“Maria Ansaldi” Pania di Corfino Botanical Garden

The “Maria Ansaldi” Pania di Corfino Botanical Garden is located in the municipality of Villa Collemandina at 1370m in altitude, in a wide clearing in the beech forest of the Orecchiella Nature Park. The Garden gathers, protects and preserves the indigenous flora of the Upper Lucchese Apennines and the Apuan Alps.

Rare species and those in danger of extinction are particularly found among the plants cultivated here, as well as natural plants traditionally used both in popular medicine and for feeding the inhabitants of the Upper Garfagnana. The botanical garden is divided into several sections including the flora of the forests, pastures, moorlands, peat bogs, rubble, cliff flora and others.

Here, there are around 400 plant species, offering a spectacle of different bloomings from spring to summer. The blooming of peonies, lilies and various orchids are wonderful, without forgetting gentians and rarer species such as the Apuan vedovella and the paradisea.