Italy: Hanbury Gardens - an Englishman's exotic dream
The Italian Riviera dei Fiori (Flower Riviera) could not have a more symbolic start. At only 3 km from the French border the Giardini Botanici Hanbury await the visitor, probably the most beautiful botanical gardens of the Italian and French Riviera combined. They are spread out over Capo Mortola, the Cape of Mortola. It is the continuation of the mountain range between France and Italy, where the Alps reach the Mediterranean Sea: an ideal protection against the northern winds. That's why Thomas Hanbury and his German garden architect Ludwig Winter succeeded so well in the acclimatization of exotic species. But not only the botanical riches, also the design, the buildings and the sea view add to the beauty of this Gesamtkunstwerk.
The Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28952] The Giardini Botanici Hanbury are the vision of an Englishman, who dreams of The South, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. The villa is the beacon that always pops up when you get lost, amid a successful symbiosis between local, Mediterranean plants and exotics, which have acclimatized well over 150 years. Photo Paul Smit.
The Slave (sculpture, Hanbury Gardens).
[ITALY.LIGURIA 29005] Sculpture of a female slave in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens. The white marble sculpture can be found in the opening of a cave above the Dragon Fountain and comes from the school of the Italian sculptor Antonio Canova. Photo Paul Smit.
Agaves in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28955] Agave plants with the Hanbury villa and the Mediterranean in the background. In 1867, the German landscape architect Ludwig Winter came to the Riviera and met the Englishman Thomas Hanbury, who had become rich with imports of tea and silk from India and China. He absolutely loved Capo Mortola, had acquired the ruin of the 16th century palazzo on the cape and gradually managed to get his hands on the 18 hectares of agricultural land around it. Winter was allowed to transform it into a series of gardens, where Thomas, together with his brother Daniel, pharmacologist and botanist, started acclimatizing exotic plants, including medicinal varieties. The gardens soon gained fame and are the origin of the current Giardini Botanici Hanbury. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Aloes in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 29009] Aliens have landed? No, just aloes catching the last sunlight of the day in the Giardini Botanici Hanbury near Ventimiglia. When the leaves are older, they turn red. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28954] The Hanbury villa and gardens seen from above with the Four Seasons Temple in the foreground. The Giardini Botanici Hanbury are the vision of an Englishman, who dreams of The South, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. The villa is the beacon that always pops up when you get lost, amid a successful symbiosis between local, Mediterranean plants and exotics, which have acclimatized well over 150 years. Photo Paul Smit.
Two visitors in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 30860] The Hanbury villa and Gardens seen from above with the Four Seasons Temple in the foreground. In the foreground Agave attenuata (Foxtail agave) can be seen. The Giardini Botanici Hanbury are the vision of an Englishman, who dreams of The South, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. The villa is the beacon that always pops up when you get lost, amid a successful symbiosis between local, Mediterranean plants and exotics, which have acclimatized well over 150 years. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Two visitors in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 30864] The Hanbury villa and Gardens seen from above with the Four Seasons Temple in the foreground. The Giardini Botanici Hanbury are the vision of an Englishman, who dreams of The South, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. The villa is the beacon that always pops up when you get lost, amid a successful symbiosis between local, Mediterranean plants and exotics, which have acclimatized well over 150 years. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Two visitors in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 30863] The Hanbury villa and Gardens seen from above, with two women looking at the Four Seasons Temple. In the foreground Agave attenuata (Foxtail agave) can be seen. The Giardini Botanici Hanbury are the vision of an Englishman, who dreams of The South, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. The villa is the beacon that always pops up when you get lost, amid a successful symbiosis between local, Mediterranean plants and exotics, which have acclimatized well over 150 years. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Different cactus species near the Hanbury villa.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28958] Different cactus species in front of the Hanbury villa. The globular cacti are Echinocactus grusonii. Funnily enough, the cactus is called "mother-in-law's cushion" in English. In 1867, the German landscape architect Ludwig Winter came to the Riviera and met the Englishman Thomas Hanbury, who had become rich with imports of tea and silk from India and China. He absolutely loved Capo Mortola, had acquired the ruin of the 16th century palazzo on the cape and gradually managed to get his hands on the 18 hectares of agricultural land around it. Winter was allowed to transform it into a series of gardens, where Thomas, together with his brother Daniel, pharmacologist and botanist, started acclimatizing exotic plants, including medicinal varieties. The gardens soon gained fame and are the origin of the current Giardini Botanici Hanbury. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
View from the loggia of the Hanbury villa.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 30866] Two women enjoying the sea view from the loggia of the Hanbury villa. In 1867 Sir Thomas Hanbury bought the 16th century Palazzo Orengo and added the West wing which has an elegant loggia. The mansion and its surrounding gardens (the Giardini Botanici Hanbury) are located on a cape (Cape Mortola) between Ventimiglia in Italy and Menton in France. Photo Paul Smit.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28961] In 1867 Sir Thomas Hanbury bought the 16th century Palazzo Orengo and added the West wing which has an elegant loggia. The mansion and its surrounding gardens (the Giardini Botanici Hanbury) are located on a cape (Cape Mortola) between Ventimiglia in Italy and Menton in France. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28963] In 1867 Sir Thomas Hanbury bought the 16th century Palazzo Orengo and added the West wing which has an elegant loggia. The mansion and its surrounding gardens (the Giardini Botanici Hanbury) are located on a cape (Cape Mortola) between Ventimiglia in Italy and Menton in France. Photo Paul Smit.
