Villa Fogazzaro

Visiting the garden of Villa Fogazzaro is an exciting journey into a genuine literary garden. It belonged to the mother of the poet and writer Antonio Fogazzaro from Vicenza (1842- 1911). He spent a great deal of time here, referenced it in many of his works and made it a setting for his best-known NOVEL, The Little World of the Past (1895).

In one of his short stories, Fogazzaro describes the property as a little VILLA washed by WAVES at the foot of a mountain decked in OLIVE trees, VINES and laurel too emphasizing the importance of the landscape around it. The late Marchese Giuseppe Roi (Fogazzaro's great-grandson), who GAVE the VILLA to FAI – Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano – likewise noted how important the natural setting is for such a small garden, whose beauty are enhanced by its lakeside location.

As Roi saw it, the mountains in the background are part of the spell it casts: a theatrical backdrop with colours that change with the seasons, time of day, weather condi- tions. The best description of the garden's layout is GIVEN by Fogazzaro in The Little World of the Past: “the house was bordered to the west, on the VILLAGE side, by a hanging garden on two LEVELS, to the east, on the church side, by a small terrace supported on pillars which framed a square of church land“.

Credit goes to Marchese Roi for keeping Fogazzaro's garden unchanged. Given the garden's small size, great care has always been taken to maintain its internal order, the balance of lines and colours, to which every plant must adhere: climbing plants, citrus trees, palm trees, cypresses, annual plants. There is also a terrace with a Lady Banks’ rose COVERED bower and a VEGETABLE garden called "Franco's garden" in reference to the main character of The Little World of the Past.

Info www.fondoambiente.it

Villa Fogazzaro

Via Antonio Fogazzaro, Frazione Oria 22010 Valsolda

Per conoscere le modalità di accesso contattare il FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano

Tel. 02 467615296
Email proprieta@fondoambiente.it

Tratto da “I GIRADINI”, Grandi Giardini Italiani (www.grandigiardini.it) – CCIAA Como, Provincia di Como. Intera guida consultabile all’indirizzo http://www.co.camcom.it/guideturismo