Forestiere Underground Gardens

Baldassare Forestiere had a vision for an interesting garden. So he created the Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno, California. The underground gardens are unlike any in the area, and they are also based on Mediterranean plants. The gardens were started in 1906 and a lot of news regarding the gardens dates back to 1923, when it was first mentioned in the press.

Some of the information known about the gardens is related to verbal stories. The historical center which runs the gardens today, knows that Ric Forestiere and his family has researched Baldassare's Italian origins to help piece the picture together. Baldassare came over from Italy, as early as 1900.

Tours of the gardens are possible year round, for an admission. Docents help to teach visitors about the history of the place, as well as the plants in the garden. Much of the underground gardens are in brick underground structures and an adobe home. It is a lot like walking in Italy's underground, with pieced rocks and brick that might remind you of Italian Catacombs. There are ten acres of these honeycomb passage ways to enjoy on a visit to the underground gardens. Several stairs and twists can be found throughout.