Ninfa Study Event

Ninfa IDS Study Days

October 8-9 2026

Giardino di Ninfa

The garden of Ninfa is situated in the ruins of a medieval town and has been described as the most romantic garden in the world, because the combination of ruins, water, history, wild life, amazing views and inspired planting creates a sensory impact on visitors which is hard to forget. In our study day we will look at the challenges of managing a national monument, as well as the history of planting through three generations since the garden was formed in the early 20^th century, and the challenges of adapting the garden to the 21^st century while maintaining its character and ethos. We will also look at Ninfa’s role in Conservation. Our afternoon tour will take in all aspects of the main garden, including the enclosed renaissance garden (hortus conclusus) , and will look at the three arboreta outside the garden, and, if there is time, look round the wetland area (Pantanello) created in the late 20^th century.

Schedule

Wednesday – October 7

Arrive at local accommodation (please see below for suggestions)

7.30pm - Dinner (optional). Valle del Usignolo.

Thursday – October 8.

10:00 Assemble at Pantanello Park, Ninfa.

10:30 Tea, coffee

11:00 - 12:30 Presentations:

1. The challenge of managing a National Monument. Massimo Amodio, President of the Roffredo Caetani Foundation
2. The extraordinary trees of Italy. Sergio Guidi,Director of the Associazione Patriarchi della Natura in Italia
3. Planting at Ninfa through four generations. Antonella Ponsillo. Garden Director

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch at Pantanello Park, Ninfa

14:00 - 17:30 Tour of the garden and arboreta at Ninfa

20:00 Dinner at La Taparita, Monticchio

Friday – October 9.

10:00 - 12:30 Visit to Torrecchia

12:30 - 1:30 Picnic lunch

14:00 - 16:30 Visit to Landriana

19.30 Dinner, Ristorante Marcello, Sermoneta

Saturday – October 10.

Depart.

10:00 - 13:00 Walk in the woods above Cori (optional)

COSTS

Garden entry fees, bus costs, two lunches and one dinner : £250 per person

Lunch (at Ninfa) and dinner (at La Taparita) on the Thursday are included, as well as the Friday picnic.

The other two dinners are optional, but we hope most people can make them (€50 per head).

Attendees will pay their own accommodation costs and organise their own travel to and from Latina Scalo.

ACCOMMODATION.

5 ;double rooms have been reserved for three nights at La Valle del Usignolo. Double occupancy is €80 per night including breakfast. Single occupancy €45 including breakfast.

4 double rooms have been reserved for three nights at Lelive in Sermoneta. The cost per night is €100 for two people.

Camping is an option. Possible sites will be provided if this is required

Other possible accommodations nearby:

• B & B. Principesse, Sermoneta. info@bnbleprincipesse.it. Contact Elisa. Similar prices to Lelive
• Hotel Excelsior. By the Station.
• There are plenty of other good Air BnBs in Sermoneta

TRANSPORT

Train to Latina Scalo from Roma Termini.

Taxi to accomodation, which will be nearby, or pick-up can be arranged in certain cases

Coach/ Bus will pick up participants on Thursday and Friday from Sermoneta Car Park or Valle del Usignolo

Notes

Torrecchia https://www.torrecchia.com/garden

Torrecchia has many connections with Ninfa. In 1991, Prince Carlo Caracciolo and his wife Violante Visconti commissioned the famous architect Gae Aulenti to convert the former 17th-century granary into an elegant and understated villa.

The painter Tullio Pericoli also made his contribution. Located within the castle walls, the jewel of the place is undoubtedly the romantic English garden of about two hectares. It was designed by Lauro Marchetti, curator of the Gardens of Ninfa, and was later developed and maintained by the English landscaper Dan Pearson.

Landriana https://www.landriana.com/

A true green oasis on the Lazio coastline: the Giardini della Landriana cover over 10 hectares within a large estate, near Tor San Lorenzo in Ardea, 35 km south of Rome.

The peculiarity of the garden lies in its division into ‘rooms’, each of which presents a botanical variety that makes it unique and different from the others, such as the ancient rose valley with its lake; the white avenue; and the olive garden.

It all began in 1956 when Marchese Gallarati Scotti and his wife, Lavinia Taverna, decided to purchase a rural property on the Lazio coast at an auction. They named it La Landriana in homage to one of the names of the Taverna family.

At the time of purchase, the land was completely bare. The couple decided to plant trees to bring some shade to the farmhouse and to mitigate the winds blowing from the sea. Later, a family friend gave Lavinia Taverna a packet of seeds, and the marchioness, almost as a joke, tried to sow them. The result of the experiment was sensational: from those small grains the plants that still make up the Giardini della Landriana were born.

In 1967 they brought in the British landscape architect Russell Page, who divided the large garden into spaces with a strongly geometric design emphasized by hedges and pathways.

IDS Study Day and Event Refund Policy

• Full refunds are available for cancellations made 30 days or more before the event.
• No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within 30 days of the event.
• Tickets may be transferred to another IDS member—please notify us in advance.
• If an event is cancelled by IDS, a full refund will be provided.

For all cancellation, refund or transfer requests, please contact events@dendrology.org.