9
is the third generation of
gardeners in his family. He
worked at private villas and
Ravello's town gardens before
joining Hotel Caruso several
months before it opened.
"I am passionate about plants
and flowers: a garden is like
a lover whose wishes and
desires must be nurtured.
Plants are like human beings:
they need love and care to
prosper and be happy."
"The gardens along the Amalfi
coast are the most complete
in Italy: you go from sea level
to 1,000 metres in minutes, so
you have the whole variety
of plants � from bougainvillea,
lemons, olives and walnuts
through to chestnuts and
mushrooms. All live in terraces
one above the other."
"Creating the gardens at
Caruso was a real challenge.
I had to ensure a smooth
transition between the various
levels planted with olives,
lemons and vines, whose
produce we use in our kitchens.
I structured the gardens
around typical Mediterranean
plants � strawberry trees,
pomegranates and many more
� with something blooming all
year round."
"I love to watch clients' faces
when they see ripe fruits...
many of them have never
seen an olive tree. We all
feel like children before the
beauties of nature � it's an
amazing sensation."
"Walking in the belvedere
garden at sunrise, towards
the swimming pool, the
atmosphere is pure magic. I
also adore the olive terrace:
I matched the trees' silvery
leaves with jasmine and
white roses. The trunks of the
centenary pomegranate trees
show their history: they're
like an old man's hands, they
have so much to teach."
"One of the most stunning
times of the year is spring
� April and May � when all
the roses are blooming. In
September and October
you pick the fruits of your
hard work: grapes, chestnuts,
olives, mushrooms."
"One of our guests did a
tour of the gardens and
decided to propose to his
girlfriend here. I helped him
to find the perfect spot and
set up a path with candles; it
was magical. The following
year they held their wedding
at the Caruso with 40 friends
� a spectacular party with
fireworks in the gardens.
When they came again for
their anniversary this year she
was pregnant. The Caruso is
a very romantic background
to their love story."
"I often take guests on tours
of the gardens; most of them
share my passion for nature. I
suggest plants and herbs for
them to grow back home and
where to buy the seeds."
"I always recommend guests
take a walk after breakfast,
when the scent of the flowers
is most intense and the sun
rising over the Amalfi coast
creates an atmosphere that
is almost surreal. Sit on a
bench in the garden and
lose yourself in the perfume
of an orange tree or have an
open-air massage among the
jasmine flowers."
GAETANO AMATO
From top: roses at Hotel Caruso; Gaetano Amato; Ravello's magical gardens.
NATURE AT ITS BEST
All four Italian hotels offer special programmes for garden lovers.
Ask the concierge to arrange visits to the secret villas and gardens
of Florence, or walk the flower-carpeted cliffs of the Cinque Terre
near Portofino.
To discover more, please visit www.hotelcaruso.com, call
+39 01 852 67809 or email reservations@oeh.it

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