres (9,927 sq mi), while the Autonomous Region of Sicily (which includes smaller surrounding islands) has an area of 27,708 square kilometers (10,698 sq mi). The terrain of inland Sicily is mostly hilly and intensively cultivated wherever it was possible. Along the northern coast, mountain ranges of Madonie, 2,000 m (6,600 ft), Nebrodi, 1,800 m (5,900 ft), and Peloritani, 1,300 m (4,300 ft), represent an extension of mainland Appennines. The cone of Mount Etna dominates over the eastern coast. In the south-east lie lower Hyblaean Mountains, 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The mines of the Enna and Caltanissetta district were a leading sulfur-producing area throughout the 19th century, but have declined since the 1950s. Sicily and its small surrounding islands have some highly active volcanoes. Mount Etna, with a height of 3,320 m (10,890 ft), is the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. The Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the northeast of mainland Sicily, exhibit a volcanic complex including Stromboli. Currently active also are the three volcanoes of Vulcano, Vulcanello and Lipari, usually dormant. Off the southern coast of Sicily, the underwater volcano of Ferdinandea, which is part of the larger Empedocles, last erupted in 1831. It is located between the coast of Agrigento and the island of Pantelleria (which itself is a dormant volcano), on the underwater Phlegraean Fields of the Strait of Sicily. The island is drained by several rivers, most of which flow through the central area and enter the sea at the south of the island. The Salso flows through parts of Enna and Caltanissetta before entering the Mediterranean Sea at the port of Licata. To the east, there is the Alcantara in the province of Messina, which exits at Giardini Naxos; and the Simeto which exits into the Ionian Sea south of Catania. Other important rivers on the island are to the southwest with Belice and Platani.

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Climate Sicily has a typical Mediterranean climate with mild and wet winters and hot, dry summers. However, the great diversity of the environment doesn’t allow uniform climatic conditions. The northern coasts are generally cooler than the southern and inner areas, influenced by the hot African winds. Furthermore, the mountainous peaks present a more temperate climate with considerable temperature ranges and harsh, snowy winters. According to the Regional Agency for Waste and Water, on 10 August 1999 the weather station of Catenanuova (EN) recorded a maximum temperature of 48.5 °C (119 °F), which is the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe by the use of reliable instruments. Flora As a natural consequence of this climatic complexity, the Sicilian flora is rather unique. The main island and its archipelagos are paradises of plant hunting with the highest number of native and endemic species among the Mediterranean islands (respectively 2.707 and 305 according with Brullo & al. 2004). Sicily is an often-quoted example of man-made deforestation, which was practiced since Roman times, when the island was made an agricultural region. This gradually dampened the climate, leading to decline of rainfall and drying of rivers. This is the reason why the central and southwest provinces are practically without any forests. In Northern Sicily there are three important forests, near Mount Etna, in the Nebrodi Mountains and in the Bosco della Ficuzza's Natural Reserve near Palermo. The Nebrodi Mountains Regional Park, established 4 August 1993, with its 86,000hectares (210,000 acres) is the largest protected natural area of Sicily, here is the largest forest of Sicily, called forest Caronia, that is also the second name of Nebrodi Mountains. The Hundred Horse Chestnut (Castagno dei Cento Cavalli), located on Linguaglossa road in Sant'Alfio, on the eastern slope of Mount Etna is the largest and oldest known chestnut tree in the world, dated between 2000 and 4000 years. Fauna Sicily has a good level of faunal biodiversity. Some of the species are cirneco dell'Etna, fox, least weasel, pine marten, roe deer, wild boar, crested porcupine, hedgehog, common toad, viper, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, hoopoe and black-winged stilt. In some cases Sicily is a delimited point of a species range. For example, the subspecies of hooded crow (Corvus cornix) occurs in Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica, but no further south. The Zingaro Natural Reserve is one of the best examples of unspoiled coastal wilderness in Sicily. Agriculture Sicily has long been noted for its fertile soil due to the volcanic eruptions in the past and present. The local agriculture is also helped by the pleasant climate of the island. The main agricultural products are wheat, citrons, oranges (Arancia Rossa di Sicilia IGP), lemons, tomatoes (Pomodoro di Pachino IGP), olives, olive oil, artichokes, Opuntia ficus-indica (Fico d'India dell'Etna DOP), almonds, grapes, pistachios (Pistacchio di Bronte DOP) and wine. Cattle and sheep are raised. The cheese productions are particularly important thanks to the

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Ragusano DOP and the Pecorino Siciliano DOP. Ragusa is noted for its honey (Miele Ibleo) and chocolate (Cioccolato di Modica IGP) productions. Sicily is the third largest wine producer in Italy (the world's largest wine producer) after Veneto and Emilia Romagna. The region is known mainly for fortified Marsala wines. In recent decades the wine industry has improved, new winemakers are experimenting with less-known native varietals, and Sicilian wines have become better known. The best known local varietal is Nero d'Avola, named for a small town not far from Syracuse; the best wines made with these grapes come from Noto, a famous old city close to Avola. Other important native varietals are Nerello Mascalese used to make the Etna Rosso DOC wine, Frappato that is a component of the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG wine, Moscato di Pantelleria (also known as Zibibbo) used to make different Pantelleria wines, Malvasia di Lipari used for the Malvasia di Lipari DOC wine and Catarratto mostly used to make the white wine Alcamo DOC. Furthermore, in Sicily high quality wines are also produced using non-native varietals like Syrah, Chardonnay and Merlot. Sicily is also known for its liqueurs as the Amaro Averna produced in Caltanissetta and the local limoncello. Fishing is another fundamental resource for Sicily. There are important tuna, sardine, swordfish and European anchovy fisheries. Mazzara del Vallo is the largest fishing centre in Sicily and one of the most important in Italy. Itinerary of the expedition. Sunday 28th April On arrival into Palermo and transfer to Villa Igiea where we will stay for 4 nights. Monday 29th April We have a full day tour of Palermo where we visit the cathedral in Palermo central square. From There we will visit the Porta Nuova. After which we visit San Giovanni degli Eremiti near to royal palace with its Norman architecture and Arab roof. We also visit other places of interest in central Palermo including the theatre. Before returning to the hotel we will finally visit Villa Malfitano. Tuesday 30th April Today we will visit Zisa Castle and its Islamic museum. Next we travel further West to visit the Chinese palace located on the northern end of the Parco della Favorita. From here we will visit the attractive seaside town of Mondello where we will have lunch. Located 15km South of Palermo the Cathedral of Monreale is one of the greatest examples of Norman architecture in the world. It sits on the slope of Monte Caputo, overlooking the fertile valley called “La Conca d’oro” (the Golden Shell), famed for its orange, olive and almond orchards. Wednesday 1st May This morning we visit Orto Botanico di Palermo. The original arrangement was to travel lunch to Villa Tasca Camastra where will be guided around the gardens. Unfortunately this site wasn’t possible to visit, so we have to change plan and visit Castello di San Marco, a garden nearby, which will reveal itself as a real unexpected surprise. Thursday 2nd May This morning we set off in good time to visit the vineyard at Tasca d’Almerita; the drive (2.5 hours) take us along the coast before we head into the mountains of the interior. After lunch

