The rose terrace blooms for Mother’s Day

Celebrating Mother’s Day with a day marked by beauty, surrounded by the blossoming flowers in the botanical gardens of the Borromean Islands and Parco Pallavicino in Stresa, on Lake Maggiore, now at the height of their splendour. The perfect idea for this year’s Mother’s Day, dedicated to a day out with the whole family on Sunday 8 May.

A true gem of the botanical collections in the Italian garden on Isola Bella, the blooming of the rose terrace is an unmissable event. The queen of flowers par excellence is the star of the moment, a spectacle within the spectacle of the Borromean archipelago: in shades of pink and red, it lights up the espalier with colours, transforming this corner into a little Eden that is clearly visible from the lake and the mainland.

The varieties include the cherry-red Blaze and the peach-pink Claire Matin. The corollas of the Blaze rose can be rounded or cup-shaped and generally grow in small clusters of three to ten flowers; the Claire Matin has coral-pink buds that open to become salmon pink and then peach pink.

All around is the majestic setting of the Teatro Massimo, with statues, obelisks, fountains and the symbol of the unicorn at the top. The site is home also to other rare flowers and plants, while elegant white peacocks stroll along the paths.

The day can be rounded off with a visit to Palazzo Borromeo to explore the history of Baroque art. Or with an excursion to nearby Isola Madre, a larger and more exotic isle with its English garden. Or indeed to the Parco Pallavicino, home to over 50 species of animals and boasting a picturesque garden with brightly coloured flower beds and arcades.

For a souvenir to recall Mother’s Day, there are many themed ideas in the bookshops: from the “Aroma Reale” line of perfumery products, with a refined essence dedicated to the rose, to Flora silk scarves with floral motifs. Among the most mouth-watering proposals are artisan specialities such as Piedmontese biscuits and Lake Maggiore honey produced in the permanent apiary at Parco Pallavicino. Throughout the month of May, the purchase of the Eau de parfum Aroma Reale comes with a pink pencil as a gift.