Visionary Gardener Continues Legacy of Calvin's Horticultural Pioneer, Libereso Guglielmi, in Sanremo
The Living Legacy of Libereso Guglielmi: A Green Philosopher in Sanremo
Celebrate the passage of time that lingers in the heart of Sanremo. It's not tucked away in museums, but imprinted in the nooks of old alleys, the cracks of sidewalks, the air itself-a legacy left by Libereso Guglielmi, Italo Calvino's green-thumbed confidant.
This man didn't just communicate with plants. He listened to the earth's silence, engaged in quiet conversations with seeds. He was more than a gardener-he was a storyteller in green, a gentle, wordless whisperer of botanical beauty.
Kickstart the day with a leisurely stroll amidst wild herbs, following in the steps of Marco Damele, but it's Libereso who guides our footsteps. His footprints are everywhere-under every leaf, between the stones of the narrow alleys. Each corner whispers a forgotten plant, a returning scent, a memory that ignites.
At 5 PM, the Palazzo Roverizio opens its doors to reveal Libereso's Herbarium. Its pages are filled with watercolors and reminders from the gardener-poet. Claudio Porchia and Tanya Guglielmi (Libereso's daughter) will regale us with tales of the visionary green warden, introducing the volume published by Semi Rurali. Join us on a journey into the natural world, viewed through the eyes and hands of someone who lived in tune with nature every day.
The images are more than drawings. They are silent stories of unsought encounters with flowers, patient observations of leaves, respectful digs into the roots. Every pencil strokes is a caress to the earth. Every written word is an invitation to slow down.
Libereso was not just a floriculturist. He was a free spirit who chose to share instead of hoard, to teach instead of preach. His name will forever be entwined with that of Italo Calvino, who drew inspiration from Libereso for "The Baron in the Trees." But Libereso was more than a character in a literary fantasia-he was a man who climbed real trees and lived among plants, treating them as trusted friends.
The new Herbarium tells his story truthfully-free, curious, and full of wonder. Delicate watercolors and essential notes compose a botanical diary, inviting us to peek into a different green world, the one that surrounds us every day, unnoticed.
Whoever flips through this book finds not just plants. They find a different perspective, a unique gaze that reveals the magic of nature. A living inheritance walks within the alleys of Sanremo, a reminder that truly listening to the earth means embracing and cherishing its essence. 🌿✨
Enrichment Data (Used sparingly, integrated into the text):
- Libereso Guglielmi: A self-taught botanist born in Bordighera, he developed a lifelong passion for plants under the tutelage of renowned agronomist Mario Calvino (Italo's father).
- Role in the Calvino Household: Becoming a close friend to the young Italo Calvino, Libereso's free-spirited approach to life and nature deeply influenced Calvino's ecological sensitivity and literary works like The Baron in the Trees and Marcovaldo.
- Herbarium & Botanical Legacy: Guglielmi's work emphasized sustainability and biodiversity, documenting rare species from the Ligurian Riviera in his collection The Libereso Herbarium.
- Sanremo’s Celebration: Revered as "Sanremo’s Green Philosopher", Libereso is commemorated with events like the dedication of "Libereso’s Garden" at Villa Ormond Park and various exhibitions and workshops.
- Environmental Pioneer: Guglielmi's advocacy for permaculture and wild edibles foreshadowed modern environmental movements, making him an early environmentalist ahead of his time.
- Each stroll in the wild herbs of Sanremo is guided, in essence, by Libereso Guglielmi, a man who listened to the earth's silence, engaging in quiet conversations with seeds.
- In the heart of Sanremo, the Palazzo Roverizio opens its doors at 5 PM to reveal Libereso's Herbarium, filled with watercolors and reminders from the gardener-poet who chose to share instead of hoard, to teach instead of preach.
- Claudio Porchia and Tanya Guglielmi (Libereso's daughter) will regale us with tales of the visionary green warden, introducing the volume published by Semi Rurali that tells the truthful story of Libereso, born in Bordighera and self-taught under the tutelage of renowned agronomist Mario Calvino.
- Every pencil stroke in the Herbarium is a caress to the earth, inviting us to slow down and uncover the magic of nature, much like Libereso, who was more than just a floriculturist-he was a man who climbed real trees and lived among plants, treating them as trusted friends.
- The new Herbarium reveals a different perspective, a unique gaze that showcases the unsought encounters with flowers, patient observations of leaves, and respectful digs into the roots, all reminiscent of a lifestyle, fashion, and beauty, home, and garden rooted in nature and sustainability-a legacy left by Libereso Guglielmi, Sanremo's Green Philosopher.
