There are fruits and fruits and there are houses and houses.
Citrus are noble and they deserve a castle.
Since the XIII century, the Garda Lake is the northernmost lemons growing area in the world. Limone sul Garda holds some of the best preserved lemon houses of the Garda area.
Standing at the foot of the hill, on your right the lake, on your left the downward slope, you can perceive that something special is happening up there: wood and stone structures, permeable to wind, stand with elegance, caging gold skin lemon trees in them.
"We passed Limone, the mountain-gardens of which, laid out terrace-fashion, and planted with citron-trees, have a neat and rich appearance. The whole garden consists of rows of square white pillars placed at some distance from each other, and rising up the mountain in steps. On these pillars strong beams are laid, that the trees planted between them may be sheltered in the winter.
(Italian Journey, J. Wolfgang Goethe, 1816–17)
To reach the lemon house you need to climb the hill through the narrow streets of the village. The entrance is a surprise, because the view of the glasshouse disappears in the maze of alleys after leaving the lake shore.
After stepping the entrance door, the masters of the house welcome you with their shiny green leaves and yellow, orange and green scented fruits. It is a very relaxing ambience shadowed by the vertical and horizontal structure of the building and by the lemon, orange, mandarin, lime and citron trees.
The trees are grandiose and they stand in the best seat to enjoy the most beautiful panorama: a 180 degrees view of the Garda lake, of the Mont Baldo and of the town below.
The silence glorifies of the place. Walking through the tree houses, up and down the stone stairs, the only sound is the water flowing in the irrigation channels.
The mansion changes its look over the year to take care of its residents: to let them enjoy the best south - south east sun during the summer and to protect them during the winter.
The only permanent elements of the lemon house are the stone columns and the chestnut beams. In November the house gets dressed: the backward sloping roof is covered with wooden boards and the sides are closed with wood and glass mobile frames.
The gold fruits trees of the lake are ready for another year and keep watching the life happening at their feet from their throne.
Comments