The Romantic Garden is reborn in Naples

The Romantic Garden of the Royal Palace is getting a makeover to return to an appearance more similar to the original one, but also to adapt to the challenges of climate change and new technologies. The precious space of 1,440 square meters, which adorned and enriched the royal residence of Naples, will close to the public from today to allow for restyling interventions, which will concern the plant, plant and architectural components.

The project, developed after two years of studies, research and investigations, includes the enrichment of the botanical heritage, to recover the value of collecting in the second half of the 19th century, the period in which the garden was designed by Friedrich Dehnhardt and of which the imposing specimens of ficus magnolioides and pinus canariensis survive.

The intervention on the botanical part includes the insertion of flower borders to enhance the chromatic aspect of the space. The first step, which starts today, concerns the existing trees, with pruning aimed at rebalancing the bearing and size of the plants, as well as felling necessary to make the places safe. The flowerbeds will also be re-profiled, deeply aerating the soil, encouraging optimal growth of the plants and remaking the lawns. “We will work on the recomposition of the botanical collection – explains the landscape architect Marco Ferrari – with the planting of new trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, whose selection draws on the lists drawn up by Dehnhardt, the ‘botanical gardener’ of King Ferdinand II of Bourbon and evaluated in compliance with the changed environmental scenarios”.

The asphalt pavement of the neo-baroque avenue, perpendicular to the entrance to the National Library, will then be removed and the paving surface in tuff cocciopesto will be recreated, following a design that is functional for the correct drainage of rainwater. The project includes the adaptation of the water-sanitary, fire-prevention and irrigation systems, which will guarantee constant maintenance over time through sustainable management of resources. Finally, the monumental gate, which starts from the nearby San Carlo theater, will be restored. The restoration of the garden, one of three inside the Royal Palace, must be completed by spring 2025 and is financed with approximately 900 thousand euros by the Ministry of Culture, as part of the strategic plan ‘Major cultural heritage projects’, for which a total of 23 million euros have been allocated.

“Due to the great anthropic impact of a large and heterogeneous public, a high level of maintenance is necessary on the plant heritage, as well as a surveillance service to preserve it in the future”, notes the director of Palazzo Reale, Mario Epifani, who announces a similar restoration intervention for the Hanging Garden and the GIardino Italia”. The architect Almerinda Padricelli, responsible for the project, underlines the importance of recovering not only the greenery, but also the infrastructural, plant and service part, to “offer visitors a safe, aware and pleasant use. The garden represents a place of connection of the monumental complex, a hub of the various institutes, from the National Library to the San Carlo. At the end of the works, the wi-fi connection already present in the museum will also be extended to all the gardens of the Palazzo, giving visitors the possibility of accessing digital content on the various tree species”.