The Gardens

Mortella gardens

The jewel in the crown of botanical parks on the island of Ischia are the Giardini la Mortella in Forio, an extraordinary garden whose original nucleus was created by English landscape architect Russel Page on commission from the famous musician, William Walton, who wanted to make a gift of it to his wife Susana.

Indeed, in the 1950s Walton decided to set up home on Ischia, attracted by the island’s scenic and natural beauty. In Zaro he bought a piece of landwhere he built his villa surrounded by a very rich garden. In this house William and his wife Susana spent much of their lives, one composing music, the other tending the garden, which over the years grew larger and more beautiful, until it became a true botanical park. So Susana Walton decided to open La Mortella Gardens to the public to give everyone a chance to admire “her plants”; today the gardens are run by a British foundation.

The original core of Mortella is the one downstream.

The garden contains collections of plants from different countries, such as tree ferns from the Southern continent, Proteas and Aloes from South Africa, Yuccas and Agave trees from Mexico, and then Magnolias, Bauhinias, Palms, Cycadaceae.

The most famous plant is the Victoria Amazonica, an aquatic plant native to Brazil, housed in the Victoria House greenhouse. Also worth visiting is the more “modern” part of the garden, which extends into the hills and houses the Temple of the Sun, the Walton House Museum and the Greek Amphitheater. Having been a musician’s garden, concerts are held in the Mortella from spring to fall; only in summer does the Greek Theater host the Festival for Youth Orchestras, with Symphonic Music concerts held on Thursdays.