When were the three days of the FAI held at Castello di Masino?
The 30th Exhibition-market at the castle of Masino and in its park took place this year between 21 and 23 October.
The theme, as we often encountered this year in the various demonstrations, fairs and events on gardens that took place, focused on “The possible garden: adaptation, creativity and sustainability”.
How many nurserymen were present at the three days for the garden at Castello di Masino?
The Piedmontese Garden Academy selected more than 100 nurserymen who proposed the most sought-after varieties for beauty, simplicity and adaptability to the current climate situation to the participants of the exhibition-market.
“[…] Among the botanical novelties on display: numerous varieties of achillea, agastache, echinacea, eryngium e sedum, flowering plants resistant to aridity and able to cope with increasingly rising temperatures, and the unusual Dalea purpurea, Dierama pulcherrimum, Euphorbia dendroides, Euphorbia donii ‘Amjillasa’, Euphorbia griffitii ‘Fern Cottage’.
Cistus: excellent essences for the arid climate:
Furthermore, among the new plants for arid soils there is an interesting collection of cists, such as the rare and original ones Cistus halimifolius (Yellow Cist) and Cistus ladanifer, medicinal and aromatic. […] of particular interest for the autumn vegetation and flowering will be the majestic Eupatorium capillipes ‘Elegant plume’ and the Phellodendron amurense, rutacea from Asia, rustic deciduous tree, with corky bark, cultivated for its beautiful shape and aromatic foliage. […]” (fondoambiente.it)
“[…] Always linked to the common thread of the “possible garden” and the challenges that climate change poses for the gardener, they will also be addressed more specifically botanical themes: from dry meadows, which select a greater variety of flowering species and combine beauty and biodiversity for pollinators, to the plants used to expand, even in the smallest gardens, the flowering season and the supply of nectar, fine to bulbs and seeds to be planted to ensure genetic diversity and reproducibility for animal hosts […]” (fondoambiente.it)
3 days of the FAI for the Garden at the Masino Castle: the route
The route of the exhibition-market was concentrated in the lower part of the Masino park, near the entrances, winding along the existing paths and forming a ring.
Having made an initial tour of the over 100 exhibiting nurserymen and decided, in principle, which plants to purchase (then there were many more), we continued to visit the Masino castle. The village perched between the park and the castle is fascinating, as if to protect the latter or to protect the village from the rest of the world.
The park of the Masino castle
The park of the Masino castle has the classic sixteenth-century imprint where the parts of the park closest to the castle are the most decorated. It so happens that we come across a stone wall about a couple of meters high that divides the area of the English park (the furthest from the castle) from the area enriched by annual blooms, greenery, the small temple, the labyrinth, the strawberry tree grove – Arbutus unedo (what a feast!!) which we overcome by climbing a stone staircase.
The walk in the green park of Masino
The walk in this part of the park makes one feel like a lady in costume. It makes you want to walk slowly, chatting slowly. It seems to hear the clothes rustling on the ground…
Walking along the avenues of cypresses, we see meadows with box hedges in shape that welcome flowerbeds of perennial flowering herbs. We also walk through a palm grove which, with its bare and slender trunks, looks like a stone colonnade at the end of which we can see the small temple.
The rose garden is at the rear base of the castle, enclosed by an iron gate. A romantic pool of water stands at the center.
The labyrinth of Masino Castle
Passing instead in front of the castle, you reach a long avenue at the end of which is the famous labyrinth. We obviously circled around and got lost for half an hour then cheated and walked out.
I must say that despite the sun, the delightful place, the beloved company and a full belly – we had lunch at the FAI bar next to the castle – we children of the 80s could not miss the call of “The Shining“.
The guided tour inside the Masino Castle
The visit to the castle was guided and those who accompany you love the tour and the castle so they tell it with love.
The following photos are just some of the magnificent rooms visited and I leave you with the desire to go and visit it, pointing out just one thing that I would also like in my home.
Precious details of the Masino castle: The marble floors
The wonderful marble floor was obviously laid not with tiles, but with grit created on the floor itself, making it as beautiful today as it was in 1500 when it was laid.
The meetings scheduled for the three days for the Garden 2022
There was no shortage of in-depth meetings focused on the recomposition of the relationship between man and nature. The cultivation of the vegetable garden and the tricks that can be put in place to counter the negative effects of the new climatic situation and also the awareness of people on the role that small animals also play in our private gardens and terraces in relation to the surrounding area.
In summary, you can find a list of these meetings at this link https://fondoambiente.it/il-fai/beni/tre-giorni-per-il-giardino/programma/ and if you would like a particular meeting to be reported, please tell us and we will propose it in an article!
End of day amenities
In the end, tired but happy, we enjoyed the roasted chestnuts sitting on a sheaf of straw with the gentle light of the sunset warming our backs and we don’t need to ask ourselves why we came: the satisfaction we feel is enough… what more could you ask for!
Now on horseback! Work awaits us! Our new wonderful outdoor space is about to be born!
GOOD WORK and … if you have any questions please write to info@mondodelgiardino.com
Image sources: thanks to friends for the beautiful day; atlantides.it for Cistus halimifolium; torinotoday.it for the labyrinth; garden.org for Dalea purpurea; ebay for Dierama pulcherrimum; ilpeccatovegetale.it for the Eupatorium capillifolium Elegant Plume; fioridisicilia.altervista.org for Euphorbia dendroides; rhs.org.uk for Euphorbia donii amjillasa; facebook/planthuntersfairs for Euphorbia griffithii Fern Cottage; treesandshrubsonline.org for Phellodendron amurense.