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Post by Geranium on Sept 23, 2013 5:28:42 GMT
Here are a few pics to start off. The hotel. It's the one with the bright awnings.  screen captureIt's right on the edge of the lake, so you can sit outside at breakfast. It's a path rather than a road so it's peaceful there. You can sit and admire the views of the mountains across the other side.  upload gambarLake view.  picture uploadingBoats come into the landing stage - it's easy to hop on and be taken across or down the lake.  screenshot software for windowsOutside the hotel, there are Citrus trees in pots, and about 20 pots of Hibiscus plants - just amazing! This was my favourite one.  greenshot free downloadThat'll do for now - more to come! |
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Post by Lou78W on Sept 23, 2013 7:19:54 GMT
Lovely.......look forward to the rest.....
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Post by Rosie on Sept 23, 2013 8:12:57 GMT
WOW? how gorgeous Geranium, what a beautiful place. Hope you had a fabulous time  |
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Post by peony on Sept 23, 2013 15:49:59 GMT
What a lovely spot for your hotel Geranium, the views are wonderful  |
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Post by SueA on Sept 23, 2013 19:53:18 GMT
Looks lovely & peaceful there Geranium . |
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Post by Geranium on Sept 24, 2013 5:04:47 GMT
It was - and we're hoping to go back in the spring when the three famous gardens will have different flowers out. (Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Villa Taranto. I'll show you some photos I took on Isola Madre - it's the largest of the three islands in the lake and it has the most beautiful garden there around a palace the Duke built several hundred years ago. We didn't go in the palace this time, as we'd been before and it had several large groups being shown round - loudly!  It has its own micro-climate, and they can grow exotic plants all the year round. In the ponds, they grow so many beautiful water plants - I kept taking photos!  image hosting 10mb limitI don't know what this next water plant is, but it was so pretty.  screen capture toolThe whole of the wall of the palace is covered in plants - difficult to photograph because of the angle, but the whole thing was stunning.  online photo storageRound every bend you come across another huge terracotta pot with lovely plants in them - Lantana trees of different colours - this one planted with a variegated Abutilon.  screen shot on windows My favourite area is outside the palace - it's a large pool with water lilies and wonderful plants around it, half of which I didn't recognise.  screenshot programThere are white peacocks and the usual coloured ones on the lawns. They didn't oblige us by opening their tails, though.  There are so many exotic plants there - it's difficult to show you everything. One amazing tree is a Swamp Cypress unique in Europe and becoming rare in China where it originated, so it's an important tree. Sadly, it blew over in a tornado in 2006. We were there in 2009, and saw the mighty efforts being made to stand it back up and replant it! There are boards up explaining the process, and to our great pleasure, the tree is growing again after its ordeal, even though it's about half the size it was originally and still cabled to keep it steady. The red things in the photo are part of a modern art trail - we could have done without that.  screenshot windows 7Another piece of modern art - a whole staircase covered in rusty iron dogs! We didn't think they added anything to this beautiful garden. Maybe I just don't appreciate modern art - that's what my daughter would say.   screen capture softwareAnyway, back to the wonderful flowers - always with a background of blue lake.  upload gambarThey're trying to establish Proteas in one area. I'm sure they'll succeed, too! The cliff edge is beautiful too - planted all along the wall, with a fabulous Brugmansia at the end.  picture sharingYou could spend all day on Isola Madre - there's even a cafe down by the water's edge. The only restriction is boat times. This is the final view as you leave...note the huge Cacti growing out of the cliff - there were Agaves galore, too.  image hosting software |
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Post by Cherry on Sept 24, 2013 5:59:09 GMT
What a fabulous holiday Geranium. That looks a magical place. I especially love the swamp cypress and do agree about the trail spoiling the look of it. I think the leaves should be cut from the bottom of it when it gets growing well, because the trunks are really striking.
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Post by lesley on Sept 24, 2013 7:53:03 GMT
Pictures are fab Geranium, what a lovely place |
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Post by Rosie on Sept 24, 2013 8:16:37 GMT
That is a beautiful place to visit Geranium, just gorgeous |
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Post by Lou78W on Sept 24, 2013 10:00:45 GMT
Plant heaven !!!!
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Post by SueA on Sept 24, 2013 19:28:42 GMT
It looks lovely Geranium , does seem to be something of a 'tropical' climate. I like the 'rusty dogs' !  |
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Post by Geranium on Sept 25, 2013 5:30:08 GMT
Haha, SueA, you're about the only person who does!  The third garden isn't on an island, it's on a peninsula, so the views are almost as wide, and as it's up on a hill, far-reaching. Villa Taranto was bought by a Scot, Captain Neil McEarcharn, in 1931. He saw the potential of the area and spent his life creating a garden full of rare trees and plants. It's very big - 16 hectares. He's buried in a mausoleum in the centre of the garden. Our forum Dahlia growers would be in heaven there, as there's a 'Dahia Maze' - a long path snaking its way through rows and rows of magnificent Dahlia plants - from all the groups!  print screen windows 7I took so many photos it's hard to choose which ones to post.  image upload no adsIt's another tropical paradise, with imaginative planting round every corner.  free picAt the entrance, the planting is formal but with sheets of colour, as it is further up in the 'Italian Garden'. The lawns are perfection - not a weed in sight.  screen captureThe statue up overlooking the Italian Garden.  photo sharing websitesI seem to have run out of time to post many more photos, but here's an area of huge tree ferns.  screen captureAnd a taste of the views you get from high up on the ridge amongst the trees.  photo sharingI'll try to show you more of this wonderful garden later. |
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Post by Cherry on Sept 25, 2013 6:52:15 GMT
It is a pain putting the photos on the forum, but it is appreciated Geranium. They are wonderful pics. Do them when you get a minute or a couple of hours!
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Post by Rosie on Sept 25, 2013 8:05:17 GMT
Must admit i quite like the rusty dogs too |
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Post by steve on Sept 25, 2013 11:32:00 GMT
Me too, but you should have got the statue from the other side |
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There are so many exotic plants there - it's difficult to show you everything. One amazing tree is a Swamp Cypress unique in Europe and becoming rare in China where it originated, so it's an important tree. Sadly, it blew over in a tornado in 2006. We were there in 2009, and saw the mighty efforts being made to stand it back up and replant it! There are boards up explaining the process, and to our great pleasure, the tree is growing again after its ordeal, even though it's about half the size it was originally and still cabled to keep it steady. The red things in the photo are part of a modern art trail - we could have done without that.