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we take a tour around the cookery school, adjoining flower and herb garden with afternoon tea at cookery school, afterwhich we retire back to the farm house for the wine tasting and dinner. Friday 3rd May After a leisurely breakast take a tour around the vineyard before we check out and travel through the centre of the island through a largely agricultural area South to Agrigento. We aim to arrive in Agrigento at lunch time; then we have an hour or two to explore the town (they have a good museum) & have lunch before we will check into Hotel Baia Di Ulisse for 1 night. Saturday 4th May This morning we have a half day walking tour of Agrigento. Later we have the tour of the famous archaeological park. Then we have a little time at your leisure before we board the bus at 15:00 for our transfer to Modica. Sunday 5th May This morning we have a walking tour of Modica. After our tour we have some time at leisure before we transfer to Siracusa. Monday 6th May This morning we have a half day walking tour of Siracusa and the isle of Ortigia. The island of Ortigia joined to the mainland of Siracusa by two bridges, is a fascinating web of ancient buildings and narrow streets with two main piazzas buzzing with an assortment of bars and cafes. After lunch we meet a local archaeologist who offers us the opportunity of a visit to Villa Reinmann, a historic garden now close to the public. In the afternoon we have some leisure time for exploring the city on our own. Tuesday 7th May This morning we depart Siracusa for Marchesi Di San Giuliano (Villasmundo) where we are given a tour by Head Gardener, Rachel Lamb. After a light lunch we travel to Contrada Case Biviere Villa Borghese, Lentini where we tour the gardens with the owner Princess Borghese. From here we then transfer to the Donna Carmela where we stay for our remaining 3 nights. Wednesday 8th May This morning we depart for Catania Botanic Gardens for a private tour. Afterwards we walk through Catania, enjoing the central streets and the local food market. Afterwards we visit the garden at Il Giardino di Villa Trinita for a tour. We have lunch at the Villa befor we travel north to Villa Manganelli Biscari at Viagrande. We return to Donna Camella in late afternoon. Thursday 9th May After breafast we leave the hotel for a tour of Mount Etna. Later in the afternoon we return to the Donna Carmela where we have some time at leisure before our farwell dinner. Friday 10th May This morning we check out of the hotel and travel to Taormina to visit Greek theatre, then visit private garden Casa Cuseni. After lunch and a couple of hours at leisure in Taormina we transfer to the airport for our flight to Gatwick airport.

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THE JOURNEY Setting out … Sunday 28th April We arrive into Palermo at 11.00 a.m. It’s a beautiful, bright day. Not many clouds in the sky. The temperature is around 20 C°, with a nice refreshing breeze from the coast. Palermo on the North West coast of Sicily is the island’s capital city and one of its leading ports. Of all Sicily’s cities, it most strikingly embraces all aspects of the island’s later history from the Arab, Norman and Spanish invasions to the influences of the Belle Epoque era. The differing styles of architecture and artistic treasures are a feast for the eyes, while the city’s turbulent history is ever present in the busy streets. Visitors can sample the animated local lifestyle in the enormous markets, particularly la Vuccaria, or delve into the historic past in the Cathedral, huge churches like Santa Caterina, a splendid example of Sicilian Baroque, museums, magnificent palaces, beautiful squares and a wonderful botanical garden. We are met and transferred to Villea Igea where we check in for four nights. This famous property has for many years been the discerning traveler’s favorite hotel in Palermo. Located on the coast with wonderful views across the marina to the Bay of Palermo, the hotel is just 10 minutes taxi ride from the heart of the city and offers a tranquil haven in an idyllic setting. Built at the end of the 19th Century by architect Ernesto Basile, this is a masterpiece of Liberty Art Noveau style and still has much of the original furniture. The garden of Villa Igea is interesting. Nick and I take advantage of some spare hours for a bit of exploration around. We come across some adult kapok specimens. In Sicily both true and false kapok have been successfully cultivated over the years, the former being Ceiba pentadra, the latter Chorisia speciosa. They are extremely similar plants and, in order to identify them, Nick introduce me to the concept of cordiciform and pachycaul plants Pachycauls are plants with a disproportionately thick trunk for their height, and few branches. The word is derived from the Greek pachy (meaning thick or stout) and Latin caulin (meaning stem). Cereus and Adansonia (Baobab tree) genera are in this group. Cordiciforms are plants … (what’s the difference???) Nolina genus is in this group. A stately specimen of Erythrina christa-galli is perhaps the most remarkable horticultural feature of this garden. Commonly known in the UK isles as ceibo or the cockspur coral tree, this is a flowering tree in the family Fabaceae, native to Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil and Paraguay. It is widely planted as a street or garden tree in other countries, most notably in California and southern Italy. When in flower is just a red cloud. Nevertheless, we notice that it tends to be a bit messy at the end of the flowering season, leaving some rubbish on the floor. There is also a good collection of palms. Some Cycas revoluta is fruiting. Phoenix canariens is the most used ornamental choice in its genus; it has a dense and elegant habit. Phoenix dactilifera is also cultivated here. In a narrow bed we notice a few Convolvolus malvaidoies. They are nice little flowers, in the same genus of the field bindweed (C. arvensis).

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There are informal hedges of Hibiscus rosa-cinensis. Nick criticize the use of this plant for hedging purposes, as, even being a fantastic (almost legendary plant), it does need a lot of feeding. Other interesting plants are Pittosporum tobira (with its vanilla-scented flowers), Cinnamomum camphora and Shianus mollis.

Cosmopolitan planting schemes in the gardens of Villa Igea

Erythrina christa-galli

Ceiba pentadra

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Cereus sp.

Euphorbia viguieri

Pittosporum tobira

Hibiscus rosa-cinensis

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In the afternoon we meet again for a visit to the Capuccini’s Catacombs. We travel through the colorful roads and avenues of Palermo. The choice of street trees is extremely interesting. A number of tender small trees are cultivated, such as Platanus orientalis, Cercis siliquastrum, Ficus microphylla, Albizia julibrissima, Sophora japonica, Popolus tremula, Tamarix gallica. In Palermo main square it is even a group of Jacaranda mimosifolia, unfortunately not at its best this time of the year. I confused Sophora japonica with Robinha pseudoacacia, but, looking closer, I notice the arrangement of the pods along the stems. Ficus microphylla is probably the most popular choice. It casts a very deep shade and takes clipping very well. This is a plant which will accompany and mark our expedition. Platanus orientalis is also a very interesting choice. It’s a beautiful, very elegant plane, smaller than the common London plane. The bark is also slim and bright in color. It works very well as a city plant because of its capacity to absorb the pollution. The drawback consists in the fact that, during pruning and general tree working, it release the pollution previously absorbed. Tree sergeant can work with this plant only a few hours daily. Finally we arrive to the Cappuccini’s Catacombs. Gory and perturbing, the catacombs are one of the city’s premier tourist attractions. Here the mummified bodies of some 8000 Palermitans who died between the 17th and 19th centuries are now show. Originally the preserve of monks, the catacombs were eventually opened to a select and moneyed few who made a substantial donations of land or money to the monastery. For their pains, these lucky individuals were laid out “to drain” – ugh – after death, before being washed with vinegar and powdered with arsenic and milk of lime. They were then dressed in their Sunday best and propped up in their very own niche. Earthly power, sex, religion and professional status are rigidly distinguished. Men and women occupy separate corridors and within the women’s area there is a first-class section for virgins.

Cappuccini’s Catacombs in Palermo

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Monday 29th April Bright and hot. Temperatures around 24 °C. The day is split in two. In the morning we are having a tour within the place of historic and architectural interest of Palermo. In the afternoon we are going to visit Villa Malfitano palace and gardens. Teatro Massimo Built during the years 1875 and 1897 by Giovanni Battista Basile and subsequently his son, Ernesto, to celebrate the unification of Italy, Teatro Massimo has become a symbol of the triumph and tragedy of Palermo itself. Its long story is symptomatic of the conflicting powers that struggle or supremacy in Palermo society – civil pride and cultural creativity pitted against the sinister shadows of Pirandellian bureaucracy and Mafia control (which is said to have been responsible for the extraordinary 24 years it took to restore). Appropriately the closing scene of The Godfather III, with its visually stunning juxtaposition of high culture and low crime, drama and death, was filmed here.

