Private Garden - Villa Borrini - Pieve di Compito - Italy

Let's continue the visit to the private gardens of Pieve di Compito during the Mostra Antiche Camelie delle Lucchesia .

We discover Villa Borrini. It was originally the country house of the Borrini family. The oldest camellias were planted there between 1820 and 1840. The Borrini family is famous for its camellia breeding and the nursery of the same name, the Chiusa Borrini, located in Pieve, which we will visit next. This page is a tribute to the heritage of old Italian cultivars.

Here is the visit to the first part of the Villa Borrini, the one which is not accessible to the public during the Mostra. It was the current owner of Villa Borrini, Guido Cattolica, descendant of the Borrini family, who welcomed us.

Here is a very old Italian camellia (1840), 'Lucina Plena', the flower and the plant.

'Lucina Plena'

Here is the mother plant of 'Oscar Borrini' (1888), a very pretty camellia which is still present in nurseries.

'Oscar Borrini'

and its pink mutation in homage to Piero Hillebrand

A second plant of 'Oscar Borrini'.

'Grand Sultan' (1841) also known by the synonym 'Te Deum', on the right the flower, below, the plant.

'Grand Sultan'

And finally, 'Tricolor Florentine', obtained in Florence, the flower and the plant. First published in 1846.

'Tricolor Florentine'

Then, we go to the other side of Villa Borrini, to visit the second part of the garden, open to the public during the Mostra. We are going to discover the rest of the collection of old camellias from the Borrini family.