Gardens in Italy – Many people think Italy has the best gardens in the world.

The gardens of Italy are amongst some of the world’s great treasures.

I have visited many beautiful gardens in many countries, however, my favourite are the spectacular gardens of Italy; especially the Mediterranean gardens.

Yet, I have visited stunning residential gardens in many different parts of Italy; From the Amalfi Coast, to the Adriatic Coast to the lakes in the north and also on the Italian Riviera coastal area. This journey from the North to the very south of Italy takes you through many picturesque landscapes and gardens.

What makes these gardens in Italy so spectacular? I put it down to the weather and probably the good rich Italian soil. The beautiful fresh produce that they grow is testimony to this.

Beautiful gardens are everywhere in Italy. They include the casual to the formal to the very dramatic. We do not necessarily need to visit the formal gardens that are on show from Napoli to Lago Maggiore to experience the extravagance of the thousands of gardens. These gardens can be in the form of little village gardens, beautifully displayed hanging pot plants, medieval gardens, renaissance gardens, botanical gardens and early baroque gardens.

There are magnificent gardens in the private villas, some of which I have visited in the Tuscan hills, Stresa (Isola Bella) and Rome.

I have wandered through sleepy little villages that look so proud with their gorgeous little gardens and hanging pots of colour.  And don’t forget the residential vegetable gardens which often are a work of art in their own way.

I try to create some of these beautiful gardens back here in Australia however living in the sub-tropics is not necessarily conducive to Mediterranean gardens as our humidity is too high.

I do however have a small Mediterranean garden which is designed around an olive tree and includes rosemary, basil, lavender, geraniums and Bougainvillea.  I call this my very own little piece of Italy.