Open by reservation starting this year
As you may know if you follow my projects, the collaboration with Podere La Gualda Vecchia is one of the things that makes me most proud. The “Little Guides” project was born thanks to the cooperation with Bruna, the owner of the estate. Therefore, I couldn’t miss the inauguration of her Emotional Garden.
The underlying idea of the garden is to give life to a place where one can get lost, amidst dynamic lines and sinuous paths, in an extraordinary, timeless dimension. The Emotional Garden was conceived after several years of study by architect Caterina Angela Contu. It is a place that reveals ancient symbolism and energy centers, created through geometries and evocative settings represented by the primordial elements of nature: water, earth, fire, and air.
In the labyrinth one doesn’t get lost,
in the labyrinth one finds oneself
in the labyrinth one doesn’t encounter the Minotaur.
In the labyrinth, one encounters oneself.
Hermann Kern
How the Garden is composed: from the Kingdom of Fire to the Water Square
The labyrinthine flowerbeds located at the entrance encompass the 7 lines, like the 7 coils that make up the labyrinths, but not the shape. Soaring grasses, in full bloom and swaying in the gentle breeze, create impressionistic shades, in which sculptural totems made through the recovery of ancient farmhouse doors are immersed.
The ornamental vegetable garden extends across terraces along the natural slope and is built with local stone beds that welcome fruits and vegetables, as well as edible and mellifers flowers, ancient medicinal roses and flowers, amidst blooming pergolas. It is a place to discover authentic flavors and aromas, moments of tasting and relaxation.
From the vegetable garden, we reach the Water Square through a winding path of ferns, where water, a symbol of purity, is celebrated through the species present, including calla lilies, papyrus, and bamboo.
In addition to the symbolism of water, ancient geometries capable of creating an extraordinary energy center are also found. The showers are circular cylinders expertly positioned to be vertices of a perfect, imaginary equilateral triangle, representing the element of air.
The Water Square is a place where one can connect closely with the landscape that opens up to the Val di Cornia. Here, you will discover a hot tub and a wooden sauna for the relaxation of the guests of the establishment, creating a space to surrender to oneself and nature.
The Kingdom of Fire represents the central hearth, the conviviality, and the union of the family.
This area is characterized by a large circular brazier and plant species with reddish hues celebrating the element of fire.
The Kingdom of Fire also features red bamboo canes. This new part of the Garden has gained the element of sound, which can be perceived with the breeze of the wind.
Both through the Kingdom of Fire and from the Water Square, we arrive at the Parterre.
This place represents the arrival, contemplation, and moment of rest where one can rediscover inner peace and feel in complete harmony with the surrounding nature.
“What moves the project is our belief that beauty and reconnecting with nature will save the world. The value of the emotional garden lies in preserving the ancient art of gardens and creating places of biodiversity that adapt more easily to climate change, increasing the resilience of the ecosystem that surrounds it,”
Bruna Carvalho Bossard
For those who missed the opportunity to visit the garden, no problem!
From now on, it will be possible to visit it all year round by appointment through the website https://www.isentieridipiume.it/ – phone/WhatsApp at +39 349 5965855 or email info@isentieridipiume.it. The entrance fee is €10 per person and includes a guided tour of approximately 30-40 minutes, a 1-hour intimate stop in the garden, and a small welcome from the property.
It is also possible to request a guided tour with architect Caterina Angela Contu, who conceived the garden (in this case, a minimum group of 15 people or a minimum amount of €150 is required).
