Presented at the last edition of the Salone del Mobile in Milan as capsule collection, The Iris Garden, Il giardino dell’Iris, of Manifattura Richard Ginori, is entirely handcrafted and inspired by the iris flower. The hand-painted decoration that depicts the iris, the symbolic flower of Florence, is applied to the porcelain using a decorative technique inspired by the watercolour, created by Maria Sibylla Merian, a German naturalist and painter, in the volume entitled Neues Blumenbuch (New Book of Flowers, 1675).
In the capsule collection of plates and vases, the beauty of the painted flowers is combined in happy contrast with the sketched flowers; the decoration celebrates the ephemeral beauty of flowers created on items, giving them an almost lifelike quality. Equally modern is the studded motif used to contain the floral decoration. In the city of Florence, is possible to find historical gardens of Medici family where Iris are growing like Villa Petraia in Castello and a botanical garden specializing in the cultivation of iris, symbol of Florence since 1251, located a stone’s throw from the Piazzale Michelangelo. It is almost entirely devoted to iris plants, with more than 1.500 varieties on display during the annual season. The garden contains a pond is for the cultivation of aquatic varieties and provides an excellent view of Florence and its surrounding hills.
The Flora Journal 