2009-11-09 12:30:39 - Next to a Lodge House, after 50year of passion for succulents Plant, captain D'Ambra opens the door of one of the most important outdoor succulent plants collection in Europe.

THE GIARDINI RAVINO
Seven years ago, the garden Giardini Ravino was born out of the courage to put a dream into reality, in details, that is to give a long-lasting home to cell culture.Giuseppe D’Ambra, a seaman travelled all over the world and a great aficionado of succulents and cacti, as of palms, all the time came back from his voyages

with the bags full of seeds and scions of rare plants, one-of-a-kind in Italy and Europe.

The mild climate of the island Ischia und possibly the south-western exposure of Villa Ravino’s ground, were the reason for the extensive growth of the plants and allowed their reproduction easily and unique in sort and amount.
That’s how the D’Ambra’s decided to show to the public this treasure that involved so much dedication, devotedness, sacrifice and patience. Directed by the father, Christoph and Luca, enabled by a genetic and inherited passion, with which they are born and with which they grew up, created a botanical garden that is open to the public; an initiative that might appear a bit unusual , but by having a closer look, one sees the uniqueness and the success of it.

An enthusiastic challenge, that also has to consider environment-friendly considerations as economical ones.; today Ischia is one of the most frequented touristic centres of Italy, with a potential that easily compares with other European centres, as with worldwide famous destinations.

Only taken the official numbers, which don’t reflect reality as the not declared numbers are missing, it is spoken of six billion visitors annually from March to October (eight months), at the rise to seven billion; the always growing numbers are the basis for the whole economy on the island. It is a petty that local entrepreneurs only believe that investing in constructions is the only way of growth and expansion (frequently disregarding urban planning laws) instead of taken the chance of initiating the dialog with the island, the “green” island, a paradise to make holidays.

The D’Ambra’s initiative is taken a place in this comparison, that is swimming against the current, to protect environment, not a construction; to emphasize nature instead of destroying her, to recover history, instead to bury them under cement; to cultivate contact between human beings and animals instead enforcing the differences ;
the possibility to get to know young artists living around the corner, not only the famous ones; to appreciate the sacrifice of those working with and for the Earth instead of only playing on the global markets; to enhance local trade and handicraft, not to imitate; to give room to alternative music and to exclude commercial ones.

Emphasizing traditional values, the D’Ambra’s opened this garden, to offer a place of culture and sustainability.The concept of the Garden Ravino, is not ahead of time, but is taking part and supplies a need of global citizens who sense this need more and more.The story of this garden starts in 2000, when destiny decided, that there is a piece of land for sale, right next to the existing Villa Ravino, at which Giuseppe D’Ambra already raised for 40 years around 3000 exemplars of his beloved succulents (probably even more.

The story leads us to the vineyard of approximately 6.000 sqm, which could finally be bought in 2001, after heating debates. The difficulties arose right after the closing, when it became clear that the piece of land might be to flat. The necessary to work to move all the soil, to plant, to recover old buildings of the countrymen, the access for the disabled, the rules of constructions in progress that has to be looked after, shortly the whole amount of his enterprise, was enormously.
But there are no limits for those who want to realize a dream!
Especially for the D’Ambras there is no lose of courage- they role up their sleeves and simply begin to work. Giuseppe D’Ambra together with his two sons, supported by the love and faith of his wife and mother Edith (she also cared for all the animals, which populated in lightening-speed the new available territory), as the two daughters-in-law, which invested all their workforce- work was all that existed in these days.
The team was step by step joined by a young and promising landscape architect, who planed the guidelines of the garden and coordinated the handiwork of the parracinai (old walls made of specials stones without mortar or cement and only can be handled by so called “parracinai, the electricians, the plumbersOn September, 15th , 2005 the garden was inaugurated - the whole family was deeply moved and each member was touched at the bottom of the heart, additionally all the blaze of colours which alone was fascinating, the warm atmosphere and the familiar reception!

But the true season for the botanical garden began on April, 1st, 2006- after months of continue here: www.ravino.it