Gardens of the Italian Lakes [antikvár]

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The great lakes of northern Italy - Como, Maggiore, and Garda - are among the loveliest of European settings. The villas built along their shores or on their islands have served as fashionable seasonal dwellings for generations of Italians from Pliny to D'Annunzio - and, in the last centuries, have drawn travelers from around the world. The character of these lakeside gardens is unlike any found elsewhere in the country. Planted primarily as appendages to summer or spring retreats, the glorious floral displays of Villa d'Este, Isola Madre, Villa Bettoni, or Villa Carlotta differ from the typically green, year-round Tuscan gardens or those in southern, drier climates. The rugged terrain, which descends often steeply to the water, has also contributed to the unique nature of the gardens, giving them a somewhat eccentric look, like that of Isola Bella, which rises eerily from the morning mist like a ghost ship. Space limitations have precluded the Classic Italian garden plan of the Renaissance from this lake region. Instead, gardens on the lakes are positioned where space is available, often terraced to take advantage of spectacular views of the lakes and surrounding mountains.