{"id":11942,"date":"2018-05-15T19:45:55","date_gmt":"2018-05-15T17:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/?page_id=11942\/"},"modified":"2020-01-05T09:29:52","modified_gmt":"2020-01-05T08:29:52","slug":"la-belle-jardiniere","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/la-belle-jardiniere\/","title":{"rendered":"La belle jardini\u00e8re"},"content":{"rendered":"
[mk_page_section bg_image=”http:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/20160319_170443.jpg” attachment=”fixed” bg_position=”center top” bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” full_height=”true” intro_effect=”zoom_out” padding_bottom=”” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#ffffff” size=”46″ force_font_size=”true” size_phone=”30″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” letter_spacing=”12″ margin_top=”70″ font_family=”none” align=”center”]La belle
\njardini\u00e8re[\/mk_fancy_title][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

\u201eFrom Florence, the capital of Art and Crafts, I stole the pleasure of creating flowers… \u00a0<\/em><\/span>
\nA spontaneous and natural homage to the magic of the unique Boboli Garden.\u201c<\/em><\/span>
\n Gianfranco Ferr\u00e8<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Since the past, Florence’s flora was celebrated by painters as Botticelli and stylists as Gucci and Ferragamo.<\/em>
\n Today, I would like to address all these guided tours not just to landscape architects and botanists, but even to all that people who would like to escape from the present-day mass tourism and who would prefer a slow tourism, steeped in nature, more relaxed, whitout hurring.<\/em>
\n Florence is surrounded by a natural theater of verdant, lush hills, where gardens are pretty much but it’s quiet difficult to get inside them. I would like to open for you these hidden garden’s gates to discover their secrets.<\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”60″][mk_fancy_title color=”#1b503e” size=”28″ font_weight=”600″ font_family=”none” align=”center”]Flora: painted and hidden gardens[\/mk_fancy_title][vc_column_text]\n

Let’s get seduced by the firmament of flowers offered by the Uffizi Gallery.
\nOur guided tour will go across symbolic flowers and neo-platonic gardens: from the floral details of Giotto to the flowery Gothic of Gentile da Fabriano; from the ancient statues who were the custodians of the Medici gardens to the multiples intepretations of the \u201eSpring\u201c by Botticelli.
\nThe painter tells us a scented tale of flowers: orange-trees, yews, myrtle, laurel and cypresses are the frame of the spectacular profusion of love, whom the goddess Venus is the protagonist.
\nLet’s get lost in the green corridors of the Uffizi; let’s look for columbines, lilies and carnation flowers painted by flemish and toscan painters.
\nThe guided tour could be combined with a visit to the historical Iris Garden, born in 1954 thanks to Flaminia Specht and Nita Stross Radicati, both members of the Italian Society of Friends of Flowers.
\nThe garden, close to Piazzale Michelangelo, was born in occasion of an International Competion and nowadays expands on 2 hectares with 300 species of flowers and with a breathtaking view over Florence.
\nDid you know that the Lily of Florence was originally an Iris?!
\nLet’s discover why!<\/p>\n

NB: the Iris Garden is usually open just in april and in may; the entrance is free.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][mk_button url=”http:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/contact\/” align=”center” bg_color=”#1b503e”]BOOK NOW[\/mk_button][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][mk_page_section bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_gallery images=”10935,10936,10937,10938″ column=”4″ image_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#1b503e” size=”28″ font_weight=”600″ font_family=”none” align=”center”]Boboli Garden[\/mk_fancy_title][vc_column_text]\n

Boboli, apotheosis of italian gardens art, is the ideal place for stroll’s lovers.
\nThe Cypress Avenue takes to the mysterious \u201eVasca dell’Isola\u201c surrounded by lemons and ancient roses. The rise takes to the delightful and secluded \u201eGiardino del Cavaliere\u201c, where an explosion of roses and peonies takes place in spring. The garden offers a wonderful and evergreen view on florentine hills.
\nThe italian formal garden was born exactly here, due to a woman with a great sense of business and not a lot of patience: she was Eleonora di Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de’ Medici.
\nPalazzo Vecchio was too small for this noble, haughty spanish princess. She needed more space… so she decided to excavate a whole hill and purchased the ancient \u201eOrto Pitti\u201c (vegetable garden of Pitti family). But… just a moment… why Pitti?!
\nYour modern Eleonora has the answer…!<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][mk_button url=”http:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/contact\/” align=”center” bg_color=”#1b503e”]BOOK NOW[\/mk_button][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][mk_page_section bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_gallery images=”10947,12418,12419,12420,12421″ column=”5″ image_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#1b503e” size=”28″ font_weight=”600″ font_family=”none” align=”center”]The Medici Villas: Petraia and Castello[\/mk_fancy_title][vc_column_text]\n

Just fifteen minutes from the downtown, you won’t find any tourists here.
\nThat’s the reason why I take you to the Medici Villas!!!
\nWe will admire together the important Villa La Petraia which hosts the amazing frescoes by Il Volterrano and statues by Tribolo and Giambologna, the romantic english garden and the italian ‘600 garden with the \u201etulip fashion\u201c.
\nThen, we will philosophize in the Castello Garden, one of the favorite gardens by Cosimo I de’ Medici and, later, by Cosimo III, who cultivated here secretly his beloved \u201eGrand Duke Jasmin\u201c.
\nNowadays the Villa is the seat of the Accademia della Crusca (a remarkable and ancient entity dedicated to the italian language) and it’s closed to visitors. But it doesn’t matter because we will be inebriated by the scents and fragrances of the citrus fruit… do you know perhaps the \u201ebizzarria\u201c orange?<\/p>\n

