Ravino Gardens: between dream and reality

When in the 1960s he started collecting plants from around the world, Captain D' Ambra would never have imagined being able to get to introduce today a unique collection in Europe. But the passions always pays off. “Open a botanical garden was my dream come true”. Putting together many plant species, found all over the world, in one place and allow, researchers and enthusiasts to be able to appreciate the features without having to go to one side of the Earth.

This is the peculiarity of Ravino Gardens, in Forio, one of the major examples of biodiversity and one of the most famous botanical gardens in Europe. Awarded the Prize of the Parliamentary Committee and the Council of Europe - Committee for Tourism ability to combine the tradition of botanical heritage collected by Navy Captain Giuseppe D’ Ambra with the modernity of a structure attentive to social and environmental issues. Thus contributing to the promotion of an enchanted island and the only one in Italy» in 2010, these gardens are a true spectacle of nature, born from a dream, the result of a job that lasted five years. Beyond the time required for the sale of the land - to note that in place of the gardens, there was a vineyard - the transition to a botanical garden has been slow and gradual. With loving care, after having given the vineyards of Pietratorcia farm, which is a tradition for the Island of Ischia, the long-time sailor, as he likes to call simply the son, Giuseppe D' Ambra decided that the time had come to show others his private collection of plants, many from German tourists, so that others could benefit from their unique beauty. The movement of the ground, the work behind closed doors, eventually led to the creation of what today are the Ravino Gardens, which are open to the public in 2006, the Terrace of Grusoni which is characteristic for the reflection of sunlight at sunset, on the plugs, which confers a particular reddish color to plants. Among the various species, succulent plants in Europe (so defined are those plants whose tissues are able to store large amounts of water), improperly called “succulent plant " are only two: Sedum and Sempervivum.
The former are a genus of about 40 species, belonging to the Crassulaceae family, and have the typical development in ‘rosette’; the latter, however, including about 600 varieties of species, are not only succulent but also "xerofile" or "xerophytic" - a term that derives from the typical environments in which they can resist such plants, characterized by deep drought - and used as ornamental plants for their attractive appearance. All other plants, however, are imported, in particular Aloe, whose therapeutic properties are well-known and well-known since ancient times. Next to it, excel Opuntie, plant genus of the Cactaceae family, including the famous prickly pear, the importation of which is due to Christopher Columbus. Among the Agaves, however, what strikes the eye is Queen Victoria, characterized by spiny margins but not sharp, which is one of the smallest. Of considerable importance, also Chorisia speciosa, known today as "Ceiba speciosa" tree of the Malvaceae family, whose succulence is in the drum. Describing all the plant species of Ravino Gardens would be a shame, because you have to cross them, for an extension of 6,000 square meters, to realize the idea of genius of its creator. Not only will you be amazed by the endless variety, but you can participate in a number of initiatives. The Gardens Ravino intend it to be a source of ideas for the promotion of eco-tourism, not only being anchored to the concept of traditional botanical garden but extending and enriching it with new and expanded content to include a number of related services, such as: exhibitions, art shows, crafts, photography, editorial reviews, stage performances, film screenings, concerts, conferences and conventions.
Starting from July 23 until September 30 is not to be missed the show hosted at the Ravino Gardens titled: “La Materia dissolta”, 26 pictures of the students of the fifth year of the graphic section at the Professional Institute "V. Telese "of Ischia. The boys, the first graduates of this new higher education course, give here evidence egregious retracting their island in its surface and in its depths, with eyes still enchanted, but already critical, attentive to the matter of the territory and its dissolution.
The Ravino Gardens are waiting for you to share a truly world to explore!