A stately specimen of Ficus robusta Politeama Theatre Palermo’s second theatre was designed in classical form by Giuseppe Damiani Almeyda between 1867 and 1874. It was dedicated to Garibaldi and opened after the Italian unification. It was built in the New Pompeian style, featuring a particularly striking façade that looks like a triumphal arch topped by bronze chariots. The theatre is also home to the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, installed in 1910 with an array of modern and contemporary Italian art. Cathedral of Palermo Ambitious builders, the Normans converted mosques and palaces, giving rise to the Arab-Norman style that is unique to Sicily. Chief among these is the cathedral of Palermo, an extraordinary feast of ziggurat crenellations, majolica cupolas, geometric patterns and blind arches. Set back from the street, the foreground planted with palms, the Oriental impact is enough to skew one’s compass. Constructions began in 1184 at the behest of Palermo’s archbishop, Walter of the Mill (Gualtiero Offamiglia), who was eager to challenge the supremacy of Monreale. Since then the cathedral has been much altered, sometimes with great success – as in the three-arched portico (which took 200 years to complete), a masterpiece of Catalan-inspired architecture – and sometimes with less fortunate results, as in Ferdinando Fuga’s handiwork did not extend to the exotic interlacing designs of Walter’s original cathedral.

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Although impressive in scale, the interior is a marble shell, a sadly unexotic resting place for the royal Norman tombs, which contain the remains of two of Sicily’s greatest rules, Roger II and Frederick II of Hohenstaufen. Halfway down the right aisle is a magnificent treasury, whose most extraordinary exhibit is a tooth, extracted from Santa Rosalia, one of the patron saints of Palermo. Her ashes are also kept here in a silver reliquary. Porta Nuova Next to the Palazzo dei Normanni is the Porta Nuova, built to celebrate the arrival of Carlos V in Palermo in 1535 after a victory over the Tunisians. Designed in the Mannerist style, it was partially destroyed by lightning in 1667 and rebuilt with the addition of the conical top. More than 400 years later, it still serves as a demarcation line between the old and new city. Palazzo dei Normanni Unfortunately closed to the public today because of the fire change which took place in Rome yesterday during the formation of the new Italian government.

Cathedral of Palermo

Statues in the Porta Nuova

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San Giovanni degli Eremiti Just south of the Palazzo dei Normanni, the Chiesa di San Giovanni degli Eremiti, is Palermo’s best known example of the Norman-Arab architectural mix. Built under Roger II, it is topped by five red domes and set in a pretty, tree filled garden with cloisters that offer temporary respite from the chaos outside. The bare interior of the now deconsecrated church features some badly deteriorated frescoes. The garden is a smashing collection of Mediterranean, tropical and subtropical plants. Among those, I record: Aloe arborescens, Asparagus sp., Buddleya sp., Buxus sempervirens, Calocedrus decurrens, Ceratonia siliqua, Chamaerops humilis, Chamaedorea portulacoides, Citrus aurantium, C. limon, C. deliciosa, C. paradisi, Clivia miniata, Cupressus sempervirens, Cycas revoluta, Cydonia oblonga, Cyperus papyrifera, Dracena draco, Duranta plumieri, Edera helix, Eryobotrya japonica, Ficus carica, Fortunella margarita, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Howeia forsterana, Jasminum sp., Lantana camara, Laurus nobilis, Monstera deliciosa, Musa x paradisiaca, Nerium oleander, Nolina longifolia, Olea europea, Opuntia sp., Phoenix canariensis, Pinus halepensis, Punica granatum, Trachycarpus fortunei, Thuja orientalis, Viburnum tinum, Washingtonia filifera, Wisteria sp., Yucca australis and Y. Elephantipes.

Ceratonia siliqua

Fruits of Monstera deliciosa

Tecoma stans

Cyperus papyrifera

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Cycas revoluta

Orobanche sp.

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Villa Malfitano Garden, in the Malfitano all’Olivuzza area, is one of the most outstanding examples of what a family of English merchants, the Whitakers, who settled in Palermo in the second half of the nineteenth century, were able to achieve, influencing the city’s economy and taste in it and, subsequently, in other places of the island, becoming more than a local reference point. The land for building the villa was purchased in 1885. Building work began immediately. The laying out of the park was began the following year with the leveling of the ground around the mansion. Of the total surface area of over 7 hectares (17acres), over 5 were destined to the park and building complex, while the rest of the land continued to be used for citrus fruit trees. The park alone, today, occupies a surface area of over 4 hectares (10 acres). In the front part the paths were organized in the English fashion so as to alternate open spaces with big plant masses and pools. Afterwards, the stretch beside the back part of the edifice was mainly designed in Italian style, with little paths and plant elements placed geometrically and in symmetry with the marginal distribution of the main masses, creating a courtyard around the central building. In a marginal position and somewhat sheltered position, there was also set out a corner rich in romantic elements which are still partly existent: a hillock, a rivulet, a pool and even a little underground maze.

Villa Malfitano

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Villa Malfitano can be defined a particular kind of botanic garden, as it is a real arboretum on account of the nature of its flora, which is prevalently arboreal. Among individuals especially worthy of mention there is an elegant and rare form of Ficus magnolioides, an isolated and very rare example of Araucaria rulei, as well as an outstanding exemplar of Yucca australis. Also unique is the exemplar of Yutia yatai. But also noteworthy are the presences of Jubalea spectabilis, Phoenix reclinata, Nolina longifolia, N. stricta, Dioon edule. Also represented are some very fine dracaenas, frequent among which is “dragon’s blood” from the Canary Islands, with the expressive characteristic look conferred on it by the double ramifications. Among the conifers, Thuja gigantean, Pinus banksiana and Sequoia sempervirens. Altogether in the park flora there are about 250 species, mostly from tropical and subtropical contries. However, there is no lack of Mediterranean species like Quercus ilex, Viburnum tinus, and colonies of dwarf palms (Chamaerops humilis).

Villa Malfitano

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Rosa banksiae

Ficus magnolioides

Araucaria rulei

Agave americana

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Nolina sp. (stricta or longifolia???)

Hedera hibernica Tuesday 30th April Bright and hot. Temperatures around 24 °C. It’s the third day in Palermo. Crossing the center by coach, we can see the English Garden, now public park, designed by Ernesto Basile in the late Nineteen Century. In the morning we visit Zisa Castle and its Islamic museum. Located to the West of Palermo, Zisa Castle dates back to the 9th -11th centuries and is one of the most attractive Arab style buildings in Europe. Its name al-aziz means “the splendid one”. It was completed in 1167 on the orders of Norman King William I de Hautville, but planned and constructed by Muslim architects and workmen, showing how much the Normans admired the Arab world, copying its lifestyles, ceremonies and customs. In the past ten years the house has been restored and a new garden built in a “modern” Arabic style to the front of the castle. Climbers are Bougainvillea glabra, Bignonia capreolata, Plumbago auriculata and Jasminum grandiflora.

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Zisa Castle and Municipality Park

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Next we travel further west to visit the Chinese Palace located on the northern end of the Parco della Favorita. This is one of Palermo’s strangest buildings, a large and fully decorated Chinese palace. Built in 1799 for King Ferdinand III during the height of the European craze for all things Oriental, the palace exhibits an eclectic mix of Chinese influenced architectural styles. Set within the extensive Parco della Favorita the palace has a large Italian style parterre garden to the rear.

