Thursday, 8 Oct 2026, 10:00 am
Via Ninfina II, 68, 04012 Cisterna di Latina LT, Italy
The garden of Ninfa is situated in the ruins of a medieval town and has been described as the most romantic garden in the world, because the combination of ruins, water, history, wild life, amazing views and inspired planting creates a sensory impact on visitors which is hard to forget. In our study day we will look at the challenges of managing a national monument, as well as the history of planting through three generations since the garden was formed in the early 20th century, and the challenges of adapting the garden to the 21st century while maintaining its character and ethos. We will also look at Ninfa’s role in Conservation. Our afternoon tour will take in all aspects of the main garden, including the enclosed renaissance garden (hortus conclusus) , and will look at the three arboreta outside the garden, and, if there is time, look round the wetland area (Pantanello) created in the late 20th century.
Wednesday – October 7
Arrive at local accommodation (please see below for suggestions)
7.30pm - Dinner (optional). Valle del Usignolo.
Thursday – October 8.
10:00 Assemble at Pantanello Park, Ninfa.
10:30 Tea, coffee
11:00 - 12:30 Presentations:
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch at Pantanello Park, Ninfa
14:00 - 17:30 Tour of the garden and arboreta at Ninfa
20:00 Dinner at La Taparita, Monticchio
Friday – October 9.
10:00 - 12:30 Visit to Torrecchia
12:30 - 1:30 Picnic lunch
14:00 - 16:30 Visit to Landriana
19.30 Dinner, Ristorante Marcello, Sermoneta
Saturday – October 10.
Depart.
10:00 - 13:00 Walk in the woods above Cori (optional)
Garden entry fees, bus costs, two lunches and one dinner : £200 per person
Lunch (at Ninfa) and dinner (at La Taparita) on the Thursday are included, as well as the Friday picnic.
The other two dinners are optional, but we hope most people can make them (€50 per head).
Attendees will pay their own accommodation costs and organise their own travel to and from Latina Scalo.
5 ;double rooms have been reserved for three nights at La Valle del Usignolo. Double occupancy is €80 per night including breakfast. Single occupancy €45 including breakfast.
4 double rooms have been reserved for three nights at Lelive in Sermoneta. The cost per night is €100 for two people.
Camping is an option. Possible sites will be provided if this is required
Other possible accommodations nearby:
Train to Latina Scalo from Roma Termini.
Taxi to accomodation, which will be nearby, or pick-up can be arranged in certain cases
Coach/ Bus will pick up participants on Thursday and Friday from Sermoneta Car Park or Valle del Usignolo
Torrecchia https://www.torrecchia.com/garden
Torrecchia has many connections with Ninfa. In 1991, Prince Carlo Caracciolo and his wife Violante Visconti commissioned the famous architect Gae Aulenti to convert the former 17th-century granary into an elegant and understated villa.
The painter Tullio Pericoli also made his contribution. Located within the castle walls, the jewel of the place is undoubtedly the romantic English garden of about two hectares. It was designed by Lauro Marchetti, curator of the Gardens of Ninfa, and was later developed and maintained by the English landscaper Dan Pearson.
Landriana https://www.landriana.com/
A true green oasis on the Lazio coastline: the Giardini della Landriana cover over 10 hectares within a large estate, near Tor San Lorenzo in Ardea, 35 km south of Rome.
The peculiarity of the garden lies in its division into ‘rooms’, each of which presents a botanical variety that makes it unique and different from the others, such as the ancient rose valley with its lake; the white avenue; and the olive garden.
It all began in 1956 when Marchese Gallarati Scotti and his wife, Lavinia Taverna, decided to purchase a rural property on the Lazio coast at an auction. They named it La Landriana in homage to one of the names of the Taverna family.
At the time of purchase, the land was completely bare. The couple decided to plant trees to bring some shade to the farmhouse and to mitigate the winds blowing from the sea. Later, a family friend gave Lavinia Taverna a packet of seeds, and the marchioness, almost as a joke, tried to sow them. The result of the experiment was sensational: from those small grains the plants that still make up the Giardini della Landriana were born.
In 1967 they brought in the British landscape architect Russell Page, who divided the large garden into spaces with a strongly geometric design emphasized by hedges and pathways.
IDS Study Day and Event Refund Policy
For all cancellation, refund or transfer requests, please contact events@dendrology.org.
Friday, 16 Oct 2026, 6:00 pm
Cotswolds, UK
Invitation description
This October, Young IDS heads to the Cotswolds to explore some remarkable tree collections at the most colourful time of the year. Are you joining us?
On Saturday morning, we will visit Tortworth Arboretum, first planted in 1853 and holds an impressive collection of champion trees, including notable specimens of Cedrus deodara, Quercus frainetto and Sequoiadendron giganteum. Collections Manager Jake will introduce us to the collection before we explore the arboretum. We will then continue to Leigh Delamere, where IDS member and former chairman Harriet Tupper will generously welcome us for an afternoon visit to her private tree collection.
On Sunday, we will visit Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, home to one of the finest tree collections in the world and five National Plant Collections (Acer species, Japanese maple cultivars, Tilia, Staphylea and Juglandaceae). Mid-October is a particularly special time to visit, with the maple collection at its colourful best in autumn, including the critically endangered Amami maple. The collection also includes an ancient Tilia cordata coppice, believed to be around 2,000 years old.
A limited number of free beds will be available, we will suggest additional accommodation options nearby, and we will help coordinate shared transport where possible.
Members are welcome to bring a guest (non-member) as long as they can vouch for them.
