Brissago
Surrounded by the water, protected by the
Alps, and kissed by the sun, this beautiful islands offer to the
visitors the chance to make the world tour. All year subtropical plants
grow because of the particular, mild climate.
The botanical garden, 2.5 ha, offers more than 1500 species of plants.
Those come from the Mediterranean region, South Africa, subtropical
Asia, America, and Oceania.
To see…
Besides
rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias in the garden, there are many other
typical Insubria plants that you might see in spring like palms or
different bamboo species, the bald cypress, many centenary eucalyptus
trees (planted by the baroness de Saint-Lager), cists from the
Mediterranean basin, and arborescent ferns.
Brissago history
In 1885 Baroness Antoinette de St. Lager turned
the Island into a residence and launched a round of intense
cultural activity: painters, sculptors, musicians and writers
converged there. The Big Island became a wonderful exotic garden
of special importance.
In 1927 having lost her fortune, the Baroness sold the Islands
to a wealthy Hamburg businessman, Max Emden, who built the
present villa, the marina, the "orangerie" and the Roman
bathhouse.
In 1949 the Canton of Ticino, the towns of Ascona, Brissago and
Ronco s/Ascona, Heimatschutz and Pro Natura (two organizations
who work for the preservation of landscapes and nature) bought
the property: the Islands became the botanical garden of Cantone
Ticino.
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