Chinese Palace

Formal garden of the Chinese Palace

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From here we visit the attractive seaside town of Mondello where we have lunch. After that, a little time to walk along the promenade or beach before being picked up for your journey to Monreale. Located 15km south of Palermo the Cathedral of Monreale is one of the greatest examples of Norman architecture in the world. It was begun in 1174 by William II, and in 1182 the church, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, was, by a bill of Pope Lucius III, elevated to the rank of a metropolitan cathedral. The church is a national monument of Italy and one of the most important attractions of Sicily. The cathedral interior contains the largest cycle of Byzantine mosaics extant in Italy, completed about 1200. The outsides of the principal doorways and their pointed arches are magnificently enriched with carving and coloured inlay, a curious combination of three styles (Norman-French, Byzantine and Arab). To the rear is a cloistered courtyard with some traditional planting. Monreale sits on the slope of Monte Caputo, overlooking the fertile valley called “La Conca d’Oro” (the golden shell), famed for its orange, olive and almond orchards.

Cloistered courtyard of Monreale

La Conca d’Oro di Palermo

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Wednesday 1st May Sunny and warm. This morning we visit the Orto Botanico di Palermo. The garden serves as a botanical garden and a research and educational institution of the Department of Botany of the University of Palermo. The earliest beginnings of the gardens go back to the 1779, when the Accademia dei Regi Studi created the chair of “Botany and medicinal properties”. A modest plot of land was allocated to develop a small botanical garden dedicated to the cultivation of plants with medicinal benefits, for the twin objectives of general learning and improving public health. This initial garden allotment soon proved insufficient for the purposes for which it was intended, and in 1786 it was decided to move to the present site, right next to the Piano di Sant’Erasmo. The new garden was opened in 1795. In the ensuing years it was improved with the Aquarium (1798), a great pool hosting numerous species of aquatic plants and the Serra Maria Carolina (Maria Carolina Glasshouse), completed in 1823. The huge Ficus macrophylla, which is an emblem and well-known attraction of the modern garden, was imported from Norfolk Island (Australia), in 1845. Today’s garden, some 10 hectares (25 acres) was reached in 1892, following successive extensions. The garden lies some 10 meters above sea level on top of red soil that has evolved on a calcareous tufaceous substratum.

School of the Botanic Garden

Entrance of the Giardino d’Inverno

Aquarium

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Cacti and frangipane collections

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Ficus macrophylla

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Cycas revoluta

Chlorophytum comosum

Melaleuca glaberrima

Orange trees planted in deep tree pits

Woodwardia radicans

Cyrtomium falcatum

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Osteomeles schwerinae

Caffea arabica

Rhapis flabelliformis

Wigandia caracasana

Abromeitiella brevifolia

Abromeitiella brevifolia var. clorantha

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The Royal Palace of Palermo, seat of the Sicilian Assembly, rises on the edge pf the oldest and most elevated edge of the city, right on a Phoenician settlement discovered in 1984. During the Arabic domination the first portion of the palace was realized and named Quars, a word that in Arabic means “castle” but also “fortress” with military competences. With the Norman arrival, in 1072, reconstructing and amplifying works were started in order to transform the fortress into a Royal Palace. In this period was the realization of the marvelous Cappella Palatina. After a neglected period during the Angevin and Aragonese domination, the Royal Palace was relaunched during the second part of the XVI century by the Spanish viceroys. Therefore were realized new architectonic elements with military and representative features adapted to the supervening and organizing necessities. The Borboun kings of Sicily restored the palace commissioning the new decorations realized in Sala d’Ercole, a place used for the meeting of the Assemblea Regionale Siciliana. In the afternoon we visit Castello di San Marco. The original plan was to visit Villa Tasca Camastra, unfortunately close today.

Castello di San Marco Crassula portulacea Anthyllis barbaigiovis Ramnus alaternus Ruscus hypoglussum traditionally used for edging in the historic Sicilian gardens. The reason being, it requires little watering and is attractive because of the double interest of flowers and red berries.

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Desert Garden

Desert Garden

Original Arabic irrigation system

Centenary specimen of Cerastonia siliquastrum

Use of Ruscus Hypoglossum for hedging

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Thursday 2nd May Slightly cooler than the previous days. Showers in the afternoon. In the morning we climb up Monte Pellegrino.

Botanising Monte Pellegrino above Paermo Olive, Stone pine Euphorbia dendroides, Artemisia arborescens, Calendula sp., Helycrisum arborescens, H. stocheas, Borago officinalis, Tordyllium apulum, Ferula communis (note the strategy of pollination: a generic but really effective strategy, where a nice platform is provided for the landing of insects), wild poppy, Echium (Boraginaceae, Magpie???, Pennywort (see photo), Terrestrial orchids, Anagallis monellii, Sedum (see photo), Alyssum saxitallis, Sicilian Tee, Bupleurum semicompositum, Sonchus, Nigella ciliaris, Wild barley, Broom Rape (Orobanche ramosa, Ballota acetabulosa

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Santolina chamaecyparissus

Thistle to identify

Sedum sp.

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Bupleurum semicompositum

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Ferula communis

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Then we are set off to visit the vineyard at Tasca d’Almerita; the drive will take us along the coast before we head to the mountains of the interior. We can see the so-called Small Sicily, the traditional local small-scaled agriculture countryside of small villages, tapestries f small fields with wooded slopes and spring crops and wild flowers. Artichoke, barley, faba vicia fields Purple splashes of Hedysarum coronarium (Leguminosae) grown both as animal crop and for improving the soil (nitrogen fixing plant) Spartium junceum Italian white elm Solar farms Pink gladiolus

Sicilian agricultural landscape (artichoke fields)

Sicilian agricultural landscape (vineyards) Tasca d’Almeria is a fine wine producing estate with an aristocratic background. It was founded in 1830 and has been the point of reference for ultra high quality wine for over 100 years. While Sicily gained an unfortunate reputation in the 1950’s – 80’s for making bulk wine mostly used for blending, few wineries took the risky position of making fine wine. Tasca d’Almerita, however, was one of the fabulous and few exceptions. These days, Sicily is making some of the most exciting wines in Italy. The Tasca d’Almerita estate is set in pristine countryside. The winery is located on the Regaleali estate close to Vallelunga Pratameno and is one of the most beautiful in Sicily so far. While much of central Sicily is dry and arid, the area around this wine estate is lush and verdant, with scenic rolling hills. Both indigenous and international grape varietals are planted from the ubiquitous Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to flagship Sicilian varietals like Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Catarratto and Inzolia. Tasca’s wines are often blends of both local and foreign varietals. This winery regularly gets top marks in the wine press and now has faithful followers all over the world and exports to over sixties countries. Apart from vast stretches of over 1000 hectares of vineyards, the estate is also a working farm cultivating a wide selection of vegetables, herbs, fruits each planted at the right moment and in accordance with local knowledge. Roses are grown which beautify the tables set in the salon of the baglio (farm villa). A full time cheese maker is also on site.

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View from Tasca d’Almerita

Guyot technique (alberello: half standard)

Cordone speronato

Testa di moro 500 hectares tot. 360 vineyard, 30 olives, 10 forest, rest agriculture (grano, seminativo) 5 lakes (the bigger being 3 hectares), all filled with rain water. Triticum durum (grano duro) instead of the Triticum aestivum (grano tenero, frumento) Dripping irrigation All is carried out organically. Great attention to a sustanible use of the water. No pesticides. No heavy machinery. 600 ml rain per year (mainly Sept-Dec) 5/6 bunches per plant Great variety: 4 main peaks and also aspects 12 different soil composition 55 variety of grapes cultivated Many training techniques Two season for pruning (summer pruning, “pota verde”; winter pruning “pota secca) Testa di moro: It’s carried out by keeping one young leader and bending it. In this way you partially split the leader and reduce the vigour of the plant, permitting a kind of half standard training. Cordone speronato:

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After lunch we take a tour around the cookery school cottage garden, adjoining flower and herb garden with afternoon tea at cookery school, after which we retire back to the farm house for the wine testing and dinner. Clay soil here Goditia (old-fashioned plant, not very popular now)

Cottage garden of the cookery school

Clever planting

Cottage style

Vyne pergola

Rosa banksiae

Camomille in a courtyard

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Friday 03rd May Very warm and sunny. After breakfast we have time to explore the Vinery.

