I visit Villa d’Este, Tivoli, regularly; I take students to study its place in Garden history. We are amazed by the amount of symbolism. You can walk around the garden and be educated the references to Greek and Roman mythology. The original owner, Ippolito d’Este was a member of one of the richest most cultured city states in Renaissance Italy. He just missed being voted in as pope five times; his yearning to be in Rome is ever present in the garden. It is a wonderful place to visit (you can easily take the bus to this UNESCO site from Rome for an afternoon away of the crowds and heat of the city.
When I visited in July I saw the publicity about the garden being open Friday and Saturday evenings for July, August and into September. During the summer we often go to the beach at the weekends so the trip was put off (as it has been for the last 2 years). Eventually we organised ourselves to go on the last day of August.
..and Wow! I was blown away by the different experience, seeing the garden illuminated by lights and candles and a full moon instead of sunlight!
Looking down onto the Tivoli fountain
The fountains were all illuminated, there were candles everywhere. What surprised me more than anything was that the fountains sounded even more powerful than when you see and hear them during the day. The water roared! It thundered. I was also struck that all the people visiting were there to ENJOY the garden, not to look at it as if were only a piece of art. It is art too, of course, but it was as if we were experiencing the garden as it was by the numerous visitors when it was first completed in the 1560’s.
There is a link to my garden too. Villa d’Este’s iconography is based on Hercules’s 11th labour of collecting the golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides. In the Renaissance almost all gardens allude to this story a way of stating that the garden was ‘the perfect garden’ where the golden apples (in Greek they were probably Quinces, not apples) could give immortality to whoever processed them.
The dragon Ladon guarded the entrance to the garden and in some versions of the story Hercules had to fight the dragon to gain entry and be able to steal the apples.
In daylight The hundred fountains path is my favourite part of the garden
Not just the fountains were illuminated
The visit has made me want to add more lighting to my own garden. To create silhouettes of trees, to highlight features. It becomes dark here earlier than in the more northern latitude of the UK so that when we have dinner on the terrace it is always dark before we finish; we have a light over the table and some lights on the pillars (these need replacing as they fuse when they are switched on after it has been raining. I am also aware that I don’t want to create a huge amount of light pollution (not that my neighbours seem to consider this) but I will be thinking about making the garden even more enjoyable at night. I am already concentrating on having white flowers near the terrace and of course perfumed plants are even more important at night.
The courtyard of the Tivoli fountian; I’ve hardly noticedthis amazing tree in daylight
The organ fountain plays music using the power of water! it is amazing and was only recently restored by an English company.
If you have the opportunity to visit next year, do go you won’t regret it at all.
My goodness these gardens are just amazing at night. I love the descriptions of the sounds and the lighted sights with water and candles…a group may try to take trip to Italy this summer or next and I will have to suggest these gardens.
Hi Donna, if your group are coming to Rome and are interested in gardens I can recommend several that you could visit. Keep in touch about it beacause I could show the group around if they’d like. Christina
I can remember that path of a 100 fountains. curiously that is all I remember, but I was very young then.
A lot of restoration has taken place and the fountians are all more powerful again now and the pipes have been cleaned of the silt which comes from the river water thst feeds the fountains. Christina
Wonderful photos… I havnt been to Villa dìEste since the mid 80s…forgot how powerful the fountains are.
Hope to see you soon. MJ
Sounds like a lovely visit. And even more exciting, it’s inspired you to add something to your own garden. Those are the best garden visits of all.
I didn’t expect to be so inspired. Christina
I would love to go next year! It looks beautiful.
OK, we’ll go! Chrisitna
I love being able to visit gardens at night but I like them even better at dusk when no extra lighting is required. Unfortunately, it is a rare occurrence for most public gardens to be open at night. I did a post on Longwood Gardens at night because it was such a special experience.
I don’t know of another garden here that is open at night either; in the UK several are for special visits not not all the time. Christina
Would enjoy visiting this amazing garden. Very thought-provoking to consider what one would need to do to make a garden have such presence at night.
I think just one tree illuminated would add a lot. Christina
Beautiful! I love to be in my garden at night. Sounds really are amplified after dark! One gets a new perspective on things overlooked during the day. I don’t have any night lights out in the garden, except for some on the patio and the outdoor lights on the house itself. If I go too far into the garden, things get a little spooky and I need a flashlight!
I wouldn’t want my garden lit up like a fairground but a few strategically places lights maybe even pointing down to help avoid light pollution would be fun. Christina
Amazing.
I find that the little solar lights are useful for giving some ‘atmosphere’ tot he nightime garden without causing a nuisance. I must remember to try and photgraph my pond with the little lights reflected in the water – not easy to do!
Y
Yes do, it would be great to see them. Christina
Beautiful night shots!
The garden looks fantastic, we visited about 10 yrs ago when we were staying in Tivoli and remember all the fantastic fountains and the organ playing. Adding lighting is adding another dimension and it looks quite magical.
Magical photos of a beautiful theatrical garden Christina.
That looks stunning, Christina. I love gardens lit up at night. There is something very magical about the shadows and silhouettes. And the water as well. It’s something I’d love to visit, maybe in September when it is a little cooler. My Celtic skin can’t cope with too much sun or heat!! I can see why you’ve been inspired to add to your own night-time garden.
I think the garden is only open at night until the middle of September, you’d need to check the web site. Christina
Gosh it looks magical and I presume this is how the original visitors saw the garden at night.
I really want to visit some of the gardens in Italy – am saving up
It sounds like an incredible experience! I’ve been to northern Italy but want to go back to visit other parts of the country. This is definitely being added to my list of places to see.
It’s a wonderful garden by day or night. Christina
Christina, wonderful walk around Tivoli! It’s pity that I have not been there when I came to Rome. The light plays important role in night garden.