NB: the entrance to Villa La Petraia and to the garden of Villa Castello is free.[\/vc_column_text][mk_button url=”http:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/contact\/” align=”center” bg_color=”#1b503e”]BOOK NOW[\/mk_button][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][mk_page_section bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_gallery images=”10955,10954,10953,10952,10973″ column=”5″ image_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#1b503e” size=”28″ font_weight=”600″ font_family=”none” align=”center”]Settignano and Villa Gamberaia[\/mk_fancy_title][vc_column_text]\n

I think I spent my last life here… I love this enchanting town.
\nSettignano is a steep village, a bit uncomfortable, quiet difficult to reach. It has the same nature of the stonecutters who lived and were born here, like Antonio and Bernardo Rossellino, Desiderio da Settignano and even Michelangelo who spent here his childhood. Later, other artists fell in love with Settignano: the 19th centurty painters Macchiaioli, for example, and the writer Gabriele d’Annunzio with the theater’s actress Eleonora Duse.
\nBut the crux of Settignano is the gorgeous Villa Gamberaia.
\nIf you are garden lovers and you’re yearning for succumb in front of the beauty of a flowering water parterre with dragonflies and camellias kissed by some rays of sunshine, well, Villa Gamberaia is the right place for you.
\nThe grass looks like a well-finished green carpet, the trees respect the topiary’s style and the belvedere is the climax of the garden, surrounded by shady cypresses but looking over the horizon, in a wonderful palette of green colours, olive-trees and rolling hills, where you can breath a huge sense of freedom.
\nThe wild holly oaks, the fresh and sparkling yellow orangery, the long bowling green with a fine collection of azaleas, the elaborate grotto with its rococ\u00f2 encrustratrion, dripping sensuality everywhere are looking for you.
\nYes: Villa Gamberaia is undoubtedly for me the most suggestive place in the Florence’s environs.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][mk_button url=”http:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/contact\/” align=”center” bg_color=”#1b503e”]BOOK NOW[\/mk_button][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][mk_page_section bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_gallery images=”10957,10958,10959,10960″ column=”4″ image_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#1b503e” size=”28″ font_weight=”600″ font_family=”none” align=”center”]Pratolino with picnic[\/mk_fancy_title][vc_column_text]\n

Not too much unfortunately has survived of the imposant Medici Villa created by Buontalenti for Francesco I de’ Medici, known in the XVI century in the whole Europe especially because off its wonders garden with water games, waterfalls, mechanic robots and grottos. We know that Bianca and Francesco used to spend often here their freetime.
\nWhy do we go to Pratolino today? Because off refreshing, obviously.
\nThe regenerating green of the romantic english park is so therapeutic after a long busy day in the traffic! The most remarkable sight of the park is the \u201eGiant\u201c. Everybody calls him like that. It’s the \u201eAppenino\u201c of Giambologna, which is actually very big…
\nWe will set our picnic where you will prefer, of course with a red and white tablecloth. But just after the visit… Duty before pleasure!<\/p>\n

NB: Pratolino Park is opened from april to october, on Saturdays and on Sundays; the entrance is free.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][mk_button url=”http:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/contact\/” align=”center” bg_color=”#1b503e”]BOOK NOW[\/mk_button][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][mk_page_section bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_gallery images=”10962,10963,10964,10965″ column=”4″ image_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#1b503e” size=”28″ font_weight=”600″ font_family=”none” align=”center”]Green lands of Mugello[\/mk_fancy_title][vc_column_text]\n

The Mugello is a sort of Chianti with less vineyards and more cows.
\nEverybody knows this region because off the Motor Racing Circuit, situated in Scarperia, but just a few come really here.
\nHowever, the Mugello has a wild wide nature and it is the birthplace of important artists like Giotto and Beato Angelico. Some of the most ancient estates of the Medici family are here (Cafaggiolo and Trebbio) and are a prove of the interest of the lineage in this region.
\nAnywhere, I live here. Yes! Me, intrepid citizen obsessed by the city… Unexpectedly, I live in Mugello since 2013. And I discovered that I love it!
\nThe green forests next to Barbiana; the etruscan necropolis of Frascati near Dicomano; the eclectic and liberty Manifattura Chini of Borgo S.Lorenzo; the Convent of S.Bosco ai Frati with the crucifix commissioned by Cosimo the Elder from Donatello; the mystic Shrine of Montesenario, between pines and wind…. the Mugello is a world full of alternatives!
\nAnd if we speak about the food… the tipical \u201etortelli\u201c and \u201emarroni\u201c… well… it would be difficult to go back to Florence!!!
\nForewarned is…<\/p>\n

NB: for this guided tour it is necessary to rent a minivan.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][mk_button url=”http:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/contact\/” align=”center” bg_color=”#1b503e”]BOOK NOW[\/mk_button][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][mk_page_section bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_gallery images=”10966,10968,10967,10970″ column=”4″ image_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[mk_page_section bg_image=”http:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/20160319_170443.jpg” attachment=”fixed” bg_position=”center top” bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” full_height=”true” intro_effect=”zoom_out” padding_bottom=”” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#ffffff” size=”46″ force_font_size=”true” size_phone=”30″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” letter_spacing=”12″ margin_top=”70″ font_family=”none” align=”center”]La belle jardini\u00e8re[\/mk_fancy_title][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \u201eFrom Florence, the capital of Art and Crafts, I stole the pleasure of creating flowers… \u00a0 A spontaneous and natural homage to the magic of the unique Boboli Garden.\u201c Gianfranco Ferr\u00e8 Since […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-11942","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11942"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11942\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12427,"href":"https:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11942\/revisions\/12427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myfloraguide.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}