Vinery at Tasca d’Almerita We arrive in Agrigento about four in the afternoon and we have time for visiting the Giardino della Kolymbreta. For years, Sicily’s ancient Kolymbetra Garden, in Agrigento’s Valley of Temples, had been left abandoned. It was only in 1999, when FAI (National Trust for Italy) was awarded free concession of the garden by the region of Sicily for 25 years, that the five hectare garden was restored to its original splendor. Today, Kolymbetra represent an enchanting concentration of the ancient agricultural and natural landscapes of Southern Sicily: an earthly paradise amidst the century old olive trees and archeological ruins. Thanks to the restoration of the garden, visitors are able to explore the Mediterranean shrub rich in pistachia lentiscus and broom, and make their own way through the myrtle and tamerix to reach the citrus grove, with its many ancient varieties of lemon, orange and mandarin, irrigated using the old Arabic system.

Giardino della Kolymbreta

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View of the valley from the hillside

Amazing Agave and its flowering stem

Centenary specimen of olive tree (Olea europaea)

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Arundo donax – Saccarum officinarum not to be confounded!!! Psoralea bituminosa Wild Chrisanthemum and Helicrisum

Citrus myrtifolia “Chinotto”

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Saturday 04th May Coller. Cloudy in the afternoon. This morning we have a half day walking tour of Agrigento. Agrigento (Akragas) was one of the most thriving centres of Greek civilisation in the 5th century, B.C. A few miles away from the modern town, on a southern lower ridge, are sited the great temples of the ancient city, surrounded by almond groves and ancient olive trees. We will start at the Temple of Juno (Via Panoramica dei Templi). The tour of the archaeological park starts with the Temple of Hera (Juno) built at the very top of the hill with magnificent views of the landscape, coastline and the Mediterranean sea we will then walk for about one mile downhill and stop along the main path to admire the city fortifications and Byzantine arcosolia, the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Herakles, the Temple of Zeus and the Sanctuary of Chtonian Deities (Temple of Castor and Pollux). As you listen to your guide you'll discover the secrets behind their construction, gain insight into the civilization that produced them and get to know the personages that made ancient Akragas "the most beautiful of mortal cities"

Valle dei Templi ad Agrigento

Prunus armeniaca (apricot tree and fruits)

Rhamnus alaternus

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We board the bus at 15:00 for our transfer to Modica.

Cathedral of Modica Sunday 5th May Still dry and sunny. Around 23 °C. This morning we have a walking tour of Modica. Modica, like the other towns in the Val di Noto, was badly damaged in the 1693 earthquake and largely rebuilt in Sicilian Baroque style. It is divided into two parts, “higher” Modica and “lower” Modica, which are connected by numerous flights of steps. Palazzi and houses rise from the bottom of the gorge seemingly stacked one on top of the other. Magnificent churches, with their inspiring domes, bell towers and intricate facades, punctuate the red-tiled roofs and one is struck by the uniform beauty of the whole. The centrepiece is undoubtedly the beautiful Church of San Giorgio, though the “Castello dei Conti”, surveying the town from atop a rocky outcrop, is also very impressive. Typical of so many Sicilian towns, Modica has a long and varied history, complete with the usually toing and froing of successions of invaders. The town is the location for filiming of the popular BBC detective series Inspector Montalbano.

View of Modica

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Rosario Gagliardi (1698–1762) was a Sicilian architect born in Syracuse. He was one of the leading architects working in the Sicilian Baroque. In spite of never leaving Sicily his work showed great understanding of the style, but was a progression from the style of baroque as deployed by Bernini. He worked mostly in the Sicilian Baroque beginning with the cathedral at Modica in 1702. When evaluating his work at San Giorgio in Modica, and the domed Basilica of San Giorgio in Ragusa (designed 1738, built 1744–66), it appears incredible that he was completely untravelled. As the Sicilian baroque style evolved so too did the accomplishment of his work. The Church of San Giorgio is thought to be the prototype for all the other churches in the region. Gagliardi was also responsible for numerous other churches and palazzi in Noto and other places on the island. He died in Noto in 1762 aged 64 years old. Corbel è il mensolone Modica: arenaria Siracusa: pietra lavica, calcare bianco Ragusa e provincia: important plant is karob Siracusa: main crop is almond (many varieties among which is “Pizzuta”) Antonio Grimaldi: About importing of cinnamon, chocolate... in Sicily Travelling to Noto Ancient specimens of carruba Fields of triticum durum (crop rotation is carried out with erba medica) Grano duro requires less water then grano tenero

Beautiful shrub To identify

Old specimens of karob scattered in the fields

Ficus microphylla as street tree

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After our tour you have some time at leisure before we transfer to Siracusa. Siracusa is a historic city in Sicily, the capital of the province of Syracuse. The city is notable for its rich Greek history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and as the birthplace of the preeminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes. This 2,700-year-old city played a key role in ancient times, when it was one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world. Siracusa is located in the southeast corner of the island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Syracuse next to the Ionian Sea. The city was founded by Ancient Greek Corinthians and became a very powerful city-state. Siracusa was allied with Sparta and Corinth, exerting influence over the entire Magna Grecia area of which it was the most important city. Once described by Cicero as "the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all", it later became part of the Roman Republic and Byzantine Empire, after which Palermo overtook it in importance, as the capital of the Kingdom of Sicily. Eventually the kingdom would be united with the Kingdom of Naples to form the Two Sicily’s until the Italian unification of 1860. In the modern day, the city is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site along with the Necropolis of Pantalica. The inhabitants are known as Siracusans. Siracusa is mentioned in the Bible in the Acts of the Apostles book at 28:12 as Paul stayed there. We check into Hotel Roma for two nights The Hotel Roma is a four star hotel situated in the heart of Ortigia Island, just a few steps from the Duomo Square, the ancient sacred site of historical and artistic interest. Warm atmosphere and the care of details make the hotel a place where guests delight in its unique and intimate hospitality. Thanks to its central location, the hotel is the perfect base for guests who want to enjoy the city's wonders, to visit its historic places, to walk in the narrow streets and lanes that characterize the town centre. Built in 1880, traces of the hotel's past are evident in the columns and vaulted structures. It has welcomed in the past, renowned guests such as Paolo Orsi, the well known archaeologist who lived here for several years, and the writer Elio Vittorini who choose this hotel for his long stays in Siracusa.

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Monday 6th May Sunny and warm. Temperatures around 23 °C. Siracusa in Saracen, Byzantium and Bourbon times, the city suffered invasion and then 'salvation' from opposing forces. Siracusa, 'the fairest of cities' according to the Roman Cicero, was a powerhouse of intellectual thought in that part of the Mediterranean colonised by the Greeks. Not surprisingly, Siracusa has a wealth of remains, including the pillars in the splendidly simple Christian cathedral dating from the seventh century BC. Its magnificent 15,000-seat theatre, the best preserved outside Greece, was the venue for the first nights of some plays by Aeschylus, the greatest of Greek dramatists. Classical plays are still performed here today.

