Museo Giardino di Lady Walton (La Mortella)

Lady Walton Garden Museum, commonly known as "La Mortella", is a garden created by Susana Walton, wife of British composer William, in Forio, in the western part of the island of Ischia. Since 1990 the garden is open to the public. The term "mortella" in Neapolitan language indicates "Myrtus communis", a plant that characterizes the garden and was of great importance in Greek-Roman mythology. In the upper garden are Thai Hall, surrounded by lotus, bamboo and Japanese maples; Temple of the Sun, enriched by Simon Verity's bas-reliefs; Crocodile Waterfall; Ninfeo; Greek Theater and William's Rock, a boulder placed on a promontory about 120 meters from the sea level, where the ashes of the artist and his wife are kept. The garden collects more than 3000 species of exotic and rare plants and is enriched by streams, ponds, fountains and pools that allow the cultivation of aquatic plants such as papyrus, lotus flower and tropical water lilies. From the terraces on the drywall you can enjoy one of the most impressive views of Forio Bay.