RENAISSANCE GARDEN
THE
VILLA'S 16TH CENTURY ITALIAN GARDEN
The stunning project that graces the yard of Villa Terrace
as it sweeps down to Lake Michigan recreates the classis
elements of a 16th century Tuscan landscape, while accommodating
the vagaries of the Wisconsin Climate. Rose Standish Nichols
designed the original villa gardens in collaboration with
the Villa's architect David Adler.
In 1997, the Friends of Villa Terrace along with landscape architect Dennis Buettner created a restoration plan that focused on the classical elements of the original landscape.
Enjoy these Garden pleasures at Villa Terrace:
- A dramatic "water stairway" - the classic Scaletta d'Aqua - flowing down past three terraces of flowering crabapple trees to a Vasca (a fishpond used historically to keep the day's catch free)
- Two secret gardens and a thicket (where, in the past, birds would be caught for a meal)
- Grassy spaces and benches, bordered with culinary and medicinal herbs, potted citrus tress, unusual plantings, dwarf fruit trees and statuary
- Our monumental wrought iron "Neptune" Gate inspired by master craftsman Cyril Colnik
- A Tram carries passengers from the upper terrace to
the lower garden
The Museum's goal is to create an Italian Renaissance Garden appropriate to the architecture, setting and decorative arts mission of the Villa Terrace Museum and to provide education through lectures on topics ranging from landscaping architecture to history.