Siracusa archeological site

Theatre of Siracusa Urtica pilulifera is the Roman Nettle. Caparis spinosa (see photo) “the plant you can’t plant” Morus alba (White Mulberry) Is the only mulberry useful for silt??? Production. When the Brits imported the mulberry to the UK, they mistook the species, trying to use the Black Mulberry which is not useful for the industry. Pistacia 3 Mediterranean species P. vera P. (mastich tree) P. travertina??? Stevia (South American tree???) as a substitute of sugar.

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Morus alba

Pistacia vera

Caparis spinosa

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Just after lunch, we meet a local archeologist and are kindly invited to visit Villa Reimann, a private garden opened to the public by appointment. The garden is strongly linked to the history of its old owner Christiane Reimann, who was an emancipated and independent Danish-born woman who moved to a southern country, far and foreign in origin, but became her actual home in time. The villa dates back to 1881, originally named Villa Fegotto, and became definitely owned by Lady Reimann in 1936, after unplesant and protracted legal matters started years before. Lady Reinmann took much care of the garden’s botanical assets, expanding its planting, enriching exotic plant collections and unearthing interesting archeological remains. Villa Reinmann was an important reference point during the World War II by giving support to the Red Cross, hosting tens of refugees and being converted into Allies force settlement. In such troubled times, Christiane Reimann never left her home and tried, while in great difficulty, to keep the garden alive. Since 1979, Villa Reinmann has been a public garden owned by the Municipality of Siracuse, after Lady Reinmann left in her will with specific research and scientific culture aims; today, it houses the headquarters of the Archimedes University Consortium.In line with the Mediterranean style, the garden has terraces at different levels including citrus groves and an Italian formal garden next to the villa. The entrance path to the garden finds its way through the orchardm lined by limestone herms in Greek classic style. The formal garden includes geometric beds varying in shape and size with flowering or evergreen hedges. Stone benches, decorative pots and fountains are ornamental features in the garden. A wooden gazebo stands out in this area on a high natural stone base that offers breathtaking views of the close archeological park. Remains of the Greek necropolis are also present, including some

The wooden gazebo

The view from there

Lemon trees

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Byzantine tombs and part of Latomie, the system of limestone caves once used to buil the Greek city. The garden hosts several majestic botanic specimens, many Mediterranean plants and exotics, some of which quite rare and unusual in the Sicilian gardens, such as Synadenium grantii (African milk bush), Ficus lyrata (Fiddle-leaf fig), Casimoroa edulis (White sapote), Syzigium cumini (Java plum). There is a selection of palms, noteworthy of which are Jubea chilensis and Sabal palmetto. A large collection of cacti and succulents can also be found in the garden and these include many species of Opuntia, Cereus, Euphorbia, Aloe, Aeonium, Dasylirion. The orchard hosts hundreds of citrus trees, consisting of oranges, lemons and tangerines, managed and improved by Lady Reinmann herself who established old local cultivars, such as the distinctive “Femminnello” of Syracuse for lemons.

Varieties of citrus

To identify The island of Ortigia joined to the mainland of Siracusa by two bridges, is a fascinating web of ancient buildings and narrow streets with two main piazzas buzzing with an assortment of bars and cafes; after the walking tour your will have to afternoon to explore the city on your own.

Roman ruins in Ortigia

Public pool filled with Cyperus papyrifera

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Choice of Nerium oleander along the city street. Nick is not very convinced about it. The plant is very poisonous and potentially dangerous for childrens. I add, it also requires same maintenance because of the several shoots coming up during the growing season. Nerium is a monospecific genus, a relict from the pre-Mediterannean climate.

Nerium oleander as small street tree Tuesday 7th May Sunny and warm. Dry. Temperatures around 25 °C. This morning we depart Siracusa for Marchesi Di San Giuliano (Villasmundo) where we will be given a tour by Head Gardener, Rachel Lamb. The estate of San Giuliano has been owned by the family of the Marquis Paternò Castello di San Giuliano for over 800 years. Situated between Catania and Siracusa, with Mount Etna in the distance, the land is very fertile and cultivated mainly with citrus trees species, mostly orange, but also lemon, lime, red grapefruit, mandarin, Nova clementine and bitter orange. The first orange trees were planted here around 1800 as it was found that this region of Sicily was particularly suited to the cultivation of Blood Oranges, which are unique to this area. The San Giuliano farm covers around 55 hectares, 50 of which are dedicated to growing varieties of citrus fruit. There are also ancient groves of Sicilian species of olives and nut trees. The estate has for many years and continues to use traditional organic farming methods with insect pests being controlled by beneficial insect predators known as biological control. The estate has a small farm kitchen producing marmalades and biscuits following family recipes, using only fresh fruit from the estate. Products are found in selected shops all over the world. The garden has been planted to contain many exotic species including palms, yuccas, agaves and fragrant shrubs and is laid out around the old house and farm buildings with extensive views of the citrus groves and Etna beyond. Fantastic mix of styles and influences. Sicilian plants, Arab water infrastructures, British planting. It was first born as a farm house garden.

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The beautiful gate to the courtyard

Giulio Veronese, Nick Wray, Sergio Cumitini

Exotic borders

Exotic borders

Bamboo planting on the main lawn

Borders

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Ancient Arabic Well surrounded by palms

Avenue to the fields Melianthus major (when rubbed, leaves can leave in the finger a peanut butter flavour) Phytolacca dioica Stenotraphrom secundatum (gramignola) with Acetosella underneath Festuca glauca under Yucca elephantipides Jacaranda planted in a far corner of the garden, creating a nice blue carpet but not invading the main lawn. Shinus mollis with an underplanting of ferns. S. Mollis is edible but is better do not exagerate. Murraya paniculata (see photo) Dripping system around the Ficus magnolioides branches, in order to keep the plant fresh and avoid to much leaves loss. Brahea edulis (syn. B. eritra??) is another palm attacked by the red weevil of palms. Doct. Metwaly fro Egypt seems to have find a cure for it. Way for sowing capers is stick thei seed capsules into fig fruits. Then put everything in poor soil or crevices. Wingardia caracasana. Not very friendly to prune: can irritate the skin.

Head gardener Rachel Lamb and Nick Wray

Giulio Veronese and Nick Wray

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After a light lunch we travel to Contrada Case Biviere Villa Borghese, Lentini where will we tour the gardens with the owner Princess Borghese. Legend states that it was here that Hercules, a son of Jupiter's, offered the hide of the Nemean lion he had defeated to Ceres, goddess of agriculture, and had a lake built, 'Lacus Erculeus', which owes its name to him. At a later date this same lake was to be called 'Beverè' by the Arabs, meaning ‘watering place for flocks and fish hatchery’. The Palermo State Archives house the original document of King Marino's Edict (1392) documenting that the feud going by the name of 'Il Biviere di Lentini' was granted to one of the maternal ancestors of the present owners, Principe Scipione Borghese and his wife, Princess Maria Carla Borghese in 1968. Reclaimed in the thirties to combat malaria, the lake was deserted by fishers and hunters alike and the house fell derelict. The house was restored and the garden created by Princess Maria Carla Borghese, who restored the house and created a truly unique Mediterranean garden out of the former lake shore. Lush palms, blue Jacaranda, yellow flowering of Parkinsonia aculeata, old roses intertwining with the Yucca’s and a remarkable collection of succulents flanking the old harbour wall of the antique port make for a remarkable garden with some very fine specimen plants. Since 1968, under the nurturing hand of its last owners, Scipione and Maria Carla Borghese, the barren land was changed into a flourish Mediterranean garden, which wonderfully combines the historical value of the area with the extraordinary beauty of plants and nature. Memories of the past are still kept alive within the old stone quays of the harbor, the guest-house and the chapel of St. Andrew patron of fishermen, all of which are architectural features as attractive as uncommon in a garden. There is a large collection of plants, including yuccas, palms, olives, acacias, pines, big poplar trees, jacarandas, and many other exotics of great ornamental value. The garden comprises three levels naturally sloping with fully covered lawns and no paths or borders. The stone piers have become attractive rock gardens hosting a sizeable collection of succulents, very rich in specimens and variety of plants. A selection of Agave, Aloe, Opuntia, Mammillaria, Echeveria, Euphorbia, Pachypodium, Yucca, Xanthorrhea, Dasylirion thrive well outdoors and exhibit their amazing shapes and flowers. Where there had previously been a harbour, today green lawns host huge specimens of Yucca elephantipes (spineless yucca) like boats at anchor. Remarkable is the collection of Bignoniaceae. Apart from Tecoma stan and Bignonia capreolata, there is a fantastic specimen of Tabebuia ipe (the American bignonia). There are also roses and flowering herbs and shrubs.

