Sunday, May 12, Mother’s Day will be celebrated. Let us explore, in the company of a very special woman, seven magical sites in Lazio, enriched by graceful flowers and butterflies!
The Butterfly House in Rome – Facebook @lacasadellefarfalleroma
In the heart of Rome, we can visit the magical Butterfly House, an exciting opportunity to admire over thirty species of exotic butterflies, among the most beautiful in the world. A tropical natural habitat has been created for these insects in the greenhouse, where, with a little luck, we can marvel at the hatching of the chrysalis and the birth of a new life! The Butterfly House is equipped with a children playground, where juggling shows are performed, as well as live music on Mother’s Day.
Lungo and Ripasottile Lakes Nature Reserve – Rieti
Let us bring to life the fascinating Oriental world in the Lungo and Ripasottile Lakes Nature Reserve in Sabina. An articulated route leads us to a dewatering pump building, and then continues, well-trodden and protected by wooden fences, around the lake. From the docks and observation huts, we can admire herons and cormorants. The Reserve also provides facilities for fishers and an educational area for growing woad, the plant used for dyeing.
We go back and follow the canal up to the viewpoint on the Ponte Lake, bordered by magnificent flowering water lilies. Grab the opportunity to offer your mum a flower bouquet! And, as you walk along reed beds and canals with your nose in the air, look hard and search for coots, moorhens, storks, ibises and even hawks.
Angelo Rambelli Botanical Garden – University of Tuscia – Viterbo
The Angelo Rambelli Botanical Garden lies in Viterbo, not far from the Bulicame source. Enjoy the rare and exotic plants, the over two hundred varieties of roses and the palm grove which hosts several species. The section Useful Plants was inspired by the importance of textile processing in the economy of the Tuscia area in Viterbo, until the end of the nineteenth century.
The Mediterranean Scrub, occupying most of the park, was planted on a hill sloping down to the sea. The wood within the Botanical Garden hosts the main national deciduous trees and shrubs. Other attractions are the spontaneous Italian orchids, the dendrological collection exhibiting plants from almost all over the world arranged according to the country of origin, a selection of ferns including exotic specimens, and some heated greenhouses. All these different environments and ecosystems make this site unique in the whole Tuscia area.
Red Cistus in the Sylvatico Garden in Collepardo
In Collepardo, Ciociaria, we will discover a whole world of biodiversities, the Sylvatico Garden, where, for more than thirty years, the close relationship between flowers and insects has been being explained during guided tours and workshops about the spontaneous flora of the Ernici Mountains. Seduced by the scent and colours of around 350 species of plants, we can discover their origins on the thematic panels along the circular paths. Among the many rare and protected varieties, you will discover the Iris Marsica, the Dittany, the Laburnum, the Cistus, the Irises, the Solomon’s Seal, and various Orchids. The Sylvatico Garden is open to the public only on Sundays. For groups and schools, it opens upon reservation.
Garden of Torrecchia Vecchia in Cisterna di Latina – Facebook @Torrecchia
Finally, we reach the province of Latina to explore three special sites. The Torrecchia Vecchia in Cisterna di Latina , nestled around the ruins of a medieval castle, includes 600 hectares of cork oak forest and extensive pastures crossed by rivers and streams. In 1991 Prince Carlo Caracciolo and his wife Violante Visconti restored the castle, turning it into an enchanting residence. Admire the rich vegetation, the wild or cultivated flowers, the climbing roses and wisteria, and the aquatic plants floating on the large pool. The Garden can be visited by appointment.
Sabaudia – Instagram @circeo_incanto
Noteworthy, along the beaches of Sabaudia, is the flowering of Silene, Carpobroto, Sea Lilies and Sea Chamomile, magnificent strokes of pink, yellow and white embellishing the green expanse on the sand dunes. On a morning walk, you can trace the footprints of rabbits, lizards, and beetles. This enchanting landscape can also be admired while cycling along the shores of Lake Monaci, or walking to the top of the dune, where you can enjoy the view of the lake on one side and of the sea on the other.
Botanical Garden of Ponza – www.giardinobotanicoponza.it
Since 1980, the Ponziano Botanical Garden surrounds a neoclassical building on Mount Guardia and hosts more than seventy native plant species, arranged in a circular pattern. Many plants here in Ponza are in danger of extinction, such as some orchid species unique in the world. The Garden can be visited by reservation.
Happy Mother’s Day!