We look forward to a weekend of remarkable trees, autumn colour and good company!
Cost: There is no cost to event (members and guests must cover the cost of their own accommodation, travel and food).
Agenda
Friday 16th: Evening arrival optional
Saturday 17th of October:
Morning activity: 09:30 - meet at Tortworth Forest Centre (GL12 8HH), intro from Jake (Collections Manager), independent exploration of the arboretum
Lunch:
Afternoon activity: Drive to Leigh Delamere House to be hosted by Harriet Tupper
Evening activity : Group dinner at a local pub all together.
Sunday 18th October:
Morning activity: 10:30 meet at Westonbirt Arboretum (GL8 8QS), tour with Curator Dan Crowley
Lunch: can be brought with or purchased from the onsite cafe
Transport:
Sleeping:
Please contact Lucy at lucyclairebidgood@hotmail.com to book your place and with any further questions. Please reserve a place by the 10th October.
Saturday, 17 Oct 2026, 10:30 am
Cound, Shrewsbury SY5 6AF, UK
The 10 acres of The Leasowes Gardens and Arboretum which span a discreet protected valley which overlooks the Severn valley and the Wrekin in rural Shropshire is immersed in autumnal hues.
The garden and arboretum has been established by enthusiastic amateurs Tricia and Robert Bland with an eye to colour and dendrological interest. A wide selection of over 700 unusual trees and shrubs including over 140 different maples originating from all around the world have been planted across two meadow fields and a wooded valley covered with bluebells in late April.
Within the super structure of mature larches and interconnected ponds, a wide range of specimen and hybrid rhododendrons and azaleas have been planted as well as shade appreciating trees and shrubs.
–Teas and Cakes available
– Free parking in field
– There will be a plant sale
– Dogs are welcome on leads
– Toilet facilities available
£8 Entry fee
A donation will be made to the IDS and the NGS from the proceeds of the day.
The IDS would like to thank Robert Bland for opening his garden to members and we hope you have a successful day.
19 Oct 2026
Chicago, IL, USA
19 October to 2 November 2026
Organised by Greentours
Coordinated by Marie Christine de Laubarède
Applications to Marie Christine de Laubarède
Email: mail@mclgardendesign.com
Tour details HERE
Wednesday, 24 Feb 2027, 6:00 pm
Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BA, UK
The Royal Parks: Gardening for People and Planet
Guest Speaker - Matthew Pottage MHort (RHS)
“The changing climate isn’t kind to gardeners. As soon as you’ve mastered one weather extreme, along comes another. So how will we keep our parks, horticultural areas and green spaces flourishing in this changing world. And how do we do our part by doing it sustainably?”
Matthew is the Head of Horticulture and Landscape Strategy for The Royal Parks in London, and former Curator of RHS Garden Wisley. He has authored his first book, ‘How To Garden When you Rent’ and is a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners Question Time. He is a trustee for Fulham Palace, and the Chelsea Physic Garden and is part of the RHS Woody Plant Expert Group. In his free time, when not gardening or travelling, he shares his horticultural musings on The Garden Collective.
More details to follow....
23 Mar 2027
Tangier, Morocco
23 March to 31 March 2027
Organised by Greentours
Coordinated by Marie Christine de Laubarède
Applications to Marie Christine de Laubarède
Email: mail@mclgardendesign.com
Four places remaining
Tour details HERE
22 Apr 2027
Downpatrick, UK
22 April to 25 April 2027
Organised by Suzie Scott
Applications to Suzie Scott
Email: suzie@woburnlodge.com
Tour details HERE
25 Apr 2027
Inveraray PA32, UK
25 April to 30 April 2027
Organised by Robert Bland
Assisted by Tom Christian
Applications to Robert Bland
Tour details HERE
3 May 2027
Jersey
3 May to 7 May 2027
Organised by Anna Bradstock
Coordinated by Anthony Dessain
Applications to Anna Bradstock
Tour details HERE
10 May 2027
Dorchester DT2, UK
10 May to 15 May 2027
Organised by Monique Gudgeon
Applications to Monique Gudgeon
Email: mo@sculpturebythelakes.co.uk
The tour is now full, with a waiting list
Tour details HERE
19 May 2027
The Savill Garden, Wick Ln, Englefield Green, Egham TW20 0UJ, UK
23 May 2027
Berlin, Germany
23 May to 30 May 2027
Organised by Charles Aldington
Applications to Charles Aldington
Email: ca@aldingtonlow.com
Tour details HERE
21 Jun 2027
Arusha, Tanzania
21 June to 4 July 2027
Organised by Dr John Grimshaw
Coordinated by Marie-Christine de Laubarède
Applications to Marie-Christine de Laubarède
Email: mail@mclgardendesign.com
The tour is now full, with a waiting list
Tour details HERE
14 Sep 2027
Victoria, Australia
14 September to 4 October 2027
Post-tour: 28 September to 4 October, optional
Organised by Greentours
Assisted by Simon Grant, IDS VP for Australia
Coordinated by Marie-Christine de Laubarède
Applications to Marie-Christine de Laubarède
Email: mail@mclgardendesign.com
Tour details HERE
23 Sep 2027
Melrose TD6, UK
23 September to 26 September 2027
Organised by Jenny Litherland
Applications to Jenny Litherland
Email: litherland@laidlawstiel.com
Tour details HERE
14 Oct 2027
Farnham, UK
14 October to 17 October 2027
Organised by Sarah Webster
Applications to Sarah Webster
Tour details HERE
Members only event
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