THE BOTANICAL GARDENS OF VILLA TARANTO, VERBANIA, LAKE MAGGIORE
The botanical gardens of Villa Taranto, located on the promontory of
Castagnola in Verbania Pallanza, cover an area of about 20 hectares. Their
origins date back to 1931 when a Scottish gentleman, Captain Neil Boyd
McEacharn, purchased the "La Crocetta" estate from the Marchioness of
Sant'Elia, with the aim of turning it into one of the leading botanic gardens
in the world. Capt. McEacharn renamed the property "Villa Taranto", and devoted
all of his energy, enthusiasm, and competence to its realization which, in the
end involved more than thirty years of work. He employed a large team of
workmen to transform the original property: an artificial valley was dug for
species needing shade and cooler conditions; terraced gardens were created for
those needing full sun; and over 7 km of paths were built along with a system
of underground irrigation. The job of restocking the gardens took Captain
McEacharn several times round the world in search of seeds and plants to add
to his extensive collection. The English garden has been enriched by the
inclusion of typical Italian elements as well and today boasts over 20,000
varieties and plant species.
The gardens, donated by Captain McEacharn to the Italian State, were opened
to the public for the first time in 1952. The Villa, not open to visitors, is
the seat of the Prefecture of the Verbania, Cusio Ossola Province.