HOMES & GARDENS
The Italian
garden “Queen of delights” of the villa
By Fiamma Domestici
In the heart of Chianti, in Poggio Torselli is one of the most beautiful private gardens of Italy: lemon, rose, peony and jasmine are crowned by an ornamental vegetable garden.
I believe instills in their hearts distillation of beauty.” Dahlias, callas, Japanese anemones, begonias, geraniums Paris, marigolds, tulips, peonies, hydrangeas, pansies, salvia farinaceous, swamp hibiscus, bluebells, also snapdragons, jasmine, Japanese, Bergen, verbena, rincosperum. These are just some of the infinite variety of flowers in the garden, which also houses 130 lemon trees (including cedar, bitter orange, bergamot, papad of Mauritius) and a wide selection of roses with time honoured names: Old Blush, Alistair Stella Gray,
M.me Alfred Carriere, Narrow Water, Gloire de Dijon, Celine Forestiere,
M.me Pierre de Ronsard, etc. The flower beds are equipped with a rare
T
he ‘ house of delight ‘or’ Queen of the villas’ as it was called in past centuries and the
gardens of Villa Poggio Torselli, a magnificent stately home just outside San Casciano, are surrounded by an infinite expanse of olive groves and vineyards and accessed by a monumental avenue of cypresses. Until 1722 the residence was related to
the distinguished families of Corsini, Strozzi, Antinori, Capponi and Orlandini. In 1998 the property was bought by the antiquarian Gianfranco Luzzetti, and with passion and devotion, he put his hand to a careful
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restoration of the park and gardens with the assistance of the historic landscape gardener, Ada Segre. “The work lasted six years and I uncovered
the original plan from the eighteenth century architect Merlini , who was responsible for building a large and spectacular Italian garden,” says Luzzetti, a Florentine gentleman and serious gardener: “The gardens are enclaves, natural museums that we should seek to preserve and defend . One of my greatest satisfactions is to read the joy in the eyes of people who come to visit this garden, which
plant irrigation ditch , one of the best preserved in Tuscany, with tubs carved in stone, placed in a series with gradients that are designed to facilitate the flow of water from the highest point to lowest. In the space below the garden it is possible to admire an ornamental garden designed with a perfectly harmonious blend of vegetables and flowers (artichokes and irises, roses and olive trees).
INFORMATION: To book your visit: Poggio Torselli Rd Scopeti 10- 50026 San Casciano VP (FI)
poggiotorselli@telematicaitalia.it
Tel: +39 055 8290241 Fax: +30 055 829077
www.poggiotorselli.it
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