There is a place in Sicily where time seems suspended, a corner of paradise where nature, art and symbolism intertwine in a harmony that we could define practically perfect. It is “The rooms in bloom”, an extraordinary garden that, since 2020, has been part of the “Great Gardens of the World”, the prestigious list of the 200 most beautiful gardens on the planet. Located a few kilometers from Catania, this green space is an experience that goes beyond the simple concept of garden: it is a sensory journey, a path of the soul, a work of living art.
A garden that tells a story
To give life to this enchanting place was Rossella Pezzino De Geronimo, entrepreneur and photographer, who began to shape “the rooms in bloom” at the beginning of the new millennium. What was a simple ground of seven hectares around a nineteenth -century neoclassical villa has become a universe made of colors, perfumes and suggestions. A project that, according to its creator, will never end, because a garden is a living creature, in constant evolution.
Each corner contains a meaning. The path crosses the thematic green rooms that reflect moods and deep symbols. Japanese, Chinese, Burmese gardens follow one another until they reach the “Garden of the Oltre”, a mystical environment that invites reflection. In the garden, the water, present with streams, lakes and fountains, takes on a cathartic function: crossing it means leaving the superfluous behind and purifying the mind.
Over 1,100 botanical species and works of art
“The rooms in bloom” houses more than 1,100 tropical and subtropical botanical species. Rare palm trees, exotic flowers, majestic trees and aromatic plants merge with landscape architecture, creating a fascinating ecosystem. Among the flowers that bloom at every season and the plants with iridescent leaves, the visitor feels immersed in a living picture.
It is not just the vegetation that makes this place special. Along the way you will meet contemporary sculptures that dialogue with the surrounding green. Art here is an integral part of the experience, a key to interpret the garden as an inner journey.
An unforgettable sensory experience
Visiting “The rooms in bloom” can certainly not be reduced to a simple walk between plants and flowers. Each guided tour is a real sensory itinerary lasting about three hours, in which guests are accompanied through the different rooms of the garden, and where they will be able to know the philosophy that animates them and let themselves be involved by the most hidden details.
The path ends with a brunch immersed in nature. Here, visitors can taste the dishes made with fresh products of the organic garden of the garden, for what promises to be an unparalleled gastronomic experience, in which the flavors of the earth merge with the suggestive atmosphere of the place.
A living garden: events, social projects and organic vegetable garden
“The rooms in bloom” is also a place designed to host the most exclusive events. The location lends itself to dream weddings, private parties, photographic shooting, theatrical performances and business meetings. The variety of spaces allows you to create unique and personalized settings, so that each event can turn into an always unique and unrepeatable experience.
The garden is also an open -air educational laboratory. Laboratories for children and teenagers are organized, in which ancient techniques such as cyanotype (a photographic print method that gives images with a characteristic intense blue) are taught, but also cooking workshops to transform the garden products into genuine dishes. Among the most suggestive initiatives, the “travel actually increased between flora and fauna”, which transports participants to a virtual world to explore distant natural environments, from the heart of Sicily to Selvaggia Australia.
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In 2021, Rossella Pezzino De Geronimo expanded the project by creating a vegetable garden and a biological orchard. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, visitors can buy seasonal vegetables and fruit directly on the spot or order them online. A concrete way to promote sustainability and conscious consumption.
How to visit it
The rooms in bloom is not a garden open to the public without limits, but a special place to be discovered with awareness. Visits are possible all year round, exclusively by reservation, and can be organized by visiting the official website of the garden.
If you are looking for an out of the ordinary experience, of a corner of peace where nature and art merge into an incessant dialogue, this Sicilian garden is a destination not to be missed. A place where beauty is not observed, but you live in first person.