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The main lawn in front of the house

Parkinsonia aculeata

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Lodoicea maldavica (coco de mer) world’ largest seed

Salvia africana

The collection of succulents

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Tabuleia ipe

Plumbago

To identify

Capparis spinosa

Bench with a remarkable Cereus specimen

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From Contrada Case Biviere Villa Borghese we will then transfer to the Donna Carmela where we will stay for our remaining 3 nights. Donna Carmela is a luxury boutique hotel owned and set amid Faro Piante the largest Mediterranean plant nursery in Europe. This 19th-century Sicilian house has been expertly refurbished to create a contemporary hotel with a calm and classy feel. From the house extensive views fan out to the Medieterranean sea to the East and Mount Etna to the West. Piante Faro's Mediterranean plant nurseries whose plants have been used to plant up the hotel garden make this area a spectacular place.

Faro Piante nurseries (first terminal)

Horticultural display at Donna Carmela Wednesday 08th May Cloudy, dry. Temperatures around 20 °C. This morning we depart for Catania Botanic Gardens for a private tour. The Botanical Garden of Catania University is one of the few historic gardens found in the heart of the city. In 1858 today's garden was established by Benedectine monks and Professor Francesco Roccaforte Tornabene, with first plantings in 1862 of specimens obtained from other botanical gardens in Sweden, France, Naples, and Palermo. Originally on the outskirts the Botanic Garden has been enveloped into the city and provides a green oasis in a dense built up suburb. The garden is divided into two main sections: the Hortus Generalis (13,000 m²) which collects mainly exotic plants and the Hortus Siculus (3000 m²) which cultivates Sicilian species. The Hortus Generalis is divided into squares, set off by limestone steps, with two small greenhouses for succulents, a tropical greenhouse used primarily for the cultivation of palms from seed and for cultivation of exotic plants including many economic plants, and three circular tanks for aquatic plants. The general garden has a symmetrical layout consisting of geometric flower beds marked by orthagonal paths, paved with a traditional geometric pattern of black and white pebbles. The collection of palms and succulents are amongs the most valued in the garde and are well renowned for their rich botanical diversity. Other attractive collections include those of the cycads, frangipanes, water plants, medicinal plants and many monumental trees. The Hortus Siculus is divided into narrow rectangular flower beds bordered with lava stone, containing plants arranged by family. The garden grows many fine specimens of cacti, succulents and palms and has spectacular neoclassical administration buildings at its centre.

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The Sicilian Garden provides a good rapresentation of the main natural landscapes in Sicily, and is devoted to plant conservation. Sandy dunes, evergreen wood, Mediterrenean maquis, rocky terrain, and artificial ponds allow wild flora to develop naturally and feature both common and rare or threatened Sicilian species, which are here provided with an adequate site of conservation. In the early 1900s the Sicilian Garden was further enhanced by creation of the Giardino Botanico Nuova Gussonea on Mount Etna for cultivation of native mountain plants. The Tepidarium is a big was glasshouse that showcases several species of tropical plants, including delicate palms, orhids and bromeliads; it was recently rebuilt the same as the nineteenth-century one destroyed by booming in the II World War.

Main building

Hortus generalis

Tropical pond in the Hortus generalis

Hortus siculus

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Marsilea quadrifoliata

Marsilea quadrifoliata

Heliconia pendula

Dioon edule

Nick Wray and Zelkova sicula

Zelkova sicula

Zelkova sicula

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Catania’s historic centre and market.

Beautiful fountan in Catania centre square

Catania market

Stunning cauliflowers

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Afterwards we visit the garden at Il Giardino di Villa Trinita for a tour. Villa Trinita is located on a rural estate in Mascalucia which has belonged to the Bonajuto family for at least eight generations. The garden is full of native and exotic species; agavae, plams, aloes, strawberry trees and pomegranates. The garden has many artifacts incluiding raised terracotta ‘saje’ for irrigating orchards and ‘gebbia’ for collectiong water devised by ancient Arab culture.

the owener Salvatore Bonajuto

original Arabic irrigation system

an impressive well and irisis in the foreground

Tree features

A reinvented Philippe Stark’s sofa

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Ippolito Pizzetti Mallo di Mandorle (see photo) Ceratostonia siluquastrum has male, female and ermaphrodite flowers. Quite special plant. Quercus pubescens (Ita common is Roverella) Celtis australis or C. aetenensis in the picture??? Geranium maderanensis (endangerad now in the Canary Islands. It should be planted in the shade) Dahlia imperialis (up to three meters!!!) Saia is the ancient Arab irrigation system; the one here wa built only 50 years ago. Gebbia is the other Arabic word Use of the beautiful Loropetalum chinensis in the allotment. We have lunch at the Villa befor we travel north to Villa Manganelli Biscari at Viagrande. Covering nearly five acres this histroic garden of the Princes Manganelli Biscari contains many elements of its original neoclassical design. Typical of an eighteenth century Scilian garden in the French Renaisssance style, full of classism, baroque theatre and botanical exuberance. The Villa as seen today is the result of modidifications by the Milanese architect Carlo Sada of floral Art Nouveau. The garden contains many fine trees and shrubs and beautiful buildings some adapted and modified by the present owner.

Villa Manganelli Biscari (internet database)

Villa Manganelli Biscari (internet database)

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Thursday 9th May Warm, sunny day. Temperatures around 23 °C. Misty and windy on the Mount Etna. Temperatures around 5 °C. After breafast we will leave the hotel for a tour of Mount Etna. Leavinging the motorway we drive up the Etna Sud road through a continuously changing landscape of trees, lava flows and endemic plants. Passing through the charming little villages of Santa Venerina and Zafferana Etnea we start climbing the slopes. Approaching the summit, the Mediterranean garrigue gradually gives place to a typical temperate Mediterranean forest. Soil here is known to be incredibly fertile and rich in nutrients and minerals. The Mount Etna generates its own microclimate. Ferns are present as well as deciduous shrubs and trees. It’s probably our first time during this trip noticing ferns. Pinus nigra var. maritima (subsp. Mauritio????), Quercus ilex (the most common oak in the Mediterranean), Rubus ssp., Genista aeteniensis. It’s interesting to notice how the plants colonize the lava slopes. Genista and Centranthus are pioneers. Leguminosae also help to fix the necessary nitrogen for the next stage, when Fraxinus ornus and Quercus ssp. take place. Climbing up we see Anthemis aetnensis and Eryssimum bonnanium. Also many endemic flowers now. As we climb further we leave the deciduous trees and shrubs area and we gradually enter in the sub-alpine zone. The last vegetative forms able to survive the altitude and the severous conditions are cushion plants. This form is actually a very successful strategy in this kind of extreme environment. More wind resistance. We record: Scleratus aetnensis, Viola alba sub. denhardii, V. aetnesis, V. bertolonii sub. messanensis.

