More than any other garden that I’ve visited there was a real sense of place here, a space that really tugged on the heart strings, whether this was due to being there for the first tour of the morning, watching the mist rise over the water or the joy of the roses rambling through the ruins…

Views of Ninfa

The garden has been created by three generations of women, starting in the 1920s with Ada Wilbraham (the English mother of Gelasio Caetani) who laid out the structure of the garden. Marguerite Chapin (the American born daughter-in-law of Ada) took over the planting and continued development, inviting writers and artists to come and view the garden. Finally Lelia Caetani (Marguerite’s daughter), an artist who saw the garden as a canvas and the plants like paints gave the garden the romantic feeling that it has today and is seen as the true custodian.

Rather than trying to rebuild or create a space for the garden it was created around the ruins, using them as the architectural structure for the planting, which has only added to its mystique. Along with the setting within the surrounding hills and the crystal clear water rambling through the garden from the lake, to the streams and constructed water channels that sparkled in the sunshine really set it off.

Flowers, ruins and water at Ninfa

Wandering through the garden the tall pencil thin cypresses that appeared round a corner set off the ruined towers with the rambling plants and the mounds of lavender edging the paths that appeared to go on into the distance. Visiting in early October lilac asters and pink and white anemones were dancing in the sun along with roses that were on their last flowering, whilst still having a naturalistic feel to the planting, a feeling that a seed had blown in on the wind and had made its home by chance within the crumbling bricks. Having a chance to wander through the gardens with towers or ruins round every corner as the sun burnt the mist of the water was a visit to remember.