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| Where | Rio nell'Elba - Loc. Santa Caterina |
|---|---|
| How to get there | Starting from Rio nell'Elba towards Nisporto, after about 2 kilometers, a parking area on the right and signs will indicate the direction to follow. |
| Opening hours | April: 11:00 – 13:00 / 15:30 – 18:30 > closed on Mondays / open on Easter Monday and April 25th May: 15:30 – 18:30 > closed on Mondays / open on May 1st June: 10:30 – 13:00 / 15:30 – 18:30 > closed on Mondays / open on June 2nd July and August: 11:30 – 13:00 / 17:00 – 19:00 > closed on Sundays and Mondays / closed on August 15th September and October: 10:30 – 13:00 / 15:30 – 18:30 > closed on Mondays |
| Guided tours | By reservation only (minimum of 5 people) |
| Prices | Full € 5.00 – Reduced € 3.00 (13 to 17 years old and groups of more than 12 people) – Free (children up to 12 years old, students from Elba schools, people with disabilities and their companions, certified tourist and environmental guides, journalists, travel bloggers) |
| Contacts | Tel. +39 353 3924167 ortodeisemplicielbano@gmail.com |
The Herb Garden was created in 1992 by botanists Gabriella Corsi and Fabio Garbari from the University of Pisa, and German writer and photographer Hans Georg Berger, with the aim of promoting and spreading knowledge of the wild and cultivated plants of the Tuscan Archipelago and preserving the ethnobotanical traditions associated with them.
The Elba Herb Garden was designed by architects Roberto Gabetti and Aimaro Isola. It has always collaborated with botanists from the University of Pisa for wild flora and the School of Advanced Studies Sant'Anna in Pisa for agricultural aspects.
The facility was intended to be a catalyst for new agricultural and environmental initiatives, within the framework of economic and employment development, in harmony with the local resources and traditions of the communities. Therefore, the Herb Garden has assumed the role of preserving and enhancing species of natural, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and forestry interest from the Tuscan Archipelago.
It opened its doors to the public in the spring of 1997, with the sponsorship of the Italian Botanical Society. The botanical garden's activities have since been maintained through private initiatives (volunteer work, Friends of the Hermitage Association) and the Municipality of Rio nell'Elba, later with support from other public entities such as the Tuscany Region, the Province of Livorno, and the Mountain Community. From 2016 to 2020, management was entrusted to the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago.
In those years, wild plants, exclusive or rare (endemic) species from various typical local environments of Elba were identified, collected, and placed in dedicated plots.
Currently, the Herb Garden is undergoing renovation and new development thanks to the work of gardeners, volunteers, and some members of the Friends of the Hermitage of Santa Caterina Association, which owns the land. The management is now entrusted to Francesco Marino, who oversees and develops the collections and organizes maintenance and public access.
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