The Underground Gardens are the life-long devotion and
hobby of Baldassare Forestiere (1879-1946), a Sicilian
immigrant who came to America in 1901 to escape the iron
rule of his wealthy father and pursue his own dreams. The
Gardens are a subterranean complex of patios, grottos, and
garden courts interconnecting with passageways that
encircle the living quarters of the self-taught artist and builder
who sought to escape the brutal heat of Fresno summers.
Forestiere patterned his underground world after the ancient
catacombs, which he so admired as a boy. Arches and
passageways dominate the underground landscape while the
stonework provides stability and beauty. But unlike the dark
catacombs that protected the remnants of the lifeless,
Forestiere designed well-lit courtyards and grottos to bring
forth the radiance and vitality of life.
No plans were put on paper; each room and passageway
originated in Forestiere’s mind as he worked. With the simple
tools of a farmer—a pick, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow—the
young immigrant dug, chipped, and carved the unforgiving
hardpan land for 40 years (1906-1946) in his spare time. By
the time he was 44 years-old, he had excavated and planted
over 10 acres.
But the humble immigrant’s genius did not stop there.
Incredibly, Forestiere planted multiple varieties of fruit-bearing
plants at different underground levels. Oranges, lemons,
grapefruits—many on a single tree—as well as more unusual
varieties like kumquat, loquat, jujube, strawberry, quince, and
dates could be easily plucked from the surface by simply
bending down. Wine and table grapes also grace this
sanctuary, and dangle lusciously in great clumps every-
where---truly an oasis in a modern-day desert of pavement.
http://www.undergroundgardens.com/summary.html_________________
The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand. - Frank Herbert
Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. - Albert Einstein
Knowledge is a powerful weapon, but only when its user can wield it.