Loggia and terrace of the Hanbury villa.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28965] In 1867 Sir Thomas Hanbury bought the 16th century Palazzo Orengo and added the West wing which has an elegant loggia. The mansion and its surrounding gardens (the Giardini Botanici Hanbury) are located on a cape (Cape Mortola) between Ventimiglia in Italy and Menton in France. Photo Paul Smit.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28960] In 1867 Sir Thomas Hanbury bought the 16th century Palazzo Orengo and added the West wing which has an elegant loggia. The mansion and its surrounding gardens (the Giardini Botanici Hanbury) are located on Cape Mortola between Ventimiglia in Italy and Menton in France. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Moorish Kiosk in the Hanbury Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 30869] The Moorish Kiosk in the Giardini Botanici Hanbury is an orientalized mausoleum built in 1886 by the architect Pio Soli. It holds the ashes of Thomas Hanbury, founder of the Hanbury Gardens on the Riviera dei Fiori near Ventimiglia. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Garden lovers in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 30871] Two women talking about flowers in the Hanbury Gardens, with the sea and Ventimiglia in the background. Photo Paul Smit.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28953] The Hanbury villa and gardens seen from above with the Four Seasons Temple in the foreground. The Giardini Botanici Hanbury are the vision of an Englishman, who dreams of The South, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. The villa is the beacon that always pops up when you get lost, amid a successful symbiosis between local, Mediterranean plants and exotics, which have acclimatized well over 150 years. Photo Paul Smit.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28956] The Hanbury villa above the Mediterranean. Next to it stands a tall Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii) from Australia. Photo Paul Smit.
Two visitors in the Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 30861] The Hanbury villa and Gardens seen from above, with two women looking at the Four Seasons Temple. In the foreground Agave attenuata (Foxtail agave) can be seen. The Giardini Botanici Hanbury are the vision of an Englishman, who dreams of The South, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. The villa is the beacon that always pops up when you get lost, amid a successful symbiosis between local, Mediterranean plants and exotics, which have acclimatized well over 150 years. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
The Hanbury Botanical Gardens.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 30862] The Hanbury villa and Gardens seen from above with the Four Seasons Temple in the foreground. The Giardini Botanici Hanbury are the vision of an Englishman, who dreams of The South, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. The villa is the beacon that always pops up when you get lost, amid a successful symbiosis between local, Mediterranean plants and exotics, which have acclimatized well over 150 years. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Different cactus species near the Hanbury villa.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28957] Different cactus species in front of the Hanbury villa. The globular cacti are Echinocactus grusonii. Funnily enough, the cactus is called "mother-in-law's cushion" in English. In 1867, the German landscape architect Ludwig Winter came to the Riviera and met the Englishman Thomas Hanbury, who had become rich with imports of tea and silk from India and China. He absolutely loved Capo Mortola, had acquired the ruin of the 16th century palazzo on the cape and gradually managed to get his hands on the 18 hectares of agricultural land around it. Winter was allowed to transform it into a series of gardens, where Thomas, together with his brother Daniel, pharmacologist and botanist, started acclimatizing exotic plants, including medicinal varieties. The gardens soon gained fame and are the origin of the current Giardini Botanici Hanbury. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28959] Echinocactus grusonii is a globular cactus species, originally from Mexico but here photographed in the Giardini Botanici Hanbury (Hanbury Botanical Gardens) near Ventimiglia. It has several English names: golden barrel cactus, golden ball and, funnily enough, mother-in-law's cushion. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 30865] Two women enjoying the sea view from the loggia of the Hanbury villa. In 1867 Sir Thomas Hanbury bought the 16th century Palazzo Orengo and added the West wing which has an elegant loggia. The mansion and its surrounding gardens (the Giardini Botanici Hanbury) are located on a cape (Cape Mortola) between Ventimiglia in Italy and Menton in France. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28962] A couple is taking a picture of the sea view from the loggia of the Hanbury villa. In 1867 Sir Thomas Hanbury bought the 16th century Palazzo Orengo and added the West wing which has an elegant loggia. The mansion and its surrounding gardens (the Giardini Botanici Hanbury) are located on a cape (Cape Mortola) between Ventimiglia in Italy and Menton in France. Photo Paul Smit.
View from the loggia of the Hanbury villa.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 28964] A woman is enjoying the sea view from the loggia of the Hanbury villa. In 1867 Sir Thomas Hanbury bought the 16th century Palazzo Orengo and added the West wing which has an elegant loggia. The mansion and its surrounding gardens (the Giardini Botanici Hanbury) are located on a cape (Cape Mortola) between Ventimiglia in Italy and Menton in France. Photo Paul Smit.