Page 176 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italian Riviera

174  THE IT ALIAN RIVIER A AREA B Y AREA

z Hanbury Botanical Gardens

This splendid botanical garden was founded in 1867 by Sir
Thomas Hanbury, a rich English businessman, and his brother
Daniel, a botanist, with the help of the eminent German
botanist, Ludovico Winter. Sir Thomas was passionate about
Liguria, and saw the opportunity that its warm climate
provided: the exotic plants that he brought back from his
travels, particularly those from hot, dry areas such as
Southern Africa and Mexico, he was able to acclimatize to
co-exist with the local flora. By 1898, the garden included
more than 7,000 plant species. The gardens were left to decay
during much of the 20th century but are now being coaxed Agave
back to their former glory by the University of Genoa. Aloes and agaves, particular
favourites of Sir Thomas, are
planted among the rocks to
. Dragon Fountain re-create the desert habitat
Encircled by papyruses from which they originate.
(warm-climate plants
which have acclimatized
well here), this fountain
has an ancient and rather
mysterious air. Sitting on
the rim is a dragon, an
echo of Sir Thomas’s
beloved Far East.

Temple of the
Four Seasons
This is one of many temples
that Sir Thomas had built
around the gardens, in
line with late 19th-century
taste. Its classical style is
evocative of an Italian
Renaissance garden.

KEY
1 The Viale dei Cipressi
(avenue of cypresses) is one
of the most charming parts of 0 metres
the garden, with its lines of tall 50
trees, a familiar sight in the 0 yards 50
Italian countryside.

For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp182–3 and pp194–7

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