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Stroll through an Italian garden for a peaceful experience of la dolce vita (the sweet life). Here’s where landscape architects tamed Mother Nature, harmoniously blending greenery, sculptures, and fountains.

Most Italian gardens are not about the flowers, but focused on a flowing design, created specifically for the pleasures of the villa’s residents. And the topiary! Like expert tailors, gardeners clip Cypress trees, boxwood, and ilex bushes into fashionable, clean shapes. Serene green, precisely arranged, is what defines the country’s garden style.

Some of the most memorable to visit are gardens of the Renaissance or Baroque periods. These gardens were planned as carefully as the villas they surrounded, artfully blending design with the natural landscape. They’re comprised of sunlit paths, pergolas dripping with wisteria, belvederes for awesome views, and romantic niches fragrant with lavender. Fountains and statues add emotion to the mix.

Every garden you’ll visit will have a distinct personality, reflecting the owner—whether it’s the bursting, playful spirit of Niki de Saint Phalle or the idealism of Giovanni de’ Medici.

Go and enjoy their pleasant fantasies…

TIP: Many gardens close down November-March, so be sure to check schedules. As many of the gardens are not marked, if you’re an avid gardener and want a more in-depth experience, buy a guide before your visit or sign up for a tour.

Also, don’t miss these springtime experiences:

Rome: Roseto di Roma Capitale (www.comune.roma.it): Late April to mid-June, you can enjoy 1,100 varieties of roses in a stunning location next to the Circus Maximus.

Florence: Giardino dell’Iris (www.irisfirenze.it): In late April through May, 2,500 hundred types of iris, the symbol of Florence, bloom below the Piazzale Michelangelo.

L’Infiorata (Flower Art Festival): These occur in late May or early June, traditionally nine Sundays after Easter. To celebrate the feast of Corpus Domini, small towns all over Italy pave the vias to their churches with “paintings” made of flower petals. Among them are Genzano in Lazio (www.infiorata.it), Spello in Umbria (www.infioretaspello.it), and Noto in Sicily (www.eventiesagre.it).