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Monty Don's Italian Gardens Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
4 Episodes 2011 - 2011
Episode 1
Rome
59 mins
Monty starts his visit to extraordinary gardens in major Italian urban region in and around Rome. Apart from emperor Hadrian's palatial villa garden, they belong to the papacy or cardinals aspiring it. The present state of Renaissance gardens doesn't do them justice, as the austere geometric design was in fact cheerfully filled with colorful flowers. They were meant first to impress, showcases of wealth and class, but also to be enjoyed privately or as party site.
Episode 2
Florence
59 mins
In the Renaissance republic of Firenze (Florence), the leading, soon ducal Medici family used gardens, like cardinals, as statement of power and cultural refinement. The feared Cosimo, ruler from age 17 and reputedly cruel, built two such showcase gardens. The first, early, turned an out of the city walls villa into a memorable step ahead in the process of devising strictly symmetrical, harmonious, yet cheerfully inventive gardens. the second, late in his reign, was smack in the old city, for a powerhouse place which became the Uffici museum.
Episode 3
The South
58 mins
The kingdom of Naples, covering southern Italy, had truly royal gardens. The Bourbon dynasty rivaled Versailles' gardens at Caserta, just before the geometrical fashion ended. Later gardens followed the English style of 'fake nature', only adapted to the Mediterranean climate.
Episode 4
The Veneto, Lucca and the Lakes
58 mins
Italy north of Rome, mainly city states and the larger ones' hinterland, like Venice's, has many gardens belonging to country homes of rich patrician or merchant families. An impressive front and vista could impress, more intimate elements like mazes allowed for party and more private fun.
