Villa Allamel

Conservative enhancement of the historic garden at Villa Allamel in Cernobbio, Lake Como. Landscape design reinstates the original nineteenth-century layout of the flowerbeds, enhancing the outdoor spaces in perfect harmony with the property’s heritage.

The comfort of the patio has been improved by extending the traditional black and white pebble paving. The new Sardinian granite curbs integrate seamlessly with the original elements; their installation was meticulously overseen by the gardener to protect the root systems of the ancient trees.

The intervention also enhances the vegetation, a celebrated custodian of the local Lake Como identity. The ornamental boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) hedge has been reshaped in areas exposed to the wind, improving the health of the plants and opening up views of the central lawn. The lakeside terrace, framed by columns and wisteria (Wisteria sinensis), has been enriched with a border of white panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata). To avoid disturbing the roots of the century-old climber, the new plants were placed in bottomless planters. The intentionally irregular arrangement of the shrubs, complemented by cushions of Vinca minor ‘Gertrude Jekyll’, lends a newfound lightness to the architecture and extends the blooming period into late summer.

A compact cluster of Liriope muscari highlights the majestic Magnolia grandiflora, which marks the transition point between the central lawn, the terrace, and the private dock.

The new relax area is completed by a custom-designed diamond-patterned treillage structure. Together with the new planters, the structure is in galvanized steel, anthracite grey colour, creating a contemporary nod to the villa’s original Art Nouveau elements of the Villa