Heller Garden

It is only fitting that Gardone Riviera would be home to what is classified as one of Italy's most beautiful gardens. Carefully arranged spaces of plants and trees interspersed with sculptures is what you'll find at the Andre Heller Garden on Lake Garda.

Originally belonging to Dr. Arturo Hruska, a Czech dentist, botanist and naturalist who bought the property in 1914. His first trip to the lake captivated him and he purchased the land on the slope and started planting a botanical garden. The early years of the 20th century saw many terraced gardens being installed on the shores of the lake. The unique climate allows plants from many climate zones to flourish here.

The property now belongs to Austrian musician and artist Andre Heller who has endowed it with sculptures and plants from all over the world. The arranged spaces blend nature and art in a beautiful way. Streams, ponds and cascades mix with flowers, a bamboo woods, and verdant corners populated by flitting butterflies and dragonflies. A Venetian-style villa is the artist's home on the property. Views of the Gulf of Salo' and the shoreline with the distant Mt. Baldo are lovely.

The Heller Garden is also called the Hruska Garden. It is open from March through October from 9:00 AM til 7:00 PM.