Orticolario 2026 centers on dreamlike landscapes and new foundation

Orticolario returns Oct. 1-4, 2026, at Villa Erba in Cernobbio on Lake Como with its 16th edition, shifting from wonder to dream, illusion and fantasy. The event also marks the launch of Fondazione Orticolario ETS, a move meant to give the cultural and social platform more stability and reach.

Why it matters: - Orticolario is positioning itself as more than a garden show, with a cultural program built around landscape awareness, art and social impact. - The 2026 edition expands that role by centering on dream, imagination and “fantastic plants,” aiming to connect design, science, art and public engagement. - The creation of Fondazione Orticolario ETS is meant to turn the annual event into a more permanent cultural and territorial presence.

What happened: - Orticolario 2026, titled en rêverie, runs through Oct. 4 at Villa Erba in Cernobbio on Lake Como. - The 16th edition is hosted across the historic park and exhibition center of the 19th-century lakeside villa. - The event features more than 250 Italian and international exhibitors. - The program includes rare, unusual and collector plants, artisan objects and original creations. - Seven themed gardens selected through the international Spazi Creativi competition are on display. - Seven site-specific installations inspired by the 2026 theme are part of the event. - The cultural schedule includes talks, performances, experiences and workshops for adults, children and teenagers.

The details: - Orticolario moves from the 2025 theme of wonder toward a more surreal concept built around dream, illusion and fantasy. - The 2026 theme, en rêverie, frames imagination as an active process of shaping what does not yet exist. - The central installation Hypnos, created by Mario Mariani / Central Park and Matteo Boccardo, is supported by Fondazione Banca Popolare di Milano in the central pavilion. - Phantasos, also by Mario Mariani / Central Park and Matteo Boccardo, focuses on unusual plant species with striking forms, colors or survival traits. - Les imaginaires transforms Villa Erba’s atrium into a poetic interpretation of nature, led by artist Lau Cabantous and ethnobotanist Lucia Papponi, with support from Taroni. - The winner of the Spazi Creativi garden competition receives La Foglia d’oro del Lago di Como. - Guest of honor Luigi Serafini brings the Codex Seraphinianus, a cult book known for its indecipherable language and imaginary organisms, architecture and botany. - Orticolario follows previous guest-of-honor turns by Michele De Lucchi and Antonia Klugmann.

Between the lines: - The event is using art and fantasy to broaden the appeal of landscape culture beyond horticulture alone. - The choice of Serafini underscores Orticolario’s focus on cross-disciplinary ideas rather than a single design or garden aesthetic. - The foundation launch suggests organizers want to formalize and protect the event’s role as a long-term public platform. - The emphasis on children’s programming and social purpose points to an effort to make the event more civic and educational, not just commercial.

What's next: - Orticolario continues through Oct. 4 at Villa Erba. - Organizers say Fondazione Orticolario ETS will help support the event’s future development and expand its network of responsibilities and opportunities. - Visitors can find more information at the official website.

The bottom line: - Orticolario 2026 is using the language of dreams to push a garden fair into a wider cultural institution, while building a foundation to make that shift last.