Art gardeners

by Cristina Manfredi

If you pass through Northern Italy and love greenery, put the Reggia di Venaria Reale gardens on your road map. A few kilometers from the center of Turin, easily reached by public transportation, stands the original 17th-century hunting lodge of the Dukes of Savoy, later transformed into a sumptuous family residence during the 18th century. By that time, the dynasty had ascended to the rank of Kings of Sicily and Sardinia before taking the throne of the Kingdom of Italy, which was formed in 1861.

Great architects have stamped their mark on the buildings (a leading figure in this sense was Filippo Juvarra), where unbridled excellence was also bestowed on the surrounding greenery, equally strategic in conveying to the world the power and refinement of the Savoy family, up to the decline under Napoleonic rule in the 19th century. Bonaparte's army destroyed the gardens to acquire space for a parade ground, after which the complex became Royal Military Property and the seat of military bodies until the 1930s.

World War II, with subsequent neglect and repeated vandalism, almost condemned the Palace and its gardens to oblivion, and it was only in 1999 that complex restoration work began thanks to a joint agreement between the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, the Piedmont Regional Authority, the City of Turin and the municipalities of Venaria Reale and Druento.

The Palace and gardens were restored to public access eight years later, and as far as the greenery is concerned, that was only the beginning of a renaissance closely linked to the skills of its carers. Caring for a historic garden means not only planting, watering, and pruning; such a responsibility demands the ability to interpret its history and foster a constructive interaction with the present. This is why the works of contemporary artists such as Giuseppe Peone and Giovanni Anselmo have been installed alongside examples of ancient heritage.

In addition, since 2015, those 800,000 square meters of gardens and woodland have been the venue for a training course dedicated to artistic landscaping experts in charge of historic gardens and parks. A unique experience in Italy and beyond, as Chiara Teolato, director of the Royal Sabaudian Residences Consortium, assured us, along with Alessia Bellone, head of Garden Conservation and Maintenance.

Director Teolato, what is the purpose of such a specific training program?
CT: Candidates for these studies must hold at least a degree in the agricultural sciences, but it's not enough to be an expert in plants to deal with complex settings like the Venaria. One of the most interesting goals of the course is to provide skills that must then be put into practice in the various Savoy residences. This enables us to move in the same direction and with the same degree of care and competence that our gardens demand and deserve. And it's important to point out another peculiarity: it is the only course of this kind in Italy that is free of tuition fees for its approximately 30 selected students. To qualify, candidates must apply in the call for places held by the Piedmont Regional Authority, from which we are now waiting for details for 2025.

Alessia Bellone, but what is taught differently compared to other gardening courses?
AB: In the planned 800 hours of annual tuition, we cover technical aspects, such as understanding different soils, environmental sustainability issues, nursery maintenance, machinery and the use of special equipment; then there is a whole section on garden history and architecture. Going beyond mere notions of botany, these modules are taught by university professors, and they teach students how to differentiate between Italian, English and French gardens, but above all, they train how to read and understand historical drawings.

How does that work?
AB: To establish the correct height of a plant, its volume, and degree of pruning compared to the past, you must be able to interpret the iconography of the time. Depending on how the shadow of a tree was depicted, for example, you can deduce a lot of information if you have the right interpretive key. And those sources can also guide our understanding of the difference between the garden of a duke and that of a king, because when the rank of the Savoy family ascended, their parks had to adapt as well.

What are the prospects for students who complete the course?
AB: Not all are recruited by the consortium of Savoy residences; some find jobs with companies in the sector or join the teams of other historic gardens, like one of our graduates who now holds a senior position in the management of the grounds at the Royal Palace of Versailles. To date, the consortium has 22 gardeners, divided into three teams that work in the parks every day. Only with constant intervention can reliable results be achieved.

For those who don't have ambitions to attend the course but want to explore the palace grounds, what do you suggest?
CT: I recommend visiting when the cherry trees blossom; it lasts only one week, usually during March, and it's a very exciting time because the scenery encompasses the amazing backdrop of the Alps in the distance. Then there's the golden autumn foliage; at that time of the year, you should also extend your visit to Villa Regina on the Hill of Superga, where two majestic ginko biloba trees project a glowing yellow that frames the view of the city.

AB: Usually, winter visiting focuses on the Palace, but in November, it's also worth reaching the area of the Temple of Diana to enjoy a flowering of grasses that only happens at that time of year. They were planted there to entice the public to brave the weather and enjoy the park. From one vantage point, if you look towards the hill, you can also see the Villa Regina and thus enjoy the combined view of both residences.