Italy

Valsanzibio .. A Baroque Dream

Valsanzibio Rainbow Fountain Putto  Photo © Alice Joyce

My Italian sojourn took advantage of the accommodating guidance and transport provided by ‘The Other Side of Venice – Veneto Tours,’ with Miriam at the helm. We departed Venice early one morning for a day trip to the beautiful countryside of the Veneto, southwest of Padova. The destination: a dream-like Baroque masterpiece, VALSANZIBIO, with a magnificent landscape that can be traced back to 1669 and the Venetian aristocrat, Zuane Francesco Barbarigo – the breathtaking layout created by none other than the Vatican architect, Bernini.

Continue reading Valsanzibio: Giardino Barbarigo

Historic Gardens

Irish Hunger Memorial

Irish Hunger Memorial wall brickwork Photo © Alice Joyce

Not far from Ground Zero, the Battery Park City neighborhood in lower Manhattan has greatly changed in the years since 9/11. I stepped off a shuttle bus at an unexpected stop, catching sight of a poignantly composed green sward. The Irish Hunger Memorial, designed by artist Brian Tolle, with landscape architect Gail Wittwer-Laird among the project’s team, commemorates the famine of the mid-1880s, at the same time, raising awareness for all who face hunger in the world today.

Continue reading Irish Hunger Memorial: New York City

England

English Gardens: Mapperton Beckons

Mapperton Fountain Court Tiered Topiary Photo © Alice Joyce

The historic landscaped gardens of …

Mapperton Fountain Court Tiered Topiary Photo © Alice Joyce

Click to visit: Mapperton .. a reprise.