18. La balance de Némésis
Nemesis balance
In Greek mythology, Nemesis is the goddess of righteous anger, she who restores balance. Her garden pits two types of disaster against one another: floods and fires; two elements: water and fire; two colours: black and white. It tells us the story of two protagonists that have succeeded in adapting to these extreme contexts, two trees that illustrate resilience. The white poplar reproduces quickly, using water to disperse new shoots (suckers) from its roots, while the Canary pine liberates its seeds automatically upon contact with fire. Each species occupies one side of the garden, which is divided by a wide path on which human steps have left their mark, a symbol of our footprint on the planet. On either side, the void left by the disaster is filled with pioneer species, and then by specimens of these two tree species, from youngest to the most massive.
A “Misirizzi” is set halfway along the path, a giant roly-poly with a rounded weighted base; it can be made to rock back and forth but always returns to its initial upright position. It represents the balance achieved by the plants despite the hostility displayed by the two areas. A point for reflection on the visitor’s part, as they’ll be tempted to destabilise it, the Misirizzi identifies human beings as an element capable of altering and disrupting their environment, and demonstrates at the same time how they can draw inspiration from nature in order to adapt themselves afresh and find a balance between opposing forces.
DesignerS
Alice Coin graduated in Landscape and Greenspace Architecture from the University of Genoa. She was entered in the Register of the province of Padua’s Order of Landscape Architects in 2018 and is a member of the AIAPP (Italian Association of Landscape Architecture). She has been collaborating with several studios in the province of Padua, including the Matite Associate studio since 2017 and the Vendramin studio since 2019, as well as with landscape architect and garden designer Pamela Nichele since 2020. Alice assists professionals in design of public and private gardens and parks. She is also involved in the technical, accounting and administrative side of public procurements. In 2018, her love of plants led her to found Florofilia, a botanical printing company that makes good use of the potential of dye plants by creating fabrics with infinite colour combinations.
After obtaining a Master’s in architecture for conservation at IUAV University in Venice in 2014, Federico Zomero worked in the retail sales sector, following up orders in Italy and abroad. In 2022, he started on a Master’s in landscape and garden architecture at IUAV with a view to indulging and nourishing his love of plant life and gardens. As part of his degree course, he is carrying out a placement with Vivai della Colombara in Cittadella, where he takes part in public and private projects. In parallel, Federico collaborates with his comrades in the Master’s programme, participating in competitions and small projects. His educational pathway has enabled him to go more deeply into the practical aspects of design and further his knowledge of plants, so laying the groundwork for development and definition of his own vision of landscape.
