The Gardens of Villa Pergola, Alassio

The Villa della Pergola Gardens cover 22,000 square meters, in harmony with Mediterranean vegetation and rare plants of exotic flora. They offer visitors a panoramic view of the entire Gulf of Alassio, from Isola Gallinara to a glimpse of Corsica on clear spring days. They have recently been Il restored following a project curated by landscape architect Paolo Pejrone, who has restored this corner of paradise to its former glory.

In the history of these Gardens, it is fitting to mention General McMurdo who built the “Villino della Pergola” and called it Casa Napier “Napier House.” The Villino, designed and built in the Anglo-Indian architectural style, beloved by the British, officials of the British Empire, who resided most of their lives in India. The general died in Nice in 1894, and the villa property was sold by his widow Lady McMurdo and the general’s children to Sir Walter Hamilton-Dalrymple, a baronet descended from an old and noble Scottish family.

Sir Walter Hamilton-Dalrymple, a lover of nature and the art of gardening, creating one of the “Wonders of the Riviera.” The Dalrymples retained ownership of the villa for about two decades; in 1922, Sir Hew Clifford Hamilton-Dalrymple, sold the mansion to Daniel Hanbury, second son of Sir Thomas Hanbury della Mortola.

The Hanbury family made an extraordinary contribution to the completion of the Villa’s garden transporting, from the Mortola botanical garden, varieties of South American cacti, cycas and Australian eucalyptus, and introducing exotic plants to the Villa’s park. Alfred Hitchcock filmed a few scenes of the movie “The Pleasure Garden” on Alassio beach and in the Villa’s park; Oscar winner Guy Green set the movie “The Snorkel” starring Betta St. John, Peter Van Eyck and Mandy Miller in Villa della Pergola; Carlo Levi stayed, painting several canvases of the beautiful landscape that inspired musician Edward Elgar for his symphonic composition “In the South (Alassio).”

Source: https://www.piemonteterradelgusto.com