Francesca Marzotto Caotorta

is a landscape artist and a well-known garden expert. She has founded and edited Gardenia, one of Italy’s most widely read gardening magazines, and has designed Milan’s Orticola, the popular flower and plant exhibition and market, of which she is currently vice-president. She has been both guest and host of a number of tv and radio shows, and has contributed to a number of dailies and periodicals, such as la Repubblica, Corriere della Sera, Il Giornale, Casa Vogue, Abitare, Amica, Elle Decor. She has long held a gardening column (Verdissimo) in Il Sole 24 Ore. Her books include: Profumi ritrovati (1980), I segreti dei colori naturali (1982), published by Rizzoli; Viole, with M. Lombardi (Il Sole 24 Ore Edagricole, 1997); All’ombra delle farfalle. Il giardino e le sue storie (Mondadori, 2011).