Mount Etna peak

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Finally we reach Rifugio Sapienza. Upon arrival we will visit the area of Crateri Silvestri (about 2,000m or 6.000 ft) and see the effects of recent eruptions. From Rifugio Sapienza we join an organized excursion (over two hours) to the top. We first take a cable car ride (enclosed gondala) for a further 500 meters. Here we can admire superb views of Catania and and the sea, walk to the Piccolo Rifugio or have a snack or a drink at the café. The more adventurous can further take a 4x4 drive to reach the summit at 2,900 meters where Alpine guides escort people on foot to places of interest. After a quick brunch we start declimbing the slopes. We stop three times to botanise the area and observe the changes of environment and flora. First stop (sub-alpine zone)

Succession of vegetative colonization: a) cushion, b) mats, c) conifers Plant recorded: Astragalus siculus Grasses Linum Eryssimum Leguminosae Anthimis ssp. Rumex scutesus var. aetnensis Unidentified Compositae plant (see flat seed cap)

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Cushion plants

Astragalus siculus Second Stop (200meters circa below) Few deciduous and evergreens trees and shrubs. Also brambles. Quercus pubescens, Lathyrus (with variation in colour), Orobanche sp., still many Eryssimum, Carlina nebrodensis, Scleranthus perennis sub. vulcanicus, Silene vulgaris (syn. S. sicula) – the catch fly plant (it sticks your finger if touched), Anthimus aetnensis (white flowering, daisy-like plant), Centranthus.

Anthimus aetnensis and Orobanche sp.

Anthimus aetnensis

Scleranthus perennis sub. vulcanicus (double check)

Silene vulgaris (syn. S. sicula)

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Third Stop (Mediterranean garrigue)

The third site botanised Brooms (Spartium junceum and Calicotome infesta) Scrophularia sp. Echium vulgare var. pustulatum Brisa maxima (quaking grass) Anchusa (one of the best blue flowering plant we’ve seen) Trifollium Gallium aetnicum Inula Ferns (Cyopteris and Asplenium spp) Tamus communis Cineraria sp. Isatis tinctoria var. canescens Asphodeline lutea

Brooms, echiums, grasses

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To identify

Brisa maxima

Calicotome infesta

To identify

Anchusa

One more photo here

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Smirnium perfoliatum

Gallium aetnicum

Muscari sp.

Cineraria sp.

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Faro Piante Nurseries. Giuseppe Scannella is the building architect responsible for the works of the Show Room of Faro Piante. The area enjoy a fantastic natural soil and microclimate (minimum temperatures are 6-7 °C). The soft landscaping project is by Faro Piante itself. It was born as a family business. 400 hectares of nurseries. Divided in four terminals. Demonstration area outside (Santolina, tree ferns)

Faro Piante Nurseris

Faro Piante Nurseries

Faro Piante (Archontophoenix alexandrae on the left)

Archontophoenix alexandrae

Faro Piante

Agave nursery

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Friday 10th May Warm, Sunny, dry. Temperatures around 22 °C.

Dawn on the Mount Etna slopes This morning we check out of the hotel and travel to Taormina to visit Greek theatre, then visit private garden Casa Cuseni. The most remarkable monument remaining at Taormina is the ancient theatre the teatro greco, or "Greek theatre", which is one of the most celebrated ruins in Sicily, on account both of its remarkable preservation and of the surpassing beauty of its situation. It is built for the most part of brick, and is therefore probably of Roman date, though the plan and arrangement are in accordance with those of Greek, rather than Roman, theatres. The present structure was rebuilt upon the foundations of an older theatre of the Greek period. With a diameter of 120 metres (after an expansion in the 2nd century), this theatre is the second largest of its kind in Sicily (after that of Siracusa); it is frequently used for operatic and theatrical performances and for concerts. From the fragments of architectural decorations still visible illustrating theatre is of the Corinthian order, and richly ornamented. Some portions of a temple are also visible, converted into the church of San Pancrazio.

Taormina

The Greek Theatre of Taormina

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Next we travel to Casa Cuseni. Created by Robert Hawthorn Kitson in 1873-1947, who visited Sicily for health reasons and decided to stay. The house and garden built into the hillside are testiment to his professional skill as an engineer. It represents an outstanding example from a short period when British domestic designs were a great influence in Europe, and when Italy had taken up the style Liberty for her own use. The house built on a series of small terraces has dramatic views over Etna, the bay of Naxos and the roof tops of Taormina. Combining Renaisance elements mixed with Rococo sense of fun. A rich profusion of plants are planted onto each terrace originally carved from the rock by local women to cultivate almonds. Casa Cuseni, with its gardens, furniture and paintings is a Casa Museo, a significant contribution to Italian architectural design which has uniquely maintained its associations with the arts in England and Italy at the beginning of this century. The House was Robert Kitson's primary residence for forty years, and represented part of his devotion to Taormina. A sign of his evaluation in the town was the urgent request for his return to the Commune after Second World War, when he was appointed President of the Commission established to supervise the reconstruction of the bomb-damaged town. That the Corso and piazza of old Taormina still preserve so many of their historic features, which Kitson's own art celebrated can be attributed to his influence and great contribution to the town.

Casa Cuseni

Casa Cuseni

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Vine Pergola

The way to the secret garden

the Secret Garden

Pebbled patio by the fountain

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Contained display of succulents (Crassula arborescens, Senecio ficoides, Aeonium arboretum “Swartzkop”)

Stunning Coleonema

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APPENDICES Glossary Alpine flora: includes plant species that inhabit mountains or the Alps in particular, above the

tree-line (i.e. 6560-7220 ft / 2000-2200 m). High-mountain flora: when referring to plant species that grow at very high altitudes. Mountain (montane) flora: refers to plants whose natural home is the montane zone (1500-

2000 m in the middle latitudes). They are usually well-forested. Macchie (Garrigue, Maquis): a scattered or dense community of evergreen shrubs and small

trees, usually 1-3 m height in the Mediterranean Regions. Phrygana: a more open community of dwarf evergreen shrubs, which allows smaller plant

and bulbous species to flourish. Grazing maintains this habitat. Oak scrub: this is a type of Phrygana where dominant tree is Quercus species such as

Quercus coccifera, Q. petraea, Q. libani, Q. infectoria. Serpentine: a dull green or dark reddish rock which, because of its mineral content, supports

little but often interesting vegetation. Steppe: dry, open grassland, often dominated by plants that are resistant to grazing. Endemism: the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an

island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type. The extreme opposite of endemism is cosmopolitan distribution.

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REFERENCES Bibliography Flowers of the Mediterranean, Oleg Polunin and Anthony Huxley, 1990 Redwood Burn. Mediterranean Wild Flowers, Maryorie Blamey and Christopher Grey-Wilson, 1993 HarperCollins. Piante rare della Sicilia. Testi e immagini di 500 entità endemiche e rare dell’Isola e dei territori limitrofi, Girolamo Giardina, 2010 Università degli Studi di Palermo. Pomelia Felicissima. Storia, botanica e coltivazione della Plumeria a Palermo, A. Carapezza P. Puccio M. Speciale, 2005 Kalós. Giardini Mediterranei tra Sicilia e Malta, AAVV, 2012 Morrone Editore. Il Giardino di Villa Malfitano, AAVV, 1995 Fondazione Giuseppe Whitaker. Il Giardino della Kolymbeta, AAVV, 2012 FAI. Faro Nurseries Catalogue. Thinking Green, Growing Green, 2013 Faro.

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PLANT INDEX Numbers in Italic type indicates the entries Numbers in Bold type indicates the illustrations. …. …. ….