Curated for the supporters of one of the UK’s renowned garden institutions, a recent tour of the Lakes Maggiore and Como saw some of the finest gardens and picturesque landscapes. From Italian Villas to the islands on the lake, we visited magnificent floral collections and saw a variety of different tree species, including ancient chestnuts, Lebanese cedar and olive and citrus groves. Travelling by private boat between visits, we were guided by experts around impressive sights, such as the largest Kashmir cypress in Europe, found on Isola Madre, tropical exotics such as coffee, mimosa and banana. We enjoyed breath-taking views across the lakes, sampling local delicacies al fresco and even crossing over to Switzerland on our final day of the tour, visiting the stunning Brissago Islands. Notably, San Pancrazio, the smaller of the two, benefits from an unusually mild microclimate, and is thus home to plants from across the world, a wonderful way to end our trip.
by Matt