Isola Bella

During a recent trip to Italy, Jack and I were lucky to be able to visit one of the great gardens of the world – the Baroque palace and gardens of Isola Bella. This “beautiful island” is in Lake Maggiore, only 400 meters from the mainland town of Stresa.

To get there, you line up with many other tourists to take a short ferry ride over to the island. The entire island is only 49 acres and holds not only a small village but also the palace and the gardens. We wandered quickly through the village – mostly souvenir shops and restaurants now – and then I sprinted through the palace to get to the gardens.

The palace and gardens were started in 1632 and were a gift from Carlos Borromeo III for his wife, Isabella d’adda. Construction was halted mid century when a plague devastated the Milan province. Years later, sons and nephews (including the Cardinal Giberto III) resumed the work, which was completed nearly 100 years after it was begun.

But of course a garden – any garden – is never finished and Isola Bella is no exception. The gardens are comprised of a pyramid shape 37 meters high (soil had to be shipped to the island) and ten overlapping terraces. Ponds, fountains, grottoes, and a lot of statuary complement the abundance of plants.

Perhaps the most outstanding single specimen is the huge camphor (Cinnamonum camphora) that was planted in 1819. Today the massive tree is braced and wired in an attempt to prolong its life as long as possible.

Pedestals on the highest terraces are softened with huge baskets of Chinese trumpet vine. The moderate climate of the island makes these perennial vines, with stems as big as tree trunks.

We were there during peak hydrangea season. The blossoms were so numerous the shrubs looked like giant bedding plants. Just beautiful!!

Though I loved seeing Isola Bella, the size and grandeur of this garden make it a little overwhelming. It’s hard to call my little plot of ground a “garden” after seeing Isola Bella – but I was happy to see it again, because truly there’s no place like home.