In the Family Way

The world-renowned Garden of Ninfa is an Italian natural wonder created by the Caetani family – and, more especially, by three generations of remarkable women

- Jesper Storgaard Jensen

Situated in Italy not far south of Rome, the Garden of Ninfa has a rich history that begins in the 7th century. With 1 500 plant varieties – including 400 different types of roses – as well as 152 bird species and 26 sorts of mammals, the Garden of Ninfa is the kind of place that invites superlatives. So it comes as no surprise when experts, gardening magazines and even the New York Times refer to it as ‘the most romantic garden in the world’. An Italian national monument and a beautiful human-made sanctuary, the Garden of Ninfa feels, as British garden expert Rory Stuart says, almost like ‘nature’s own creation’.

In short, walking into the Garden of Ninfa is rather like stepping into a fairy tale – and not just a stock-in-trade story in which you would expect to meet the usual princes, witches and beasts, either. Rather, visitors to this unique, eight hectare botanic dreamworld discover natural marvels of all kinds, from gurgling waterfalls to small bridges and rare flora in wildly magical settings.

The story of the Garden of Ninfa begins with Ninfa the village, which was founded in the Middle Ages on the Appian Way that led into Rome. Only a few people lived there at first, but the area had important strategic value and, by the 11th century, Ninfa had become quite a wealthy town, and the families that governed it started to invest in infrastructure and new architecture.