The Garden of Pojega between Landscape and Agriculture: Agostino Rizzardi’s Talk at the Palazzo di Varignana Conference
On 14 July, Agostino Rizzardi – owner of the Garden of Pojega and of the Guerrieri Rizzardi wine estate – took part in the conference “Cultivating the Landscape”, promoted by Grandi Giardini Italiani and hosted at Palazzo di Varignana, marking the 10th anniversary of Agrivar, the estate’s agricultural project.
The event brought together different but complementary experiences, all united by a common goal: to place the landscape at the centre of cultural, agricultural and tourism strategies for the territories. Alongside Rizzardi, the speakers included Adelmo Barlesi (Parco Villa Trecci, Montepulciano), Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga (Tenuta San Leonardo, Avio), Brandino Brandolini d’Adda (Tenuta Vistorta, Friuli), and Carlo Gherardi, founder of both Palazzo di Varignana and Agrivar. The roundtable was moderated by Judith Wade, founder of the Grandi Giardini Italiani network.
The landscape is not something we inherit. It’s something we care for.
In his talk, Agostino Rizzardi shared the perspective developed in Valpolicella, through both his wine estate and the Garden of Pojega – listed since 2023 among the beneficiaries of Italy’s PNRR recovery programme for historic gardens.
“In recent years,” Rizzardi explained, “I feel less and less like an owner, and more like a custodian. The Garden of Pojega is not something to show off – it’s a living legacy that requires care and attention, just like the vineyards surrounding it.”
His story intertwined the history of the garden – created in 1783 and recently restored with PNRR funding – with that of an agricultural estate that today operates across the three main DOC wine areas of Verona: Bardolino, Valpolicella, and Soave. In recent years, Guerrieri Rizzardi has combined winemaking with hospitality and territorial promotion.
This is a business journey rooted in the land and extending to the visitor experience:
“Those who visit a historic garden today aren’t just looking for something beautiful,” said Rizzardi. “They want to understand where they are, and connect with the place. That means offering experiences that engage all five senses – sight, smell, and even taste.”
Data and perspectives: Rural tourism between identity and development
Rizzardi’s reflections tied into a broader discussion on rural tourism, a sector that currently accounts for 15% of tourism in Italy and continues to grow steadily.
According to data presented during the conference, over 13 million Italians have taken part in wine-related experiences in the past three years – from tastings (71.2%) and winery tours (49.7%) to active experiences like vineyard walks and wine trekking.
Wine and garden tourism is not only an opportunity for visibility – it is a way to bring new life to agricultural landscapes, to local communities, and to small-scale economies.
“Cultivating the landscape also means cultivating a sense of belonging,” Rizzardi emphasised. “It’s the most natural way to turn beauty into a force for cohesion, culture, and sustainable local development.”
A clear example is the Garden of Pojega itself – a historic five-hectare park set within 30 hectares of vineyards – representing a rare balance between preservation and production, cultural experience and land-based narrative.
Pojega: An Open Space Between Past and Present
The Garden of Pojega is one of the few surviving examples of an Italian-style garden in the Veneto region that still retains its original 18th-century structure. Designed in 1783 by Luigi Trezza, it is laid out over multiple levels and preserves architectural, scenic and botanical elements that continue to inspire today.
The restoration work, launched in 2023 with the support of the PNRR Culture programme, allowed for the recovery of historic irrigation channels, restoration of perspectives, and replanting based on original plans. The project also included training for new professional figures such as gardeners of art, as part of a national programme that involved over 1,400 skilled workers.
“Today, a garden is no longer just a cultural asset,” Rizzardi concluded.
“It’s a tool for creating new connections between agriculture, tourism, culture and communities. And from those connections, a real model of territorial regeneration can emerge.”
We extend our sincere thanks to Grandi Giardini Italiani for the invitation and for their continued work in promoting Italy’s historic gardens. A special thanks also to Dr. Carlo Gherardi, founder of Palazzo di Varignana, for the warm hospitality and for selecting us as a voice in this important dialogue on the landscape.
