24. Le Jardin des Reflets
published at 20/02/2025
2025 marks the 40th anniversary since the death of Italo Calvino, a prolific writer particularly known for fantasy stories including Invisible Cities and Italian Folktales.
Freely inspired by these works, Le Jardin des Reflets (The Garden of Reflections) seeks to make the visible invisible. The mirror becomes a connection between fact and fiction along a path that allows for reflection on our inner world: from irregular, fragmented visions of a distant past, in a time-worn mirror, to deep, magnified visions of the future, through the colours and shades of our own imagination.
The mirror, once thought to be a ‘magical’ object, reminds us of the myth of Narcissus, who falls so completely in love with his own reflection in a pool of water that he drowns trying to get closer to it. Its inner vision takes on the appearance of a kaleidoscope of mirrors, an interplay of light and shadow on reflective surfaces gracing the trail.
Like a doorway, the mirror gives us access to other places and other worlds, whether longed-for or dreamed about: a series of magic filters ushers us into new realities, new contexts of space-time. Embracing rainbow landscapes, the plants are transformed, taking on different tones. The mirrors in an array of shapes and colours are an opportunity to reflect on the search for our inner balance and on lived or imagined reality.
DESIGNERS
VERDINTRECCI -Marco FOSELLA, architect, Sara LAMON, architect and landscape architect, Antonella CARAMANICA, garden designer-
ITALY
Verdintrecci is a reference to the meaning of nature, combining the word green (- verd) and the union of different crafts with weaving (-intrecci). Brought together by the world of competitions, architect Marco Fosella, architect and landscaper Sara Lamon and garden designer Antonella Caramanica founded the Verdintrecci working group in 2023, a name that embraces different specialisations and at the same time unites their strengths. This is what allowed the group to win the Visitor’s Choice Award at the last edition of Orticolario and earns them a place in major projects.
Marco Fosella
“I was born in La Spezia and spent my childhood in the border region between Liguria and Tuscany. There, mountains, hills and sea intertwine, offering landscapes full of contrast. I learnt to appreciate the positive aspects of these environments while observing the challenges they present. When I was very young, I discovered a passion for drawing, seeking to represent nature and artifice, and dreaming of designing my ideal home. After high school, I enrolled at the Faculty of Architecture in Parma, where I developed my skills, focusing mainly on architectural design and urban planning. After graduating, I embarked on a freelance career path, also exploring the field of landscaping. I discovered a particular affinity for this area, which led me to work with colleagues in the sector, both in competitions and on private projects. My constant desire to broaden my knowledge has played a key role in enriching my skills, giving me a holistic and nuanced view of human and environmental issues associated with my profession.”
Sara Lamon
“I was born and raised in the Venetian countryside, a setting surrounded by greenery and dotted with villas that once belonged to the Venetian nobility. Breathing this air naturally led me to enrol at the Faculty of Architecture. I began my university studies in Venice before continuing in Turin, where I now live. During the years I spent working in architecture and gaining my degree, I realised that I had 'forgotten' an essential part of my life: nature. The study of nature and landscape quickly became a priority, leading me to embark on a career in landscaping. This journey began with my participation in a short workshop run by the Benetton Foundation in Treviso, followed by my first professional experiences in this field. At the same time, I obtained a Master's degree in landscape architecture. I then took my first steps independently, taking part in landscape architecture competitions and gradually affirming my calling for this profession.”
Antonella Caramanica
"My heart has always beaten to the rhythm of nature. Growing up surrounded by flowers, plants and the immaculate beauty of gardens, I learnt that every leaf tells a story and every plant hides a secret. This deep connection with the plant world has marked my path and helped me discover my true vocation: to cultivate beauty and life through gardening. I have a degree in modern foreign languages and literature from La Sapienza University in Rome. However, over time I found my true language, the one that expresses itself through plants growing and caring for green spaces. After university, I decided to turn my passion into a concrete commitment by attending garden design school, where I learned to design with plants. I took this training further with a specialised class on Mediterranean gardening at the Monza Park Agricultural School, a fascinating world that taught me to respect the environment and create gardens in harmony with the nature that surrounds them. Every garden I design is a living story, a narrative interwoven with the light, the wind and the seasons. My practical experience as a gardener has meant I can fully involve myself in the maintenance of green spaces, from pruning to creating ornamental designs. My projects emphasise sustainability and respect for the environment, because for me, every green space is an opportunity to preserve and celebrate nature.”
